Wreck on Victorian Coast.

Manawatu Herald, Volume III, Issue III, 10 September 1891, Page 3

Wreck on Victorian Coast.

tfhe Press Association notify that the barque Fiji, from Hamburg, has been -wrecked sixteen miles east of Port Campbell* and 168 miles south west of Melbourne. This pomt 1 marks the spot a little to the north and west of Cape Otway, the. most; Boulfhern point of the Australian Continent. The barque must have got out of her course considerably .The coastline at this point is very rough and bluff. , The report statea that a party of gentlemen who were walking along the coast in, the vicinity on the 6th mat discovered a man lying in the sorub; almost frozen stiff. Where these gentlemen came from is not made clear, but probably from a bamlet' called Piihcetown, which lies close liyei : The man found was torn and Weeding, and the only clothes he ha?l on were a singlet and socks. Altogether he presented a wild and unusual appearance. "With some difficulty the man was restored to consciousness, and he then informed his rescuers that the vessel ran on the coast oh Saturday night. There were 20 people on board. He and another man swam for shore for assistance, but his companion was drowned. The barque only possessed one >' boat,' and that was not seaworthy. The party immediately went in search of the wreck, and found the vessel 200 yards from the shore. The crew were ranged along the deck with lifebelts oni The life saving apparatus reached the barque Fiji on the 7th. Fifteen of the crew landed safely, but 12 were drowned. The ship broke up within 10 minutes after Captain got oh shored _ Among those drowned are Mr Brisbane, first officer ; Mr Lardman, fliird officer ; and Parter, an apprentice. The rest are seamen, whose names have not been mentioned. One man named Wickenson swam back to the wreck to assist his mates, and died of exhaustion on board. The site j^tfbout eight miles from tyhere the Iffich Ard was wrecked. •The rescued sailor believes the . vessel missed stays. She has 200 tons of dynamite on board.