CALAMITOUS SHIPWRECKS.

Maori Messenger : Te Karere Maori, Volume V, Issue 125, 6 October 1853, Page 3

CALAMITOUS SHIPWRECKS.

It is with deep regret we have to state that the barque Helena, belonging to Mr. Macnamara, of Sydney, was totally wreeked in Waitakare Bay, between Manukau and Kaipara, on Iho niglil ol' Friday, the IfithSepl.; on which disastrous occasion ber comiuauder, Captain John brown, his chief officer, and live of his ship's company, unfortunately perished. 'lho following particulars have been furnished us by George Gordon, an intelligent young .seaman, one of llic four survivors: The. Helena, a lino, smart barque, of 2OS tons, sailed from Melbourne, bound lor llokianga, on the 23rd August, under the command of Captain John Drown, formerly of Ihe brig Nina, of Drislol, which vessel was lost, off the island of St. Paul, on her passage from Drislol lo Melbourne. The Helena experienced pleasant weather from the limo of leaving Melbourne until evening before she made iho coast of iTew Zealand, which was on the eighth or ninth day. Al thai lime, Iho westerly gales, which have blown so long and liercely, set in, and the ship was in consequence, hove to under a close-reeled main-topsail and spanker, a heavy sea running, and driving her i bodily inshore. Captain Drown, of whom the survivors speak with the utmost affection and respect, took every precaution a skilful mariner could take lo reach off shore, prolilling by every possible opportunity to make sail and stand out lo sea; but the gales continued with unabated liny; and although top-gallant-masls, uiizentopiuasl and all top-hantpei had been sent down to stiffen Iter ; although even her lop-masi back-slays had started

the (lontl eyes under llie pressure of her canvas, yet, being hut in ballast trim, i and making so miicli leeway, it was only by means of the most untiring energy and ski" il a' tlic ship was enabled so long to main,.Mr. her position. During eleven days of weary anxiety, Cnpt. Urown and bis crew were thus occupied vainly endeavouring to gain an oiling; and tossed about up and down the West Coast, from Hokianga to Manukau. Three several ports were successively sought to lie entered, viz.:—Hokianga, Kaipara, and Manukau. The attempt, however, was round to be altogether impracticable. So close was the Helena, at one time, to the former port, that a ship was seen at anchor inside. Not knowing the bar, and the sea, breaking right across, Captain llrown was afraid to venture. An attempt was then made to enter the harbour of Manukau. This was on Friday last, and between three and four, p.m. Tin; ship was, unfortunately, driven too far to leeward, fetching to leeward of the reef. In this melancholy position, there was no alternative but to wear me ship; in doing so, she was driven still further to leeward, and, in fact, became hopelessly embayed. Night being now fast approaching, as the last remaining hope of escape, the ship was beached, taking the Hal sandy shore nearly at low water. She struck heavily several limes, when the mainmast was em"away to lighten her. At this moment, she broke right across in two pieces, all hands being left on the after part. A boat was then lowered, but, the moment il touched the water, the sea swept il clear of the tiv.'kels. Two of the crew next endeavoured to swim ashore with a line fastened to them. Neither of them could succeed, the sea and tide utterly overpowering them. They with diflieully got back to the wreck. The only alternative was thus to remain by the ship until she broke up, an event which took place almost immediately after the tide began to How. At this appalling juncture, all hands, except the chief oflicer (Mr. James Million, of Aberdeen) and one seaman (Edward Davis, of llrisiol, late or the Nina), who were on deck, from whence they were swept by a heavy sea,—were in the cabin, where Captain Brown was reading prayers to them. The cabin was a deckhouse; and was conlinually filled with the seas lhal burst in from seaward, and the back wash that poured in from a-lee. Whilst the Captain was reading, the ini/.en-masi fell, killing, asil is supposed, a boy of lifted! years of age, named Thomas llai'rold, a unlive of liristol. The ship at the same time parted in pieces, and all hands were swept away. The survivors can give no account of the manner in which those who peiished met their fale; but as Captain brown's head was frightfully lacerated, when his body was found, it is supposed be must have been killed by some portion of the wreck. The names and occupations of the others who perished were Mr. William Farthing, of llrisiol, second ollicer; John Uulchins, of Torquay, Devon; Ccorge Smith, of Tenby, seamen'; these last being the two poor fellows who vainly tried to carry a line ashore. The names of the survivors (who, ol course, have lost their all are George. (Jordan. London; John Coleman, Armagh, late of the Nina; Thomas l'eltil, Lovon; and Itohert Williamson, Sunderland, seamen. These four were washed ashore on a pari of the stern frame which split in two the moment il struck the* ground. They were sadly bufl'cllcd, being sucked back by the under-low. Gordon was dragged ashore in a slate of insensibility by his shipmates, and Williamson had the cap of his knee badly wounded. The survivors were discovered by llie natives the next day, about three o'clock; and, we rejoice lo stale, experienced llie utmost kindness and humanity at their hands. Captain brown's body having been casi ashore, the natives dug a grave and interred it, ids late shipmates reading the funeral service over his remains. The seamen were conveyed to llie dwellings of the natives, whence, having been hospitably entertained for the next three days, they were conveyed lo Mr. Henderson's Mill, al the head of llie Waitcmata. There was no other body but that of the caplain cast ashore. Two boats, some stores, together with several spars, rigging, sails, and a considerable poilion of llie vessel, have been saved. These have been taken charge of by the natives. The bnrqiie Posthumous was lo bavcsailcd from Melbourne, for Kaipara, on llie 2 lib nil., the day after the Helena.— Southern Cross. Wreck of the Marque '• Posthumous." I II is with infinite regret we find ourselves compelled lo record yet another dcsiructivc | shipwreck on llie West Coast, llie liuils of

