Wreck of the Lastingham.

Manawatu Standard, Volume IV, Issue 243, 10 September 1884, Page 2

Wreck of the Lastingham.

REPORT OF THE RELIEF PARTY

THE PRIVATIONS AND ADVENTURES OF TEE SURVIVORS.

EXTRAORDINARY CONDUCT OF A DARKIE.

NARRATIVE OF A SURVIVOR.

The steamer Napier not being able. ] to go round Jackaou'n Head, steamed through Queen Charlotte Souud tirid held communication with Kemp's Bay. Here it was ascertained that a party who had been ov a visit to the wreck had taken quarters m a hut on the beach, and .supplied the following information re the missing men. On Thursday the men made their way to the above-mentioned huts, and from . thence were taken by a passing craft th« same night to TurneiV. Bay, where the steam launch . found them. The parly at the huts had been all ovet the scone of the wreck during •the day, the weather at the time lielug most favorable for exploration. Although it ix not supposed the vessel has broken up, a vast amount of wreckage is floating about, and was described as covering acres m extent. So dense was the mass that the steam launch had the greatest difficulty m using the propeller, as much of the wreckage was of a character calculated to foul the screw. Having a considerable party on board, the launch was only able to secure a few articles, comprising 9 cases of liquor; kerosene oil, rolls of matting, &c, the value of which is estimated not to exceed £100 or so. It is also stated that had proper appliances been to hand at least £20.00 worth of stuff could easily have been secured. On arrival at Picton, the salvage goods were taken charge of by the Customs authorities. Effort* were made both by the launch and the s.s. Napier to reach the spot- and save farther wreckage, but the boisterous weathei prevented them getting round the Head. The. Napier th«n landed a couple of boatl oads of passengers on the rocks. The landing was attended wi th ; great di fficul ty and danger.' The parly had to scramble up the face of an all but perpendicular cliff. At the top of the highest point of the range they found a signal pole, upon which distress signals were hung. In the vicinity was a cluster of bush where the men -sheltered themselves at night. A. more barren, bleak, and •desolate spot could not be imagined. There was a look-out to the sea on every side. It is not at all antonishing that survivors thought they were on a desolate i.slaud. A disused track brought the visitors to a cliff overhanging 1 the rocks where the ill -fated ship is lying. The ship's masts with some of the yards were visible above the water, but it is supposed they are floatiug, being kept, m position by the rigging. Very little of the wreckage reported as having been floating about the previous day was to be seen, and it is surmised the bad weather carried it out to sea. Mv Jones, at whose residence the missing men were found, gives the following information: -He did not know the names of themen,one was an Englishman, the other a German, and tho third a darkey. The report given of the darkey loads to the supposition that he was a remarkable man. He was the first to leave the main party m search of relief, and being barefootod his toot were sorely lacerated by the jagsjed rocks, anJ brushwood Being hungry lie made a temporary meal off bits of candle he picked up from the wieckage after. Searching for some time lie found deserted huts where be picUed up a lead-pencil and some scraps of paper. After resting for the night he resumed his journey, and found a well defaced sledge-track. "Although- bis hardships must have been great he was not unmindful of his companions, and m order W guide them as well as he could every here and there along the track he wrote his name -.on a . scrap of paper, fixing it to a stick m the ground. He then discovered the disused huts m Kemp'* Bay, where ho found matches He! gathered a lot of shell fish and kelp, on which he made for himself* the first hearty meal he had had for some days. The Englishman and the German m the meantime also broke off from the party, and after a toilsome journey found the darkey by the directions he had left on the track. After they had refreshed themselves, the Englishman volunteered to return with the news of success to the main body:, and after great fatigue arrived at the spot only Jto find them gone, and by certain trifling articles left by them. made sure they had been rescued.-. Here-traced his steps, - reaching Kemp's Bay • m the afternoon, and was rather disconcerted to find hi* two companions had likewise disappeared without leaving s*ny trace. A small craft then hove m sight, and* m response to, a signal, a boat was sent, and lie was taken off. In the meantime the darkey and' his companion were taken onboard by a passing vessel and landed at Turner's Bay. By this time it was late at night, and no one attempting to do anything until daybreak. Jones' household buised themselves m making themselves' m preparation for the large number of persons who, it was expected, the Englishman would bring to Kemp's Bay. Thesleam-launch belonging to the station, was dispatched m the morning to the lay, but on its way fell m with the craft bavins the last of three men on board, so it was useless to proceed further. NARRATIVE OF ONE OF THE SURVIVORS. Ward, one of the three missing men, supplied th;e following information :— After getting ash/ure. from the. Lastinghnm on Monday nigU we counted heads, -amf found that 17 w^re pissing. Tho spmy anil rain pame ijpon our he«cj.s as we sat the rocks— :so much so that we were compelled tq shifc our position. With preit difficulty 1 we. all managed to' phiraber up the rouks and obtained trifling shelter under the pcrub. In the niornin&we (Ward, Alvarez, and Chalmers; separated from the rest of the party with the intention of seeking some human habitation. ' A^fcjr wandering about tho hills toy severaj hours, Alvare? and Chalmery, bextig limit and fbotijore, gave up and jay <Jqwn, while I pushed on, instructing my. twq mates to fqllow, when they hat| vested, by followjug scraps, of paper, which I promised to drop along

