DREADFUL SHIPWRECKS.
We have to record the most awful scene which the inhabitants of this town have ever witnessed, — the stranding in Table Bay of two ships, the one the Abercrombie Robinson, with troops for Algoa Bay, 552 men, besides women, children, and the crew; and the other the Waterloo, with convicts, bound to Van Diemen's Land, and the awful loss of lives. On Saturday severe weather set in, and there was every appearance, from the state of the barometer, that severe stress of weather was to be expected. It broke out in the middle of the night with strong rain and a northerly wind, accompanied by thunder and lightning. At day-break the troop ship had stranded on a sandy beach, near the mouth of Salt River, whilst the convict ship was perceived adrift with three cables, till at about 100 yards from the shore, and close to a rocky reef, where she remained stationary for upwards of three hours. Every assistance was rendered to land the women, children, and men from the troop ship; boats were sent from town, and about one o'clock, every soul was safe on shore. Not so, however, with the convict ship, containing 219 male convicts, 5 women, 13 children, 33 troops, besides the crew. About eleven o'clock she struck upon the rocks, and immediately the jib was hoisted to turn her head towards the beach, — but it was too late, and after rolling upon the rocks ten or fifteen minutes, the main and mizen masts went over, and we perceived the seamen and soldiers clinging fast to the upper side of the ship, whilst the sea was rolling tremendously over it. Some of the men began to throw off' their clothes and swim towards the shore; the greater part, however, with the women and children, were seen stretching forward their hands for assistance, whilst the noise of the waves and the wind prevented us from hearing the awful cries for help which they sent forth. As the sea washed over the ship, and broke in upon the deck, we saw the whole number of convicts creeping out, and holding fast to the foremast. In this state, whilst every possible assistance. on the part of the people was rendered to save the persons who were swimming towards shore, and a Malay boat was got, the sea destroyed the ship so rapidly, that at twelve o'clock, of the whole vessel of 440 tons, nothing was left but the keel, and of the whole number of persons on board, amounting to upwards of 300, only 98 were laved ! '1 bis awful catastrophe has naturally filled every heart with painful grief, but at the same time with a deep reflection, at the unaccountable neglect as to precautionary measures. Every one naturally asks, how is it that, whilst the vessel was stationary on the reef, before she struck on the rocks, during a period of hours, no measures were adopted in some way or other to save or land the people on board ? If this was impossible at the time, how is it, then, that there were no boats kept in readiness for any exigency that might occur ? Might not a rope have been thrown out to effect a communication with the beach ? These are the questions which it will be the awful duty of some one or other to answer, — satisfactorily, if he can. But for the exertions of Messrs. Molteno and Still, not even ihe assistance of the Malay boat would have been obtained. By her first trip she brought only two men ashore, and having for the second time reached the vessel, and tied a rope to the foremast, she hauled up on shore again, and was superseded by a large boat belonging to Messrs. Sinclair, which was at last brought with much difficulty from the military ship, and used in saving as many .lives as was then possible, the vessel having already at that moment gone to pieces. Most astonishing of all was the absence of any public authority, at the most awful crisis, to interfere or direct. Everything depended upon the voluntary interference of private individuals, sometimes succeeding in obtaining aid, and at times experiencing an unwillingness to assist. The Tapidity with which the vessel went to pieces, and even the keel was broken up, is a proof that it must have been a very old one (we hear twenty-seven years). Strange, therefore, that so great a number of human lives are thus risked on such a vessel, for so distant a passage as from England to Van Diemen's Land. We have not yet been able to obtain a correct return of the lives saved. They were brought to the Hospital, — where we were told several died, and such as were convicts have afterwards been placed in the town prison. Dr. Kelsall is amongst the saved. — Cape paper, Augußt 30.
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Nelson Examiner and New Zealand Chronicle, Volume I, Issue 46, 21 January 1843, Page 184
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816DREADFUL SHIPWRECKS. Nelson Examiner and New Zealand Chronicle, Volume I, Issue 46, 21 January 1843, Page 184
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