LOSS OF THE SHIP ST. VINCENT.

Marlborough Express, Volume IV, Issue 160, 20 February 1869, Page 4

LOSS OF THE SHIP ST. VINCENT.

We take the following account from an Evening Post extra dated Wednesday last, 10 - 30 a.rn. : “Fortunately it seldom falls to our lot to chronicle so sad a catastrophe as that of which intelligence reached us yesterday evening—the total loss of the ship St. Vincent and her crew, with the sole exception of two, on the Mokomoko rocks, on Sunday night. On the morning of Saturday last she lay in our harbor a new, strong, i.rid noble vessel, well manned, and ably commanded, and destined apparently to battle successfully with the elements for many a year to come,, and yet in a few short hours her scattered timbers were strewing the storm-beaten beach of Palliser Bay. From Mr. Stringer, chief officer of the ill-fated ship and one of the two survivors whose lives were saved almost by a miracle, we have learned the following particulars :—The ship St. Vincent, 700 tons register, Captain James Barron, bound for Lyttelton, passed the lighthouse at Wellington Heads on Saturday, the 13th instant, at 4'30 p.m., having on board, including the captain and one passenger, twenty-two souls ; the wind was moderate from the N.W., the weather hazy and threatening; the breeze lasted till about 7'30 p.m., at which time the ship was 17 miles from the lighthouse, when it fell calm with heavy rain ; at 8 "30 the wind came up strong from the southward with increased rain ; the ship was then put on the starboard tack, standing to the eastward, and continued so till 4 a m. on Sunday ; the weather was thick and still raining, and the wind increased to a strong gale ; the ship was wore on the port tack, and stood to the westward until noon on Sunday, when Cape Campbell was seen distant ,4 miles • she then wore again to the eastward ; it was blowing terrifically, with a furious sea, the ship under two topsails; the fore and main topmast staysails blew away, and the foresail split in reefing; , the weather was still thick, and no land was seen after losing sight of : Cape Campbell till 4 p.m., when land was sighted on the lee bow; uncertainty, prevailed as . to what land it was until 6 p.m.,- when Cape Palliser Bay was made out bearing S.E., and Taourakira Head W., which placed the vessel in the middle of Palliser Bay; she was immediately wore round, and stood to the westward in hopes of weathering the point and making Wellington; reefed foresail and mainsail were set, also mizen topsail and reefed upper topsails, jib and spanker, the ship making very bad weather, driving bows under, and drifting fast to leeward ; .about 9 p.m the wind suddenly dropped, but the furious sea rolling into the bay prevented the vessel being kept to the wind, and she still kept falling off to leeward; at 10 p.m. breakers were discovered close under the lee bow ; the wind being light, and the ship refusing to steer, she was thrown all aback and both anchors let go, sixty fathoms of chain being fun out ; shortly afterwards she struck heavily abaft; all hands w’ere employed attempting to clear away the life boat, when a furious sea struck the ship, throwing her almost ou her beam ends, smashing the life boat, and carrying away the boatswain, who was seen no more ; about this time the cables apparently parted, and she fell broad'--side on to the rocks ; the next sea threw her on her beam ends ; the uex' carried away her masts,

boats, and everything, completely gutting out, and leaving her a total wreck ; the, crew hung on to the main and mizzen chain plates'on the port side; the night was awfully dark, but all continued to maintain their hold till about 3 a.m. on Monday morning, when the chief officer and sailraaker were swept away. Mr. Stringer does not know how he reached the land; he was washed on the beach insensible, and on recovering consciousness about six in the morning he imagined himself the sole survivor On looking towards the vessel he observed she waa about half a mile from the land ; her after part was completely smashed, and no signs of any pf his shipmates were to be seen. He then made the best of his way to M'Kenzie’s, where her, discovered the sailmaker. In the afternoon he rode back'to the scene of the wreck, and discovered the bodies of Mr. M ‘Kay (a passenger), and one of the sailors, washed ashore; he carried them 100 yards above high water mark, and laid them on a rock, covering them up with canvass. , The beach was covered with wreck for about two miles. Mr. Stringer then started on horseback from M‘Kenzie’s, and rode to within five miles of the lighthouse. He walked to Phillips’, where he procured another horse, which he rode to the Hutt, and arrived in town by the coach yesterday evening. Some money and papers found on Mr. M‘Kay’s body were handed over to the police. He desires to express his gratitude to Mr. M'Kenzie, Mr. Phillips, and the Lighthouse keeper, for their kindness in attending to his wants.” ' ■- v ‘ ' .