Fire at Sea.

Maori Messenger : Te Karere Maori, Volume V, Issue 117, 16 June 1853, Page 2

Fire at Sea.

The brig Ellen, just arrived from the Mauritius, has brought the crew and passengers of the barque Mohammed Shah, Captain Winter, which was destroyed by fire on the I'.lili April. Tin' uiil'oruiualc vessel was bound from I.ou !im In .New Zealand, jui:l Ii:kI filial lor Wclliiij-lnu, Nelson, and Canlerliurv.* All llnni's went Mimollily iiiilil llii: inorniim of ihe isih April, when llu' walclt below delected smoke issuing Irom the Ion: hatch. Tin- hatch \v:isr;iisi'.l, Iml Ihey were uii;\lili' lo discover Ihe precise locality of I lie. lire, and which was ailviinciii;'for ahoiil a quarter of an hour. The .smoke asreiidiiii,' in denser volumes indicated ihal Ihe lire was advaiicim;; and iisThere v.as a lai'iji? ipianlitv el"coals, pitch, tar, nil, and other combustible malerial in I lie forchold, il was not certain Ihal ihe vessel would not inimcdialely blow up. Il oulv remained lo batten tlown the halclii's, and in every possible way locv.clnde the enlr.incc of air. This ocenrred in latitude I i :;. and li>ii;-;iiii le I IS I'.. Captain Winter then shaped his course to Ihe northward, lo i;el in the tract til" vessels lioiuid lor Ihe-e cohiiiies; and ill 111- event ofuol fallint' in with any, il was his iuleiiliou lo run lor Kin:,' So I, Ihe nearest land, and distant ahonl ."till miles. In llu* meantime, lb" *»»'«■" was spreading in Ihe hold, and Ihe smoke was so "real Ihal Ihe crew and Mcerai;e passengers were compelled lo leave Ihe fore pal I ol" Ihe vessel; the pilch had ignited. The lire had also reached the lower part of ihe (orcmast, which it hail so lai- destroyed Ihal il was expected lo i;o over Ihe side every moment ; and thus il was impossible to carry much canvas. In litis dreadful Male, ol' suspense, wire about lifiv human beinj-s Kept until the evening ol the lillli April. Since Ihe lire bad broken out. Ihev had oulv eaten dry rice, ol'which a has,' happened l<> b<' ■" l'"' eudil\—all Ihe provisions heini; in Ihe .More-room, lo winch there was no approach, owiuj' lo Ihe smoke. I'orliuialelv. on the al'lenioon of the I Dili

April, in Lit. iO S. and longitude MS K., Ilic luiif Kllrn, from Mauritius lo litis poll, Hioyp in' si;jlil, look iill llii' passengers on hoard, amiremained liy llie Mohammed Shall lill morning. 'llic captain and crew determined lo make a las! ollnrl Id cxliuguish llie liri'", bill the sea ran tonhhdi, and llie vessel rolled Ino heavily, lo admit of a hoal approaching her. Sin- was Iheu ahaudoiied. Shortly after, anollicr vessel was sighted, and as Hi:; Kllrn was short ol' pmxisiniis, for so many additional rou-iuuers. il was deemed :ul\isalil(> lo procure additional assistance. Hill lo tin- disgrace of those on hoard llii; hitler vessel (the name of which is not Known) lli'cy passed on vilhmil the _ .slightest allempl lo renderaiil. Tile passengers and crews of liolh vessels were placed on short allowance of food, and the last piece of meal was cooked on hoard the KlIfii »m the day of hcrarival here. Subjoined is a list of ik'e pleMllgers liy (lie ill-faled \essel, all of whom lost every thing, e\en their r/o'fJiing : Air. \V. 11. Mieuk, sin genu ; . Mri-aiiil .Mrs. .IclVrirs, Mr. and Mrs. Hall, nufoh.'Ve children, Mr. Ilerheil Curtis. Mr. Oswald Cnrlis, .Mr. Smith, Mr. Holland, Mrs. Whceldon, sen. Mr. anil Mrs. Wheclilon, .Mrs. Ilmldy. Mr. and Mrs. iVwellund .'even rhildren, Mr. and Mrs. Chalis and infant, Mary Kuc.wlei, Ann Williams.— !!ohariown Ciilimiii/ Thins.