WRECK OF THE WANDERER.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume VIII, Issue 219, 11 September 1873, Page 4

WRECK OF THE WANDERER.

This vessel together with her captain and crew were co vfe\\ known in Nelson that the following report of the enquiry held upon the wreck, taken from (he Timaru Herald, will probably prove interesting to many of our readers :—

Charles Mac Lean : I was master of the sailing keich Wanderer. She is registered in the port of Nelson. Her registered number is 40381. She was built of wood in Nelson in April, 1871. She was not classed. Her registered tonnage is thirtyODe and fifty-two hundredth^. She was owned by the mate, Henry Mankelow, of Nelson. The original number of crew were three all told, but two only were available at the time of the casualty! as the man Edward Breton was washed overboard about an hour before she broke adrift. He was picked op and put in the cabin to recover, and came on decs just after she broke adrift. I have a certificate of service as master, but sect it to the Marine Department at Wellington, and therefore cannot produce it. At the time of the casualty I had oh board a cargo of 208 bags of wheat. I originally sailed from Greymouth with a cargo of forty-five tons of coal bound to Timaru. The vessel arrived at Tincaru on the 21st of August, and anchored in four and a half fathoms of water. I let go the starboard anchor weighing four cwt. I had eighteen fathoms of three-quarter stud chain bent to the anchor, to the end of which was fastened fifteen fathoms of five eighth and one sixteenth link chain, and from this piece to the vessel there were fifteen fathoms of fire eighth stud chain, making in all forty-eight fathoms. When I first anchored I veered out to thirty fathom, of chain. I had another anchor of three and a half cwt on board, and a four and a half inch hawser. Afc twelve o'clock on the night of the 26th I hove up the anchor and tried to stand out, but finding the sea too heavy I let go the anchor again about an hour after hauling it up. I then veered to thirty fathoms, At 8 o'clock on the 27th I veered the vessel to 45 fathoms of chain. The cable was round the windlass, and the end on board was shackled to a piece of chain round the foremast. At about 1 p.m. we started the anchor and commenced drifting. I bent a coir hawser on to the other anchor and let it go. I slacked the hawser until by drifting on the other anchor, the vessel veered away to sixty fathoms of hawser. At the same time I let go the second anchor. I dropped a kedge with a 2\ inch chain attached. At four o'clock she ceased drifting. The storm lulled then a little, and at 5 o'clock the wind increased to a fresh breeze, tha sea at the same time running very heavy. It was raining hard. At 6- o'clock she took two or three heavy seas, and I then battened down. At about 7 o'clock the sea put out the masthead light,, hanging about twelve feet above the deck. About half-an-hour after, replacing the light, a heavy sea came on deck and washed the man overboard. I immediately threw a line overboard, which the man got hold of, and I then hauled him in. I took the man into the catin, left the other man to watch him, and returned myself on deck to watch. She took in three heavy seas running one after the other, and by the last sea she was thrown on her beam Bnds, parting her cable and hawsers at the same time. As soon as she rose up I called the other two hands on deck, and two of us set the stay sails, and I directed the other man to steer for the fire on the beach. The vessel soon afterwards struck against the brig Fairy Queen, which was ashore. We tried to get on board the brig but failed, and (he ketch was then washed round the stern of the brig on to the beach. The vessel is a partial loss, and so is the cargo. The value of the vessel was £600. She waa since sold for £136, including anchors, chains, and boat. I believe the cargo wbb insured, but the vessel was not. No lives were lost, the three hands being saved by the assistance of men on the beach. ]Vo salvage services were rendered. The ketch drew four feet nine inches at the time of the casualty. Her masts, rigging, and saila were in good order, and she was well found. I could not have gone to sea at any time on Wednesday, as there was too much sea and wind. The wind was a moderate gale. If the vessel had not broke adrift she would have foandered. I was six feet up in the rigging ana the water touched me then.

Two or three other witnesses having been called. His Worship said that the Court considered that the stranding of the ketch Wanderer was caused by her parting her cables, and exonerated all from blame, the evidence proving that the master used all the means at his disposal to prevent the casualty, bat they also considered that the length of chain cable supplied to the vessel was inenfscient.