Wreck of the "Maukin."

Maori Messenger : Te Karere Maori, Volume 4, Issue 85, 25 March 1852, Page 3

Wreck of the "Maukin."

A fortnight since, when penning a brief count of the local disasters consequent upon tremendous gale of the 6th instant, we exessed an apprehension that more serious unities might possibly have occuired on the ist. We deeply lament to say that thest our lonbodinas have been unhappily Vitalized, in Ihe total liiss of our old favourite, the brig " Maukin," ihe property of \V. S. Giahame, Esq. After a long nnd expensive outfit, the " Maukiii,"hnd butjust sailed on the first whaliii" voyage ever undertaken from the port of Auckland. In common with the rest of our citizens, we had token n lively interest in the fortunes' of the " Maukin/' regarding her with the anxious good wishes which usually attend Ihe pioneers of a class; ami trusting that the prosperity which had accompanied her as a Sidney trader would follow lirr, and give an impetus to other dibits in the no* pursuit into which she had entered. Unfortunately, fate has willed it otherwise, and we are now compelled to chronicle lut lotal loss. It is a providenihl circumstance thai, in a rude; and iron-hound coa-t, where nicks .nid reefs frowned on every hand, there was one small sandy nook into which the m.iriiters wenpermitted to thrust their ship. A lew yards to ihe riuht or left of the little bay on which she was beached, and there would have been none t» die tale of her destruction. To • Cnpiain Eames (f»r whos. misfortune we feel Ihe most sympathetic r.-crel), we are indebted for the subjoined particulars of the melancholy disnstcr. We have not h- ord wheiln'i the liiig was insured or not. We trust that she was On Saturday, 2Sth Fi-biunry, the brig " Maukin" sailed on n whaling voyage from this port, with every prospect of success, and I believe with the good wishes of the whole community. 1 s'ood to the northward, along the coast, ciuizing ofFand on. On the Friday following, March slh, at noon, the " Maukin," was sixteen miles N.K. by K. by compass from Knuckle Point, a >tiff bKtza blowing from theS.li., the vessel being hove to under a.chise-reefrd main topsail, and heading about N.K. by H., I bus making a North, or N> rlh by West drift. Took the waist boat in on deck, as the whs -labouring a good deal, there being a heavy sea tunning.

The wind gradually increased towards night ; I therefore got tin- quarter hoats t,.kcn tlie davit heads. About 10 p.m. the wind sViilled lo Kisi. The ship vns making little or no headway, owing ti the heavy 'head sea. Saturday, Oili, at 2 a.m., lb* wind hauled iwo points moic to the Northward, thai is Jtf.N.E., Hie ves>el heading N. and N. by V'., and making six or seven points be way ; thus making no better course than VI. by N. Henvecn four and live a.m., il blew very liaid,so much so, a* almost to lav ns on our beam tnds, and the leu quarter boat was swepi away. About hnlf-paU 10 a.m., saw the land on our leu beam, not more than ii mile distant. A few niinuies after, the mi*t rising a liitle, saw North Cape on our weulher bow. I then felt ihat lite time was come ; for when the wind shifted in the morning, 1 kneiv that there was no chance for the vessel except a change of wind. ' -Our decision was quickly tnken ; there was \'iVj«» lime fur tlioughl. Having put two bands attlie wheel, 1 set the fore lopma-t .staysail, and wore her. Mr. Kobeils and I then mounted Hit.- fore lipgiiiK, to try and see over ibe •a*\ The mist clearing awny for n moment, we a high bluil'poinr, ami nnoYlier beyond, thai is to the southward ; but finding that we could not weather the fuitbcr or souibern poiat. we deteimined to run into ibis liitle bay/Tt it were one. We did so, As we wont through the surf, one sea came aboard of us on the starboard quarter, smashing the slurbcnrd boat all t>> pieces, and deluging the decks. . All hands but those at the whtel were in the jigging, or many of them would doubtless have been swept overboard. The vessel then struck, and a succession of seas poured over us. The tide ball ebbed about a quarter win n we ■nek; s'i that every succeeding sea In came Jess and less. Shortly alter haying struck, n\o bunds, in attempting to git ashore, were swept av. ay, one of them disappeared in the "surf, and was lost, but the oilier we got on

board again, badly bruised, baring been thrown against the stern. About tvvn hours after wo struck, some hands were able to get on shore, us the drawback receded as far as the ves-el. About two, or half-past two, Mr. Rob* its and I left (lie vessel, as the lidc had made considerably, and she was breaking up fast. After having saved what I could, oil the Thursday following I started, intending lo go to Mnnganui, but havinsj found a vessel at Aliipara bound for Auckland, I took pasnage by her, and arrived here this morning with the first news of the disaster.