DREADFUL SHIPWRECK OF A DUTCH INDIAMAN. [From the Times July 18.]

New Zealand Spectator and Cook's Strait Guardian, Volume II, Issue 64, 27 December 1845, Page 2

DREADFUL SHIPWRECK OF A DUTCH INDIAMAN. [From the Times July 18.]

Shipwreck with more hea«-t-rending circumstances than has happened for some time was yesterday made known at Lloyd's, by fhe arrival of the ship CAance, Captain Roxby, from Sydney, in the London Docks, having on board a portion of the crew of a Dutch Indiaman, named -John ffendrici, R. W. Heckelbnry, master, which was totally lost, together with twentythree lives, on the rocks forming St. Paul's Island, on the morning of the 2Jth of last May, whilst proceeding on a voyage from Amsterdam to Batavia. The particulars connected with the melancholy affair are »f a truly distressing character, and have produced the deepest sensation. _ Jt appears that on the night of the 2d of June, the crew of the- Chance were anxious to ascertain whether such «rocks as are laid down in the chart as forming St. Paul's Island, forty-five miles north of the equator, and twenty-nine degrees west, are really to be seen, as many •doubts prevail as to th eir existence. Captain Roxbv said, that if the same course they wet;e then going was kept till the following morning, they would come in sight of 'the rocks. Accordingly, at" eight o'clock* they discerned them, and at about halfpast nine, the captain was much surprised by observing, through a glass, a Dutch ensign flying from a spar on the island. It being surmised that a vessel had been wrecked near the spot, no time was lost in bearing up to the rocks, and on nearing them, within two or three miles, several persons were noticed on them, evidently in a much exhausted state. The captain instantly ordered the pinnace to proceed to their assistance. It may here be well, as a guide to the shipping interest, to describe the character of the rocks, as furnished by Mr. Roxby. They form a group of about four, the largest 250 feet square, and Appear as though they had been thrown up"i>y a volcanic eruption, the stone much resembling lava. They are sharp pointed, the peaks always covered with white sea fowl, the highest not more than 40 feet high, and some of them perfectly perpendicular. On the. pinnace reaching^ the shore, about 20 poor creatures were found lying about, exhausted, and apparently dying. The boat not being able to take them all oft, the captain, the chief officer, steward, carpenter, two seamen, and three apprentice boys were first rescued, the remainder being assured by the boat's party that they would return as quickly as possible and preserve them also. The ship, which was brought to, was speedily gained, and on the captain learning that eleven persons were still on the island, he promptly ordered the long boat to be lowered, and with the pinnace started for the rocks. Every expedient was used, as may be known from the fact that only twelve minutes elapsed ere they had set out a second time for the island, but in the meanwhile a sharp breeze had sprung up, setting in a tremendous swell to the westward. Both boats kept beating about for full five hours to regain it; and it appearing evident that if they kept out much later they would be swept away by the strong tide, thsy returned to the ship, having been unable to render the slightest assistance to those unhappy fellows left on the desolate spot. In fact, Captain Roxby had lost sight of the boats for seveial hours, and at one period began to fear they were lost. It being probable that the gale might in some measure abate, he kept his ship beating about the island, as it was impossible to anchor, there beingno soundings, for ten entire days, having seen nothing of the poor creatures, who by that time must have perished from the intense heat and the want of water and food, he sailed for England, his own provisions by that time becoming also very short. On questioning those whom he had saved, he learned that they belonged to theindiaman in question ; that on the morning of the 29th of May she was running under a press of sail, when at three o'clock, the watch on deck descried the rocks a-head, so -close' as to make it impossible to clear them. The helm was instantly put down: but almost at the same moment, the ship struck, ard the succeeding wave pitched her on her beam ends. Every endeavour was instantly made to get her off", all her 'figging and masts were cut away in order to lighten her, but to no avail, as the sea kept dashing her against the rocks withterrific force, her timbers gradually parting. The loss of the ship being then inevitable, the captain succeeded in reaching the rocks with a line, and secured it round one of the loftiest cliffs, in effecting which, he was no less than seven times swept down the rock, frightfully lacerating his body. The line being also made fast to the wreck, the greater part of 'the crew contrived to haul themselves on to the island by it. Four brave fellows attempted to land in a boat with the ship's papers and some provisions; but on nearing the .breakers, a tremendous sea capsized the boat, and they all perished. On assembling on the frightful spot on which they had been cast, and which presented not the remotest chance of escape, certain starvation stared them in the face. Oi wearing apparel they had saved none, save the few drenched tattered rags that covered them ; and of food, all they rescued from the wreck was a cask of butter, a cask of flour, a small biscuit, and a small keg of gin. Immediately under the Line, exposed to a burning tropical sun, and not having a particle of water to quench their thirst, their acute sufferings under such circumstances can be well conceived. The heat was scorching, and they could only allay it by wading into the sea up to the chin, and thus remaining the whole day. At night the spirit was distributed amongst them, the single biscuit was broken up and divided equally, and then they t commenced scouring the rocks, in the hope^ of finding further food. They succeeded in gaining a few wild fowl and eggs, with the latter of which they managed to appease their hunger. On the next morning almost the whole of the wreck had disappeared and in respect of sustenance, their presence had frightened the wild fowl away. The heat they felt more seseverely, and for the want of water they were almost driven to madness. They contrived to cook the fowl*- they caught on the previous

