AUSTRALIAN.

Hokitika Guardian, 28 June 1921, Page 3

AUSTRALIAN.

: THE SiiiPWRECKS. ! -**«> ——- j THE RESCUED. | AUSTRALIAN AND N.Z. CABLE ASSOCIATION. ; SYDNEY, June 27. j The Brundah brought Our Jack’s sur- [ vivors to Sydney. When the Brundah i approached the sinking vessel the crew wore alongside in a lifeboat which a big wave capsized, before they could reach them. ’Hiey managed to drag nine of the crew which it is now stated numbelred fourteen aboard. Five including the captain wen? drowned. Four of the survivors who were injured were taken to the hospital. The fourth survivor of the Fitzroy was the boatswain who swam ashore. There is no news of the missing boats LOSS OF OUR JACK. LIST OF THE DROWNED. SYDNEY, June 27. The story told by the Our Jack’s survivors dispels the theory avS to a collision with the Fitzrov. The Our Jack was en route from Camden Ha--1 yen to Sydney timber laden. She | struck a gale and heavy seas diiritm I the night and commenced to leak. Early in the morning the engineer reported j that the water had beaten him. As the j vessel was sinking, it was decided to , abandon her. With great difficulty ow- | ing to the dangerous sea, they got a lifoI boat afloat. For an hour iieforo the 'Brundah arrived this boat was knocked about helpless and several times it was i overturned. The crew were badly exhausted. Some dropped or were washed off. j The Brundah, by splendid soainaiiship ; was got alongside. It was a difficult j task transferring the spent survivors to j (he Bundnh in the raging sea. four rej reiving injuries in the transit-ini). The “Our Jack’’ was still afloat when the Bundnh left the scene. The names of the “Our Jack’s" | drowned arc: Captain Forbes, Seaman • Wirkman, Neilson, and Krikson, and : cook. C. Hillston. c THE FITZROY DISASTER. 1 lifeboats occupants post. . I I SYDNEY, June 27. It is believed that the Fitzroy’s passengers numbered 13. and her crew 13. There is no connected story of the wreck yet. The survivors had a terrible time. They were knocking about for hours in a rough sea, and became greatly exhausted. They state that they noticed one of the other life boats bottom upwards and it is surmised that its occupants numbering about It) perished. The boatswain named Johansen. was wearing a life-belt, and he was washed ashore. He lay for several hours exhausted before he was able to walk to tbo township and report the wreck. WRECKAGE SEEN. * (Received This Day at 8 n.m.) SYDNEY, June 28. Although no sign of flic Caimstoln. was seen, the Maheno reports sighting a floating hatch cover two hundred miles from Sydney. It did not stop to investigate. SURVIVORS STIRRING ESCAPES. (Received This Day at 10.15 a.in.) SYDNEY, .lone 28. The latest news from the wrecks is that the timber and cargo of the Eit.zroy shifted and could hot he lighted. In consequence, water entered the engitu loom, preventing the supply o! steam to the donkey engine. The vessel capsized without warning, precipitating all a hoard to the number of 3(1, into the water. With the exception of four survivors and bodies of two seamen recovered, the remainder are miss-

Our .lack sprung a leak which comps lied tin- crew to abandon Iter. The survivors oi both vessels narrate graphic stories of thrilling escapes. Carl .Jansen explained that early on Sunday morning the timber shitted in the heavy sea and washed the cattle on deck to the port side. All hands wore called out. but owing to the seas invading the enginerooin and stokehold, they wore unable to work the steam winches. The Fit/.roy took a heavy list to port, turned over and sunk, lie climbed into a water-logged boat which bad broken adrift from the ship and drifted about all day trying to reach shore. He arrived in the siirt at 1.30, but the balloting was too severe lor the boat, which capsized, necessitating him swimming to the short'. Two hoys in the bow were alive, but nimble to stand the surf, and died on reaching shore. Olaf Johansen relates a remarkable escape. He went down four fathoms and on rising be saw a ladder and an oar and proceeded to have a rest, but two pigs tackled him, endeavouring to push him oil'. Eventually lie left the ladder to the pigs, lit' next encountered an upturned boat with the second officer and chief engineer clinging to it, having unsuccessfully attempted to right the boat. He continued to swim aslmre. A cow swimming wildly approached and endeavoured to hang on to him, but be beat it off and swam on and reached the surf. Darkness bad then set in and be rested on the sand and then walked to the home of Walker, agent of Allan Taylor and Company, ami walked in. lie had been over 13 hours in the water. "Walker declares Johansen's nerves were amazing. ITe strolled into the house despite bis teri jldc experience, as if a shipwreck was an everyday occurrence. A SHIPPING HORROR. (Received This Day at 11.30 a.m.) SYDNEY, June 28. It is possible to hope that a passing vessel n.ay have nicked'up the Fitzroy'.- missing boat, but it is considered not very likely, in view of the heavy r.e;’. running at the time oi the disaster. Tiie missing include Captain Colvin, officer, engineer, two lady passengers and stewardess. The survivors state that everybody behaved with the greatest coolness and there was no sign of panic. When the Fit/.roy’s deck cargo and timber shifted the cattle became panic stricken mid made the posh.

tion more desperate, ( Tlie launching of the boats was difficult. When she capsized, human beings and cattle wen* thrown into the sea together, amongst the heavy logs. There was little doubt that numbers wen* crushed and maimed liv the maddened animals and lost their lives in this the first fierce fight for life. A search along the coast and sea for possible survivors continues. The warship Marguerite is assisting. Much wreckage and dead cattle was washed ashore, hut there arc no further signs of survivors or bodies.