SHIPWRECK AND LOSS OF LIFE.

Manawatu Times, Volume III, Issue 106, 16 October 1878, Page 2

SHIPWRECK AND LOSS OF LIFE.

. It is our painful duty to announce another shipping casualty upon the coast between Foxton and Wellington, but this time, unfortunately, attended with the sacrifice of four lives. The barque Felix Stowe, of about 500 tons burtb.au, bound from Newcastle to Lyttelton with a cargo of coals, was driven ashore about half a mile north of Otaki, about four o'clock on Sunday morning, the 13th instant. The vessel came asiiore broadside on, with nearly .all sails set, the breakers washing over; Tier decks, endangering the lires of all on board. lininedukteiy sn.e struck the boat was put out, but broke adrift, and was picked up by Mr W. Jenkins, who, with Mr Hector McDonald, of Homwbenua, and a er»w, of Natives, battled with the wares untU they reached the Teasel. Upon getting aboard their first care vgusk to lower the captain's wife into the boat, accompanied , by the second mate, an able seaman, and the ship's carpenter. With inuoh difficulty they reached the shore, the greatest oradit being due to Jenkins. for his cool and skilful management of the boat. When rescued, the captain's wife was m a most deplorable and. wretched condition, being couipUtvly exhausted through cold and wot, but. Was itntnediaUly taken to Otaki, where ah* was well, attended to. Another crew then manned the boat, consisting of the following;—J. Seymour, Johu Harvey, JR. Skipwortii, and James iSansield— all half-sasiea of Otaki— the ship, being reached by means of a rope which had b#en- brought ashore upon the first trip, and made ftMt to a log on the baach. On mounting tiie sides, they advised the captain to remain on deck, as the breakers were rolling m with Iratneudous force. He, howerer, would not toiwont to do so, and being determined, to take the chance, he, witit eh» romumdee of the »r«w, got into the boat, making a cargo of thirteen souls m all. In •» moment it was swapt under the bows of the vessel, disappearing as if swallowed up m the sea: Shortly after, however, she rose again, but only to capsiza a minute later, while the occupants were left struggling m the raging w*tara. Two men hold on to the boat, and as it rolled ovar and over their bodies could be seen appearing and disappearing at intervals, until both were eventually ilung upon, the beach, when they were immediately seiaad and rescued from imminent death. As the majority were seen struggling for bare life, Mr Jfugsley, the.' driver of the Fulton coach, assisted by many willing Natives, by means of the rope succeeded m saving several lives. Seymour, Harvey, and Skip worth succeeded m again reaching the ship, and although much exhausted, still endeavored to save the first mate, but ho was too weak to lay hold of the rope which they endeavored, to reach him from the ship's aide, and he sank to rise no more. When the boat capsized James JJansiield laid hold of the ship's cook, and bravely sustained him for about quarter of an hour above water, feeling his strength failing, and just as the spectators had beeo.iue alarmed for the result, iiansfield, with great presence of mind, struggled until he seized the rope, when having by that means »otained a little breathing time, he let it go, again struck out boldly for the shore, never once loosening his grasp of the drowning man. At they reached: the shore a bold dash was made by Pugsley and others, and they were caught just as they, wero about to be swept out again by the return wave. No aign hi iifij could, ba recognised ia the rescued man, wliilo JJansSold — thoroughly spent with his noble struggle— fell to oho beach exhausted. A messonger was immediately despatched to Otaki to summon Dr. jiewson, meantime no effort beiug' lost to restore the suspended animation or 1 6~ bring the poor fellow to consciousness, which was accomplished after about an h^m-'a labor, he being sufficiently recovered before the arrival of cue doctor to ask for a drink of water. Amongst the others who were most conspicuous m risking their lives oh the occasion were A. Knox and Joe Abbott, who with some Natives rendered most valuable assistance. During this time three of the Natives who had manned the boat vtcjw holding on to the bulwarks, wittiout any chance of getting ashore, exposed to the wind, and the sea breaking over the decks. Seeing this a Native named Maaka left the shore for the vessel by no other means thatthe rope, and after a long and trying struggle succeeded m reaching the ship. His object for the reokless attempt was not clearly known or shown, but during the exploit the greatest excitement prevailed on shore, his movements being watched with, the greatest anxiety, a? ono moment he would be seen, on a mountain of water, and the next disappear as if swallowed up for ever. Once more the boat was launched, and once more was there a volunteer crew to jump into it, and rescue the four men from their dangerous positions. When a muster was called it was found that Captain Pigott, the master; the first mate, itir L;imonfc; and two seamen, had met a watery grave. The greatest sympathy is felt. for Mrs Pigott, as she is not very far from her confinement, and beside her melancholy' bereavement' m the loss of her husband, il; is greatly feared that the shock and the extreme pri vat ions she has undergone will have a most sei % iou3 eifeati. -It- is^somowhat siugiilar that not pita of the rescued ■ men cau give the faintest due. to the cause, of-, the disaster, beyond afctributia^ ii to thg aoree-

ne33 of the gale which ragad on Saturday night. In fact, on Sunday, while the task of rescue was being Accomplished, the sea was running mountains high, wkich naturally ■ added to the difficulty. - The bodies of. the drowned men had not been recovered ' when the coach' left Otald afc, three p.m., but- it is "probable that th» ? tide w^ould witsh them up towards Waikanae^ ' aa the "ciirieent rattke3 'tljat way. _^Tho greatest creolt is due to Messrs Jen* kiW and McDonald aud the half-caste 3 whoriskaft their lives several timc3 to save those on board, and it is. worthy, of mentioning..„that one of the Natives who had been laboring so hard to save life, upon hearing that four had been sacrificed, gave rent to unmistakeable and audible grief, improvising a tanffi upon the occasion. It is to bo sincerely hoped that their- services, and thoad of everyone who "worked so nobly, will meetwith proper recognition from the Gtovernment. In the opinion of Mr Walton, of Palmer3toh-^who- was -an eye-witness of'thfe* ' heroic conduct displayed upon the occasion, and to whom we are . indebted, .for . these facts — if. ever. man earned the" gold medal of the Humane Society, or tlie Victoria Cross, it was Ransfield and his companions. To him certainly is the larger share of credit due, but still each and every one of tho3o mentioned above— with the addition of the. . Maori policeman named Coates— held .fheir- ; . lives m their hands, and were it not fortheir heroic and courageous conduct, not a soul would have been saved from the unfortunaW ship, -^ .-■.■■ '■ , ■