WRECK OF THE BRIG STAR OF THE

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume XII, Issue 142, 18 June 1877, Page 2

WRECK OF THE BRIG STAR OF THE

As the steamer Murray was running for shelter on Saturday morning a boat%as descried at some distance oif making for her * and which on coming alongside proved tb belong to the brig Star of the Mersey, which had beeu abandoned the afternoon. pre viouslyj After taking the crew on -boardfand waiting until yesterday morning, the Murray came on to Nelson. An enquiry into the circum- . stances. attending the loss of the. .vessel was commenced this morning before the Collector of Customs. The following is the captain's report: — The brig Star of the Mersey, 255 tons register, Captain John Studholme Hodgson, owned by H. Selwyn Smith, of Christchurch, bound from Port Lyttelton to Newcastle, left the Heads at one o'clock on Sunday, the h'th instant, with a light wind from the r-S-W., which lasted until arriviug off- Cape [ Campbell on the lltb, when a heavy N>N;W. igale was encountered, which drove- the • vessel back; south of the :I_aikouras, when ' the wind shifted round to siie S.W. passed i~Cape Campbell at noon on the 13tb> experiencing thick raiuy weather,, which -continued until off Mana island, when tlie wind'" 'died away to light airs; continuing so until ' 1 4 a.m. oh the 14th ; a breeze then sprung Upfront the S.E., which carried thb vessel about fifteen miles past Stephen's Island. The wind then gradually hauled round to the N.W. and blew strong, accompanied with .thick rain. Eindiug it was blowing too strong to weather Cape Farewell, stood to i .. the northward at 8 p.m. At 3 a.m. on the ! 15 th the ship was under two lower topsails, plunging in a very heavy head sea,, aud laboring heavily ; it was thetefore deemed necessary' to run back for shelter to Guard's Bank, the glass being very low and falling ; passed the Chetwoods at i p.m. same- day, the wind coming in from, the westward! ' When abreast of Motonga ' the ' wind .lightened and shifted to the S.W. Kept away in'order to stay the vessel, so as to stand o„ver to the Chetwoods j while the •ship was in stays the. wind followed r her round, and she fell' off agaid; the ; ebb tide setting her down towards the j Island ; had no room to wear the ship, and she would not stay, the only alternative being to anchor, which was done directly bottom could be found with the hand lead; l the first bottom was. fou^d. in ten fathoms, I and the anchor was immediately let go. Got I out the boat, kedgeiaud lines ready for warpl ing her out, when the tide turned, but the .' wind increased so. much it was deemed user "less to attempt it, so she was allowed to hang I with 30 fathoms of chain, .hoping before I morning the wind would abate, but it in- | creased steadily all night until j} a.ra. next /day, the I,6th instant, when it blew a stnmg gale] from the N.W.; let go thesecond anchor her 45 fathoms on-one. and. 30 cm the other. At 6 a.m. it was blowing lso heavily with terrific squalls, that 60 ; fathomsof chain was paid but, and a new coyi spring was p^it j .qji the port chain and secured to "the bitts and ' main mast, the ship a. this tinie^ plutjging into the sea had draggejl within six= fathoms j of the rock. The long; boat "was gpt out in I case of life being in dagger,' it still 'l)loVving ' terrifically, with squalls of rain, accompanied by thunder and lightning. -About '^9. a.m. the " crew, numbering 9, came aft;and askedtpermission to pack up their clothes andget them, on deck, as they expected the ship w,ould have to be abandoned. At 10 a.m. the ! gale was still raging furiously, when, the crew came aft andstated that they considered their lives in danger by stopping by the vessel any longer. Consulted with Hugh Thomas, chief officer, and William Gorman, boatswain, aud they likewise being of the same opinion, thought it necessary to leave the ship, when all hands were ordered into the boats, , the captain and seven men taking the. long boat and chief officer iu the. gig. Made for Teteranga, and intended going to the ship again if she rode ou_ the gale. On the way we sighted the steamer Murray coming in" for shelter, bound , froni Wellington to. .Nelson; hailed her and went on board and saw: Captain Couway. Related to him the position os>the vessel, and agreed with him to stop by the ship for 24 hours. Made two unsuccessful attempts to : get alongside with the steamer/ but ft" was found it would be only endangering the lives of All on board to make any further attempt' . until the gale abated. Anchored for shelter *- on Guard's Bank, expecting to get the vessel off! next morning (Sunday), but/ towards": 11 p.m. on Saturday, the' gale increased to a hurricane, with very heavy sea,, and when morning broke not a sign of the bri'g could be 6een, Steamed towards- the island, but could not see a vestige 1 of her, and it was evident she must have parted her chains aud ; capsized. The brig was last seen at 10. iii'clock on Saturday night, tailing right on tithe) rocks, the wind being N.W, and W.N.W. all night. The Murray then proceeded on her voyage to Nelson, as Captain Conway considered it useless stopping any longer. All that was saved belonging tp the ship was two boats, and the captain succeeded in saving his chronometer and a suit of. clothes. The following are the names of the crew:— Hugh Thomas, chief officer; W. Gorman, boatswain; Michael Thompson, A.8. ; Jacob Mildeh, A.8.; William Dunn, A.B; ; Joseph O'Sullivan, A.8.; John Gorman, A.B.* Robert Black. veil, A.8.; Thomas Roberts, steward; and two stowaways. ■ • v