SUPPOSED WRECK.

New Zealander, Volume 3, Issue 118, 17 July 1847, Page 2

SUPPOSED WRECK.

To the Editors of the Sydney Morning Herald. Gentlemen,—On Thursday last, the 10th instant, a party ot six men arrived here in a whale boat, who belonged to the barque • Alexander,' whaler, they state they were cast away some 600 or 700 miles> to the eastward of Cape Howe, their narration is as follows: — On Saturday fortnight, at eleven a. m., the vessel whilst running before tbe wind in a heavy gale, was struck by a sea, which carried away her rudder, in about twenty minutes afterwards, another sea struck her, and carried away her counter, and in ten minutes or so after a third sea btruck her, and opened her quarter. The captain seeing her fast sinking, desired all hands to fly to the boats, and they had just time to lower them, and get their blankets, and a .small quantity of biscuit, and push off, when she weut down stein foremost. She had on board about 400 barrels sperm oil; as soon as night fell, they lo.it sight of (for good) each other j on the second day one ot their party was washed overboard, whom they were unable to save; on the eighth day, they made land about seventy miles to the south-west of this island; on the tenth day they arrived at Cape Howe, where they put in, and having \ got their boat stove, have been picked up by me; furthermore they believe the captain made for Samoa, aud lest he or any of the other parlies should not have reached it, 1 hasten to address you on the subject. As the foregoing statement may ntt'uct the owneis, or agent, or under writers of her, it appears to me I have a right to publish the statement, if you think proper to publish it in your paper. The person making it to me isThowas Short, who shipped as sail maker of the vessel, the owner he believes to ue Mr. Ward of London ; the mastei's name is Ramsay, chief ofliccr, Davis, second officer, Williams, thiid officer, Green, carpenter, George Heync. They are in so destitute and weak a condition, that it is likely they will remain on the island until they hear from the agent, who they believe cither to be Mr. Campbell, or Mr. Mitchell, of Lower George-stiect. I have the honor to be, &c &c „ , T JOHiN "MORRIS. Gabo Island, Cape Howe, 14th June, 1847. [There is some reason for behevng that these men are run away convicts from Van Oicman's Land, and that their statement is,a mere blind.—Eds."]