The Shetland Smack Incident.

Manawatu Standard, Volume XI, Issue 1683, 13 April 1886, Page 2

The Shetland Smack Incident.

NARRATIVE OF ELIZABETH MOUATT. The following is a graphio account of the terrible adventure of Elizabeth Mouatt, the old woman who was alonsin the Shetland smack Columbine when, after being left by her crew, she was blown across the North Sea to the coast of Norway. On February 16th, says the correspondent of the Standard, sh» made a statement to the District Judge; which,., so jfar as it was understood, her Scotch-: dialect being difficult, to mak© out, was to the following effects— Sh» said that she was 60 years old, unmar. ried, and a poor woman, /_ She embarked m the Columbine, intending to visit % niece who lives at Lerwick. They had not got far when, at noon, the ressel struck on a sunken rock off tie coast of Shetland. Being very ill, she was below at the time, but she felt the shock, and heard the captain and the two sailors running about on deck, and heard the captain give orders for the boat to bslowered. Although very sea-sick, she aft once got, up and tried to come on deck, but the steps or ladder fell, and she wat unable to replace it. She heard the boat row off, and was terribly alarmed, for the wind. was blowing very hard, and th» sea was high. Still she hoped that th» crew would return with assistance. She attempted many times to replace th» ladder to as to (ret on deck, but could not do so, though she could look out of the open hatchway of the cabin. At night the vessel floated off the rock, and drove along under the double-reefed mainsail, which wag set. The only food which she had brought with her was a bottle of uiilk and two biscuits.; Therewere provisions m the forecastle, but'shewas unable to reach them. The first night was a terrible one ; the vessel rolled heavily, she was m darkness, and seas often washed down the hatchway, keeping her drenched to the skin. Every moment she expected the boat would go to thVbotfcotn. When morning broke noland was m sight, nor was there aiailr'to be seen. The sea wits still very rough, but, as the Columbine had lived through the night, Elizabeth now began to hop© that she might, be saved. From this time, indeed, she says that she never quite despaired, but put her trust m God, and believed that He would send rescue. Dunns; the whole of the seven days and nights she never slept, but at intervals stood tip and looked above the hatchway to see if aid was m sight. She saw no sail, but asserts that once m the nipht sh» distinctly perceived the red li^ht of a ship. She made the biscuits last as Ions; as possible, but for the last four ditys she was altogether without food. Shssuffered more from the wet and from thirst than from hunger, and quenched her thirst so far as she could by lickingthe drops which condensed on thewindows. Gradually she heoame very weak,' her legs swelled, and she could scarcely stand up and look out; ihtthersfore lashed herself close to the hatchway, fearing that she might roll away and bt» unable to get back so as. to look .out. Tine Columbine grounded near Laptop but it was some hours before the smack was noticed by any of the inhabitants. Her account of the manner m which she cam* to be left alone onboard the stnack differs from that which was -given by the crew* but no doubt the jerking of the boom which knocked the captain overboard so. shook the boat that she thought it had! struck on a rock, and she mistook one of* the men's voices calling ÜBon the other to lower the boat for that of the captain.. The change m motion consequent oil the wind, taking the drifting boat m som** fresh quarter must have made her 'think, that it had got off the rock. The weather was stormy and the sea high when thY Columbine went ashore near Lepso,. and whenshe was first perceived it.wa* supposed that her crew had abandoned I her, or had been washed overboard. But suddenly a violent gust blew away thssail and ringing, and then a woman's head was seen to appear above the hatchway. There was no boat near which could be launched, but a young maa volunteered to swim out to her. H* succeeded m getting on board, and found the woman almost insensible, and tied up against the ladder hooks. He passed a rope ashore, and fastening the woman to this she was jjot to land. She wasiat once carried to a farm-house, where sh» was most kindly treated and 'nursed, and has sinew been' assisted by Messrs Bully and Spiudler, two English gentlemen.