The s.s. Waikato.

Manawatu Herald, 12 October 1899, Page 3

The s.s. Waikato.

AN OFFICER'S NARRATIVE.

The second officer of the Waikato states : — After the vessel left London there were several stoppages for repairs to the machinery. On the sth July at 2 o'clock in the morning all hands' were aroused by a terrific vibration motion. The engineer found that the main shaft had broken in the stern-tube, about Six feet inside the stern gland. It was absolutely impossible to effect the necessary repairs. The position of fhe vessel was aboat 150 miles south of Cape Agulhas, Cape Colony. The vessel drifted till 28th July, when the barquentine Tacora was sighted. Her officers promised to give the Waikato a tow, but after they had get a line aboard it parted and the barquentine stooJ off until the following day. " Next day another line was got aboard. It was then a dead calm, with a moderate swell. Unfortunately, the Tacora started to bear down on us, forcing her Captain to cut the tow-line and attempt to get her upon the port tack. The sternway she had, however, forced her to crash into us. Very luckily, but little damage was done to either boat. N o one was to blame for the collision, which was inevitable. The Tacora then signally to us that she could render us no more assistance.

On 2nd August we sighted the Danish ship Aalborg, bound to Lyttelton. Her captain refused to tow us, but waited till we could send a boat aboard with letters, and also furnished us with spare b'scuits. As our own company's steamer Ruahine might be in that locality about the evening of the i6th, we determined to get on her track if possible, and keep a good lookout for her. Our provisions were now giving out, so we overhauled the cargo. Tinned herrings, sardines, and cheese were all that we could get 'hold of. We felt the want of flour keenly. From the 9th to the 15th we drifted 160 miles due East. We got into a dense fog on the 16th, and missed the Ruahine.

On the 22nd we were running along before a fresh wind with all sail set, when a terrific gust carried everything before it save the foresail. Fortunately we had some spare sails. Good and bad weather alternated till we sighted the Banca, which has since reported us at Brisbane. The holds were frequently rummaged for provisions. Little was found but fish peas and cocoa, of which we got heartily sick. On the Bth September the barque Alice sighted us and gave us generous contributions consisting of two barrels of beef, three barrels of flour and five spare sails. We had now come so far east that we were as near to Australia as to the Cape, and we decided to make for the former. On the 15th September the steamer Asloun sighted us, and responding to our distress signals, came alongside and promised to give us a tow to Fremantle, whether she was bound. On the 18th, in a heavy sea the tow-line parted. It was replaced with great difficulty, the men having many narrow escapes from being dashed to pieces against the vessel's side. .

When we reached Amsterdam Island, the Asloun needed re- coaling, so we coaled her with no tons by means of our own boats, using the iifeboats as lighters. It was a difficult job. All hands worked almost without food, right through the night and until noon the next day, The line again snapped on the 28th during a gale. The Waikato fell off rapidly before the wind. Her decks were flooded with water, and for some time there was no sign of the Asloun. We had great fears for her safety. Next day the wind decreased, but the Asloun was not sighted until the afternoon.

Another tow-line was taken on board her, and it was then ascertained that the Asloun had had a very narrow escape having started her funnel and suffered other damage. Heavy weather followed until our arrival.