I lie hue severe gales,—gales unparalleled fur their duration in lln; knowledge ol our oldest colonisls. Wo arc indebted le Capl. llrucc for the following particulars or the unfortunate catastrophe: The barque Posihuinoiis, Capl. Hrncc. sailed.inballast, fi•0111 .Melbourne,oniheC.ihol the present moiilh, Sepl., bound lor Kaipara, having on hoard Mr. William Williams, of Hit; Tnniaki, part owiierund passenger. All went smoolhlv till Ihe Nth, when it began to hlow a hard gale from the W. and W. S.W . before which the ship pursuetl her course for the next seven davs. On (he Willi, Capl. Hrueo liavinsf found !»> obscrvalioii that he wasonlv ISO miles to the westward of Kaipara Heads, and with every appearance or Hit; gale continuing, hove the ship to ; well knowing, IVoni piaelicnl experience of Ihe coast, liiul had he have continued to run, it would have heeu ullerly impossible lo enter Kaipara; Ihe ship was, therefore, hove lo for the next four days, the pale continuing with unahaled violence : fortunately it veered lo about S.S.W. by which means Ihe ship headed oil* shore and drifted to the northward. On the 10th, about i p.m., the gale having somewhat abated, Capt. Hrncc made sail ami on ihe •20th. about 2 p.m. descried the land some 15 miles lo the southward of Kaipara. As it was too late lo attempt the entrance dial evening, lacked ship and stooJ lo Ihe north west. At daylight orthe morning or the 21st. it still blowing hard from Ihe S.W.. the land was again seen : but, it being 100 ha/.y lo delorminelhcloenruyCapl. llrucc kept off shore until he hail ascertained by meridian allilnde that he was 8 miles to the northward of his poll. All possible sail was then made for the entrance; the lide being first quarter ebb. Al 2 p.m., tin; Posthumous enteral the main channel, the black patch on Ihe South Head bearing K. by N -i N., and the centre patch on the North I read bearing N. A W. Allowing for Ihe ebb lide, Capt. Hrncc kept the ship up N. i E., the channel being quite visible; no break, bill n very heavy swell. After rounding the elbow on the east side orthe Western rcrr, the Tory shoal and the oilier reef were bolh plainly distinguishable, Ihe sea breaking furiouslv on bolh. The soundings al this lime were seven—six—and not less than five fathoms and a half. Hut almost immediately thereafter, the seaman stationed in Ihe port chains sung out—"half two." At this moment Ihe chief anil second oflicers were on ihe look out on the fore-topsail yard (Capl. Hrncc, himself, being on the top-gallant forecastle), and could discover no break near the ship. The instant the leadsman sang out half two, the helm was clapped hard-a-porl, and (he ship in falling off, struck the ground very heavily abaft, carrying away her rudder. Insianlly bolh anchors were let go, in order lo keep the ship (which was then unmanageable) from driving on to the outer hank wilh Ihe title, thai was running verv strong. The ship continuing to strike verv heavily, broke right in two amidships, the sea making a clean breach over her. The boats were now cleared away ; but ihe launch w:is no sooner over the "side than she filled and broke adrift. The quarter-boats were then lowered (.Mr. Williams in the lee one), ami wilh much difticullv, were kept clear of the ship, and, at' some distance under her lee. A lead line having been hove from the ship lo the boats, those who were left on board attached the line lo iheir persons, and plunging into ihe breakers, were dragged successively through thorn lo the boals. Capl. llriice and his chief oflicer wore the last to leave. The captain was sorely bruised in his limbs, having been washed lo leeward, wilh the. hencoops dashing about him. The mate, likewise, received severe injuries on ihe head and race. All hands having gained the boals, they pulled in Tor the land, which they reached al midnight. So rapid was the destruction or the ship, dial nothing whatever could he saved ; and, after reaching the shore, eight and forlv miserable hours were -metil without rood or fire. The following morning, Capt. llrucc proceeded round Ihe North Head, and found Ihe beach strewed with fragments of the wreck. Finding there was nothing to be saved, ihe shipwrecked mariners proceeded up the Kaipara, and from thence to Auckland, where they arrived al an early hour yesterday morning.—Southern Cross. The following is a narrative by two of the Natives who were among the fusl lo come to the assistance or the survivors from the wreck. To the Nk\v-Zkai.ani>kii Newspaper. Friend the Editor—How dp you do this is our talk to you, about a vessel that was wrecked at Waitakeiv, on the lOlli day of September. We did not see her when she came on shore; we wore after wild pigs