<Uy, by firing pieces of their shirting by- holding the magnifying glass of a small telescope to the rays of the sun, and endeavoured to make a kind of bread by mixing the flour and butter in the shape of balls. The thirst, hawever, 83 may be imagined, overpowered their hunger. At dusk a few drops of rain were felt descending; they instantly laid out a kind of sail to catch it, and held their heads up to the heavens with their mouths open. It, soon, however, passed over. On the third day, to their great joy, a vessel bearing American colours, hove in sight in the offing. They hoisted the signal on the spar, and in order to make doubly sure, the mate, seven seamen, and a passenger put off in the onlvboat they had been enabled to save, with a small piece of wood to paddle along, th n oars being lost, to the approaching ship. Perhaps, however, it can scarcely be credited, that although the American must have seen them, she passed, quite unheeding their awful condition, and was not seen afterwards. The poor creatures in the boat then ! strove their utmost to regain the island: the current was too strong for them, and they were speedily out of sight. That they have perished long ere this there can be no doubt. They had not the slightest provision with them ; no com pass and no oars; the nearest place beipg Cape Roque — more than 600 miles distant. That they have died from sheer starvation cannot be questioned. The sufferings of those left on the rocks, , OQ£>erceiving<the fataof those in the boat; were tenfold, and on the fourth day they gave themselves up to death. They were rapidly sinking from the effects of the heat. On the morning of the fifth day the Chance hove in sight, and as before noticed, saved seven. The others, amongst whom was the doctor, were left on the island. On the arrival of the poor fellow 3 yesterday, they waited on the Dutch Consul, who having relieved theii destitute condition, housed them at the Yorkshire Grey Tavern, Lower Thames-street, and they will proceed to. their native country to-morrow morning by the Rotterdam matl steamer. The ill-fated Indiaman belonged to Rotterdam, and was of 800 tons burthen. She was quite a new ship, and had only -been built about two months previous to her loss. To Captain Roxby the highest commendation is due, for the humane and prompt steps he adopted to rescue the unfortunate persons on the island. Those who are indebted to him for the preservation of their lives declare that nothing could exceed his endeavours to remake the island. Night and day he was on deck attempting it, but never regained, after he had once lost sight of the island. This is attributed to the strong head wind and sweeping current, the rate of which is calculated at eighty miles aday. Of the fate of the eleven poor creatures left on the rocks there can be little doubt. It is the opinion of Captain Roxby, as also of the Dutch captain, that they must have perished a day or two afterwards, for had they been rescued by any other vessel, she must have been fallen in with by the Chance. The rocks being situated some hundreds of miles out of the track of vessels trading to the Cape, perhaps scarcely ten out of a thousand ever meet with them.