the route. Pushing on, 1 at length struck a; track which led me to Raveuscliff. I arrived at tbw place just about dusk ou Tuesday, and afterassuring myself that there wai nothing to l>e obtained to satisfy .the cravings of hunger, I fell asleep, m one of the Wilding* on the spot. Alvaiez and Chalmers, who were left on the track, crawled under a tree, and there sought shelter^ftom the driving rain and . sleet. I pushed along the track m the morning, but, owing, to the privationa^Lows suffer* ing, it took me nearly the whole daj to reach the huts at Kemp. Bay, a distance of only about tWo miles. Here I ai rived late m the afternoou, and having made my way into one of the huts, which at the time were witoout occupant-*, I 1 fliscVivercd two boxes of matches, spme candles, and some beef suet: The latter I devoured, and also kmiwedv at the candles. Upon searching the rocks I found some mussels and other Bhellftsh. Returning with these I kindled afire and cooked the shell-fish, and after appeasing my hunger.somewhat I slept m one of the hutu iho (Wed* nesday) night. On Thursday mom* ing I started out along iffc i track I had come' the previous dky[ toVapprfae my companions of the uiscovery of recently-inhabited dwellin^.aSd after some hour's walking I met Alyarea and Chalmers, who were jfgHo wing my tracks. The poor ieJ^q^'Bwere all footsore, being without shoe*; but Chalmers, after his rest rii nice Tuesday, appeared to be m a better condition. After a brief consultation, it was decided that he iChaliners) should go back to the scene of the wreck, and convey the rest of the sbipwreckrd party to Kemp's Bay. "We then sepai at.cd, I and Alvarez to return to Kemp's Bay. and Chalmers^ to* curry the news of pro^ble. deliverance by way of Kemp's Bay to the survivors, near the scene of the wreck* Upon our return to Kemp's Bay, we were overjoyed at beholding a schooner coming up to the anchorage.- We signalled,were perceived, and eventually ''taken aboard the Kentish Lass, as the schooner turned out to be. After: hearing our. story the schooner bore tip for Jackson's Head, Milt the intention of rescuing the shipwrecked party on the other side. l ■' : '. ChalineraJbmdged through the scrub to carry the news of Hpoedy deliverance to his companions. ' ATter~Bome hour's lie' gained the top of the hill, and from the eminence saw the schooner at anchor, and the bout* rescuing those wno had been left behind on Tuesday. ' He shouted and made signals, but all to no purpose ; the boats were hauled up, and the schooner made sail and bore away. Feeling that it was uieless^to pursue his efforts farther iv that direction, he retraced his steps, and, after much toil, arrived at Kemp Bay latje.in, the afternoon, but only to "fiudHhat he had been again out of .the. wa^when assistance was ac hand, for his comrades were riot to be" found, as they had been taken aboard* the Kentish Lass. Just as the poor fellow* was giving way to despair; a third idho*oner hove m sight— this (miethff M«6d Graham. Upon perceiving Chdlinerk hignats, a boafwas" lowered^ and the unfortunate man well nigh worn out, was taken alioard. ./ i It may here be mentioned that Ward. had managed to save a blanket, which was fastened to a pole .and hoisted on the hill above the scene of the wreck, and was afterwards used by those- left behind as a signal to passing ships, but was; unfortunately, not perceived for some time, lp is somewhat remarkable thai all three parties — the main body of eleven, tho party of. two (Ward and Alverez), and Chalmers --were all rescued on the same afternoon, but by three different vessels, . -:'