A THRILLING TALE OF THE SEA.

Mataura Ensign, Volume 6, Issue 313, 14 December 1883, Page 3

A THRILLING TALE OF THE SEA.

(Christchurch 'Press.') •" Qn Saturday aftern«on '■ last a large fore-.' Wd-^ft Bohooner flying tko A«9iicaß U $

was seen from the pilot station at the Heads, t malting towards Port Lyttelton. Pilot Galbraith and a boat's crew put off to the stranger, and on boarding her found her lo be the Sarah \Y. Hunt, a smart-looking vessel of 110 tons register. The only persons on board were the captain and the steward. The lamentable story of the master (Captain S. S. Miner) cannot be more clearly told than j by reproducing the account as narrated in the official log-book of the vessel : — Extract from log of schooner Sarah "W. Hunt, Captain S. S. Miner.— Campbell Island, Perseverance Harbor, November 27th : At or about 6 o'clock on the morning of the above date, while lying at anchor, the po_rt and starboard boats left the vessel with ordars to search inshore for seals, a light breeze then blowing from W.N.W., the first boat being in charge of the first mate and five ■ seamen, and the starboard boat of second mate and five seamen. The boats left, taking no provisions, but with the intention of returning: to tho yesstl £?? 4i nnei% , « sW-tijr afterwards, and the captain and Qteward alone remained on board the schooner. During the day no anxiety or fear was felt for their safety, although the weather became more squally towards afternoon, and a succession of heavy squalls came down during tne night, but abated between 2 and 3 a.m. on the 28th. There being plenty of creeks and inlets arouuo. the islaud, it was naturallj supposed that the boats put iato one of them to wait till morning, when they would make for the vessel and have arrived during tho day. Not having returned by noon of the second day, great anxiety was felt for their safety, and preparation was made to go in search of them, but being only two on board it was difficult and dangerous to undertake anything, the vessel then being at anchor with both anchors down, with 38 fathoms of cable on one and 20 on the other," and lying in 10 fathoms of water, with the wind dead on a lee shore ; but still it was concluded to make the attempt, and in tie evening reefed the foresail and made everything Teady to start at break of dfiy. November 29, very anxious all night about the crew, No tidings yet. At 2 a.m., weather very thi«k and blowing hard, making it quite impossible,to get under weigh with any chance of safety. "Went aloft and fitted new sheaves into peak halyard blocks, and got everything in readiness to get under weigh as soon as it moderated. At 5 p.m. it commenced to moderate a little, Hove in the starboard anchor. Seven p.m. commenced to breeze up again, and by 9 p.m., it was blowing a gale, with very sudden squalls, which grew less violent towards midnight; Friday, November 30, at 3 a.m., the wind was more moderate, but it was foggy and raining. Began to give up all hopes of the two boats' crews. At 5 a.m. a light wind cams up from the westward. Hove short and got up anchor, set foresail by means of tackle and set forestay and jib and part of mainsail. AX 9 a.m. was clear of Perseverance Harbor. Deuble-reefed mainsail and set in. 8 p.m. blowing a fierce gale, with terrific squalls. Saturday, Dae. I, weather calmi; lay in sight of •island. Light westerly wind from noon to midnight. Sunday, Dec. 2, in latitude 50.51, longitude 169.31+. Nothing seeu of them, so shaped for New Zealand, wind increasing to a gale. Monday, December 3, still blowing h»rd northerly gale with rain. At noon wind shifted to wpptwo.r'}; henvv hes.J sea. i December 4, latitude 49.5 J, longitude 172.19, ' squally from N.W. ; bail and rain. At noon weailier cleared, wind hauling more io wnst.ward. December b, latitude 47.42. longiluils 172.42 8., squally and raining, Thursday, December 6, latitude 46.1 (">, longitude i7i.il, 1 gale increasing ia violence, with occasional fearful so ualls and heavy sea ; 5 p.m., wore ship. Friday, December 7, latitude 44.38, longitude 171. 33 A, day began with S.W. breeze ; at 3 a.m. wore ship, and at 4 a.in, sighted land right ahead to leeward off Cape Saunder.3 ; at 10 a.m. squared away to the nor'ard. Saturday, December 8, day began with uk, clear weather, with a light southerly brcexn : at 5 a.m .set flyingjib, and took reefc out of foresail and mainsail,' and set fore gaff-topsail; took pilot aboard ofE Lytteltnn sit 5 p.m. The following are the names oE the missing men : — Charles Strichert, German, age 32, first mate; Michael Crawford, Irish, ugb 64 years, second mate ; Thomas Whittle, American, age 25 years ; Alexander Henderson, German, age 30 years ; Martin | Tierney, American, 22 years ; Louis Scharffenorth, German, 22 years ; William Hertwig, German, 22 years ; Emil Huter, Swiss, 23 years ; James Judson, American, 23 years ; J. M. Arthur, American, 24 years ; Aylmen Samis, American, 22 years ; Thomas Ennis, American, 22 years. The supposition of both the master and his worthy steward, Mr George Duncan, is that the boats were struck while under . sail by one of the heavy gusts of wind, and capsized drowning the poor 'fellows' who' were' in them. Either that, or, what is much more fea.rfql to contemplate; that the two boats got too far off share, and were blown off by the gales that prevailed after they left the schooner, the crews perishing by starvation. Captain Miner, in a conversation with a reporter of this paper, said that when the boats left the mate remarked that he thought he would be able to get right round the island that day, and Captain Miner particularly said to him, " Well, use your best judgment, but keop as close (the boats) together as you can, for if an accident in landing happened to one boat the other might bo ready to render assistance;" also, "to be sure and not get far off shore, as nothing could be seen by doing so." " The best way," said the captain, "would be to start to windward, then it is easy tomake back." The mate ,was, however, an experienced sealer, and th,p second mate an old whaler — fa,cts which tend < to strengthen the belief of the captain that the bo^ts were capsized in a squall. Referring to " Brett's New Zealand and South Pacific Pilot," it is stated there that Camp* bell Island is 3.0. miles round, also that Jiudden and violent rushes of wind is a characteristic phenomenon of the place, The island's position is in 52deg 33, rain 30aeo S, ancj. lf)9deg Bmin 41scc E.- The schooner wag anohored well (about four miles) up Perseverance Harbor, and just below her was a sharp turn, round which the tw» boats disappeared on the fatal 26th of November passing out of view of the captain and his steward never more, to be seen by them. The distance of Campbell Island from Lyttelton is about 590 miles. The captain, measuring the track he made from there to this port, found, yester lay, that he and tha steward had brought the scb,oqner close up.o,n 63.0 miles through some severe gales and' storms, and with but poor hearts for enduring them. What they have achieved in bringing the vessel in safety so speedily on to this port ia certainly deserving of notice. [Press Association Telegram.] i Wellington, Dec. 12. ; In replying to the Chamber of Commerce, Christchurch, re the missing crew of the Sarah W. Hunt, the Government state that the Stella cannot be spared to search for the missing men, as it would seriously delay the {work in connection with the. lighthouse at 'Waipapa Point, whioh is to be ready by Ist January, They are also- of opinion that if the crew reacht-.d either Campbell or Auckland Islands they would suffer no priratiens, aa a supply of provisions and clothing is stored on each of the islands. If the crew did not reach either of these islands, a search would be perfectly . useless, as there is no land to which they might be blown, and the ;ehance of finding them alive would be small indeed, It is thought that if the men are on the islands the.' captain of- the Sarah Hunt should man his vessel and go himself in search : of the missing seamen.