Strenuous Sea Story.

Horowhenua Chronicle, 13 January 1913, Page 4

Strenuous Sea Story.

VOYAGE OF THE NABIIUNG

(Independent Cable Service).

LONDON, December 21

Tho Naming is safe in port.

Crowds of peoplo braved the.weothor to watch a sea-swept and wavowashod vessel limp alongside the wharf at Gravesend. She wae in a sorry plight, and it is a marvel how sho withstood the terrible onslaughts of tho Atlantic. Her port-side was ripped open, her hatches stove in, and tho decks littered with snlinterod steel and iron. Her etoam winches wore a mass of wreckage, and her bulwarks wore twisted like pieces of cardboard. The masts were entirely denuded of their rigging, tho foromast being fractured in Ijhree places, while portholes woro smashed in and cabins 'broken up like matchwood.

All the evidences of the titanic strength of the cyclone justify tho captain's cry: "Now, boys, it's life or death. Don't trouble about anything olso."

When tho vessel was overwhelmed and smothered by a huge wave, 80 feet high, the passengers were halfdrowned. In tho forrard cabins tho lower bunks were awash, and men and women and children clambered into the top bunks. Females were crowded into their quarters for 40 hours, many of them screaming frantically, and calling upon their God, others staying heroical'y calm. Men vacated their bunks, and did not go to bed until they were aeeured of th ehipe's safety. Even men were imprisoned for 10 solid hours in one section of the ship. Tho firemen stood waist-deep in swishing water in the stokehold, but pluckily stuck to their task. Coal was swept from the bunkers and was banging about all over the plates.

Passengers say that tho steamer's rail was levol with the boiling wav >s and she rushed down declivities into the water-troughs at an angle of 45 degrees.

Many of the women, attired only in their nightwoar, paddled up and down tho alleyways barefooted. Food was hardly thought of. The captata did not leave the bridge while the danger lasted, and tfie wireless operator stayed on duty for two whole days. Neither of these officers had even the semblance of a meal during tho trying time.

A large portion of the emigrants on board were from Ireland and Scotland and tho North of England. Tho scenes when they landed were of an extraordinary description. Men were running about on tho wha;-f clad only in their pyjamas.

The passengers were put into a special train fo Fonchurch street Station, the London terminus of the Tilbury line that connecte with Gravesottl. Most of the poor people were utterly destitute, and i woman was compelled to borrow n sleeping suit and a dressing gown before- she could travel. Sho had sold everything before eho loft her homo, tind all her effects wero destroyed by the buffeting.

So?no of the passengers have gone back to their own towns at tho expense of the Commonwealth Government, others havo been taken to .-> eailors' homo, laud tho P. and 0. Company is allowing thorn 2s 6d a day.

At Fonchurch street some pitiful stories wore told. A Manchester woman, with three young children and a baby in her arms, who was going to the GouTburn district to join her husband on a farm, had only 5s on reaching London. Sho was asked if she would still go to Australia, and she replied, "Oh yes! When is the next boat sailing?" Contrast was supplied by a group of male emigrants who remarked: "Not for ua. We'll stay at homo." There is an excellent opportunity for the Australian authorities to exhibit a practical sympathy that will commend Australia to omigrants generally. /