The Wreck of the Edwia Bassett.

Manawatu Standard, Volume X, Issue 1451, 10 September 1885, Page 4

The Wreck of the Edwia Bassett.

' * — ■ I UNITED PRESS ASSOCIATION. CollingwoOu. Wednesday. The captain and crew of the Edwin i Bassetfr arrived m Collingwood yesterday, having been assisted m by the jsettlors with horses, and by the pilot boat, which went up from Collingwood to Pakawau to meet them. Captain McDonald states that he left Wellington on Thursday, 20th August, all going well till Monday, the 81st. He was ■about four miles south of West Wanganui Inlet at four o'clock m the morning. There was very little wind at the time, but it increased a little and was blowing from all points of the compass, chiefly westerly, and was unsteady. The ship was gradually drifting into the shore all the time, broadside on. There was a very heavy swell on. When it was getting daylight he found breakers ahead and astern. If there had baen a strong breezo he could huve worked the 1 ship off again, but there was a heavy sea and no wind. He found it was impossible to save the ship, and so ordered the boats to be got ready and the yards to be squared, and tried to get the vessel on to a s.mdy beach, which he succeeded m doing, but not quite m the spot he wanted. The place where the vessel struck was the only place m that vicinity whore there was an probability of saving the lives of those on board. The vessel entirely broke up, nothing whatever being saved excepting the clothing on their backs and a few things which were washed ashore. The captain made every endeavor to save the ship's papers, but had no time to do so, as the s j .'a was breaking into his cabin. All the crew were saved by means of the two boats. The larger of which has, however, been smashed up by the breakers, as they could not get her high up on the beach. The small one his high and dry. The ship broke up m about half an hour after she took the ground. The men appeared to have had a hard time of it. The weather sixce they were cast ashore has been of the worst possible description.