LOSS OF THE BRIG MARY, OF LIVERPOOL (From the Nautical Magazine.)

New Zealander, Volume 4, Issue 298, 7 April 1849, Page 6

LOSS OF THE BRIG MARY, OF LIVERPOOL (From the Nautical Magazine.)

At 51). 30m. p.m., tacked off Double Islnnd Point, and vvbiht standiug out our must-head man obseived a boat making 1 for the land. Flaying no doubt the crew were in distress, I shortened sail and ihaped a coursr to pick tha boat up. There was rather a heavy sea running. We however succeeded in yelling tha people aud a few damaged stores out of tha boat, and then took her in tow. The boat appeared to hare belonged to tho lat» brig Mary, of Liverpool, commanded hy Mr. Joint Bedl, who with his wife, mate, and seven seamen, were receired on board tha Bramble, after Juvu^ been ten days in the boat. It appears from the master*! statement, that ths Mary sailed from Sydney on ihe 19th November. 1547, bound to Manila with a small general cargo. Every. thing was going on prosperously until the 2nd Dae. In the forenoon of th»t day sights were taken, and at llh. 3') m. a.m. land was acnu, bearing east north, east, about eight or ten leagues distant. At noun * meridian altitude of the sun was observed. The red. sel's position being then in latitude 2G'UI S., find lon. gi'ude IG3'I 5 E. ; acourtc wai tluu shaped north-west by north, up to 6h. p.m , vrtth a frefh br eae from the eastward, which then fell light. The course whs again 1 1 ered to north- west, no laud being then in u^ht. At Bli. p.m. having gone north-we«t $ west, ab.<ut ten leagues, the water being perfectly binooih and the wind light, tha vessel grounded, but so imperceptibly as not to be felt, until it was found she had become sta'ionary. The siils were tlnri furled, the long boat got oat, the stream anchor and hawser laid out ast-rn, «nd every exertion made to get the vessel off until 2h. A.M. on the 3rd, at which time the wind had indexed so much as to c eate a heavy tea, when the hawser parted, supposed to have been dialed by the coral. Mr. Bed and h.s crew fimlin.; that the u mo*t endeavours failed in taring the bri£, they tould afford to hue no time in making preparations fur th ;ir personal safety. The long boat and jolly boat wore then got in readiness bs well as their distressed circmn-tances would permit. Having saved about three hundred weight of biscuit, a puncheon of water, the chrouome-i ter, ship'a log, and papers, together with the mails and a few personal eftectJ, they reluctantly abandoned tha *e*sel at 4h. a m., at which tirer she laboured so nv>ch as lo lead them to fear the mass would roll ovr t'.a side and destroy tha boats, The m.is er, hit wife, and fire itanvn, embarked in the long boat, the unate and three seamen left in the jolly boat, when the two boats in company shaped a cnursefor Moreton Bay, itbmnjj the nearrst civilised part of Austra'ia that Mr. Beel could hope to reach. During the night a small lino was passed between the two boats, to prevent ih ir parting company, in which manner they went on very well until the 6tb, when the wind btew very strong with a heavy sea running, so much so that he* was induced at about ten or eleven p.m. to try the eftVct of some oil being thrown ovet board, but before the oil sprsad so far as the jolly boat, come heavy teas struck her. and turned her over two or three times ; the long boati sails, were i mm 'diately lowered, and the small boat hauled up, when three out of the four men were saved, one unfortunate m»n being lost. Although the oil had a moat beneficial effect on the surface of the water, the sea ran so heavy at one time »6 to fill the long boat up to the thwarts, which required the united exertions of three men to bail out and keep the boat dry. The jolly boat, as a matter of course was abandoned, the three men saved lrem her being: taken into the long boat, in which crowded state thi* perilom voyage wa» pursued ; the wind continued strong with a heavy sea, but fortunately from a favourable direction : at about midnight on the 21th, breakeaa wero seen both ahead and to leeward, but as any attempt to weather them under sailing or pulling would be utterly useless, the sails were loweied and resource had again to oil. Tin boat passed through the breakers over the reef, she struck two or three times, by which she sustained such damage as to require blankets to be nailed on, which to a certain extent succeeded ; two men, however, were constantly employed to keep the bo<tt clear of water by bailing. Nothing important occurred from this time, until the 13th, when land was ouserveil which proved to be Great S,mßy Island, near Wido Buy ; the Bi amble was firbt seen by them at about 1 p M., from which hour until about half-past four, eve. y exertion wai made to obtain nisistunce, which at last terminated successfully. Icertiinly ft It rejoiced at having sailed that morning, which enabled me to rendtr wh4 a»BisUn«e and protection these unfortunate people felt so ranch in need of. M>-s. Beel's sufferings must hare been truly pitiable, having btea wet through aud exposed to the warchiug influence of tbe sun brten days, and from constantly lying in iht same position, shetufieml much pain.