TOTAL LOSS OF THE BARQUE WHITBY.

Maori Messenger : Te Karere Maori, Volume V, Issue 115, 19 May 1853, Page 2

TOTAL LOSS OF THE BARQUE WHITBY.

(From the "New Zealander," May 7.) We regret much to announce the total wreck of this fine vessel, helonging to Messrs. Wright and Grahame, which occurred at Kaipara on Sunday, 2illiult. The following arc the particulars, as we have received them tVom (Captain ISruce, her laic commander: — On the '2oth I'cbruary the. Whitby arrived al Kaipara from Sydney, lo load with limber, and having shipped a lull cargo of kauri limber and gum at Mr. Walton's station, Alaiigawhare, on Jin; river Wairoa, she got under weigh on Sunday, the -Jilli lilt., upon the last quarter Hood, with a line breeze from the north, and the water on the "Tory Shoal" smooth. When abreast the shoal the wind .suddenly veered lo the westward, when the vessel was kept away for the inner channel, soundings lo_, I'nllmins. The wind at this lime dying away, the ship lost steerage way and the ebb tide making down, .shoaling Ihe water to four fathoms, the anchor was let go, veering away cable to twenty-live fathoms. The cable llicn palled, wlieulhu best bower was immediately let go, the stock of which broke and lloated away, when the ship settled down upon llio Tory Shoal, and struck very heavily. The pumps were sounded, and three feel water was found in (he hold, and on sounding again, live minutes after, there was ten feet of water; the lower forecastle deck suddenly

blew up, the ship working very heavily, anil Ihi-soa IJiT-iiUiiiif over her. The C:ipt:iiii now Mioiighl il advisable lo clear :i\vay (he boats, as il was obvious I'roni Iho ship sii-iking sn heavily, lhal she woulil cerlaiuly go lo pieces I hi- iiexl Hood. A (1-w pieces ufsall beef and lirrail were piocurcd i'roni below and pill in lo I Ik- laiinrli, ami the chiel' ollin-r ami nine ol' llu- crew put oil' I'roni llie ship, ami wilh very great dillicully succeeded in gelling through llie breakers, leaving llu; Caplaii. ami live ol' llie crew on board. Al Mi. mini, p.m., Captain lliitce ami llu: remainder ol' llie crew h-l'i llie ship in llie culler, oxpccling every iimnienl lo be swamped in the hicaki'i's;'il was Ihen nearly dark, and llie sea was making very heavy, and il was Ihoughl impossible that llie ship eoiild lasi till daylight. The two boats succeeded in reaching the ship Sim llinl, which bad also loaded liiuher al Kaipara, and had followed llie barque oul in llie morning. Captain Marl'ailane, having anchored llie Sea Itiril close- lo llii' .Nnrili reel'. On .Monday min-iiing al davbreak. Captain Urure v\enl in the culler lo llie North Head lo see il' any remains of llie vessel could be discerned, but rcluined after a fruitless search, nut a vestige of herwas lobe seen. A few logs only of her cargo have since been washed upon llie heaeb. Toluol' llie Whitby's crew remained on board the Sea llinl. lo proceed to I'orl Phillip, and the remaining twelve, will llie Captain, arrived in Aiii-I.land veleidav.