in the forest, and our dogs were all killed ; wn came down from Ihe hills on lo the sea coast, and saw some while mini's goods scattered on the sand; we thought that some ship had been wrecked. We did not touch the goods ; we sought for the men if any one should In: alive. Tamihana went along the beach and saw three men: lie thought that they might be afraid or him, so he put his cap off. and they did the same, he then went and shook hands with tliein. They told him, by their lingers, that seven men were under (he water. They went with him and they found the body oi' the Captain, and Taniihaua put his black silk neckerchief on (lie face of the Captain, and the white men wished the Captain to lie buried where he was found, but we would not, so we carried him up on shore and dug a hole for him and one of us wrapped liim in one of our blankets, anil we were kneeling down to pray, for we bad no book, so we could not read what our Wcsloyan ministers read over the dead, and we were going to pray when otieof (lie white men took out a llible, or a big book, and read. Wc all listened, there were four of us Natives and four white men. One of them had Ins bead cut with the stones on the beach. The while man read, and then we covered the Captain up. We then went lo gather the goods up in one place; the man with the cut head sat behind lliree casks of pork, while we were getting the things in one heap; his face was covered nil over with blood; we were very hungry and the while men gave us some biscuit. When it was evening we all went lo our selllemeni and we healed water and washed the men with it: (hey were very much burl with the rocks. We got some food for them, and wc bad some food. They did not begin to eat until we said the words that make the fond sacred: we thought tliey were good men; one of us gave iheni three blankets, and one man gave one blanket, and we gave them four pairs or boots. They thought we wauled lo sell them, bill we were soli in our hearts to Iheni, because or our sorrow for ihe Captain who was dead. On Sunday we wished the while men lo go to see if there were any of ihe drowned men and if there were we would go and bury them, but limy would nol go, their legs were so bad with being so much hurl. They could nol understand our talk so they did not go ivitli us lo the chapel. On Monday all the tribe went lo Hie wreck; the ship is all lo pieces, bill two of the boats are ipiite good. Wc Hied lo liud the drowned men; we got some of the sails but wc could not gel Iheni out or ihe sand as wc wished, and we tore Iheni. On Tuesday Ihe white men wished us to come lo Auckland willi Ihem but we (bought lliey were not well enough, so wc .sought for the corpses, but could nol find any of iheni. On Wednesday we left to come with ihe while men lo Auckland ; the man with bis head cul did not walk very fast, we got lo Ihe mill, and left Ihe sick man there, and on Thursday we. came in lo the Three Kings. The while man came down in a boat, three or us came from our selllemeni wilh ihem, we all carried something for Iheni. one carried one coal and one double barrelled pistol, one pair of trowsers and sonic oilier Utile thing to put on ihe body, another hail an old blanket and a coat and" some other old lorn clothes, the oilier brought the biscuit for the men lo eal. This is all from us. From llonv Watkihiousf., and Tiiojisos. September 25, 1855. ' Cibiols Incident.--A singular occurence look place at I.clham Grange House, the residence of John Hiiv, Esq., on the forenoon of Monday last. While Mr. llay was engaged writing in his library, two panes of Ihe window were simultaneously broken, and the glass scattered upon his writing table and about the room. Mr. Hay's first impression was that a couple of shots had been fired, occasioning Ihe crash, bill, on further examination, be discovered that a blackbird, which had been pursued by a sparrow-hawk, had, in its eagerness to escape, dashed through the window, and taken shelter, in a terrible stale of trepidation, between two spaniels, which were lying on the rug before the lire. It would seem that ihe hawk had been no less anxious lo gel at its prey (ban (he blackbird include its pursuer; and llial it had also flown against the window, broken a pane, and precipitated itself into the room at the further end of which il lay extended. The poor blackbird, though much exhausi'il, after a lime recovered, and was set at liberty. In securing (he sparrow-hawk, Mr. Hay had his hand slightly injured by its lallons.— iVor//i British Daily Mail.