THE BURNING OF THE SHIP COSPATRICK.
DEPOSITIONS of THE SURVIVoRsT [Per Pbess Agency.] Auckland, Monday. The following is a copy of the depositions of Henry Macdonald, before the Receiver of Wrecks : I was second mate of the ship Cospatrick. The vesssel was supplied with a fixed fire engine on the forecastle-head, with a suction pipe up and down the stem. There was a moveable fire, engine, with rubber suction hose, and also a considerable quantity of delivery hose. The engines were in good qrder, and were employed in endeavoring to put out the fire, throwing large quantitiesof water. The vessel was well supplied with fire buckets with lanyards attached. The vessel proceeded on her voyage, and met with fine weather. Eight children died, and two births occurred. During the voyage the master's hat blew overboard. The port boat was instantly lowered to pick it up, and returned to the vessel in a very short time. On Tuesday, the 17th November, 1871, at noon, the vessel in lat 37.15 S., 12.25 E., -weather fine, wind N.N.W., blowing a light breeze, deponent had charge of the first watch, and was relieved at midnight by the chief officer. The vessel was barely steering. About a quarter of an hour before midnight deponent went carefully round the upper deck, over the poop and forecastle, and all was well. There was no smell of fire, or other matter to attract attention. Deponent had been below about three-quarters of an hour when he was aroused by the cry of fire. He jumped out of his berth, and rushed on deck undressed. He met the master at the cuddy door, in his shirt. "He ordered deponent forward to inquire into the cause of the alarm. Deponent rushed forward, and saw dense smoke coming up from the fore scuttle. The chief officer was getting the fire engine to work. The passengers and crew were all rushing on deck. The cry was that the fire was coming up from about the boatswain's locker. The deponent returned aft, and assisted the master to endeavor to get the vessel before the wind ; but the vessel had no steerage way, and in a few minutes the flames came up the forecastle, and the foresail was hauled up. The vessel now came up head to wind, which drove the smoke aft, the flames bursting up the fore hatchway. The master sent for deponent, and asked if it were possible to get volunteers to see where the fire was. It was impossible, as the smoke was suffocating. The deponent asked the master if he should get the boats out, but the master said "No, do what yon can to put the fire out." The foremost boats by this time had caught fire, and the flames were now coming up the, main hatchway. The master sent me to clear away the boats on the skid. The starboard quarter boat was now lowered and about eighty persons, mostly women, got in, the davits bending with then' weight. As the boat touched the water she turned over and the , people ..were all drowned. Hencoops and other moveables were thrown over, but were of no avail to save life. The master now stationed two men at the port boat, to, prevent any one lowering it except by the master's orders. The officers now made an attempt to get the longboat overboard, but there was too much confusion to get proper help. Her bows caught fire, and,she was abandoned. There was a rush for the port lifeboat, which was lowered, and about thirty or forty people got into her. Deponent slid down and got on board by. the foretackle. The boat was kept clear of the ship. The chief mate and a female jumped overboard and were picked up. By the time the boat got clear the ship's mainmast had fallen overboard. Shortly afterwards the stern blew out. Then the mizzenmast fell. After first speaking to the master deponent got signal ammunition thrown orerboard. At daylight the starboard life-boat was found full of. people. Deponent heard shouts from the officer to take charge of her. Got alongside and took charge.., Thomas Lewis, A. 8., Edward Cotter, . 0.5., and Bentley, an - emigrant, also got into the boat with deponent. The- ■ gear remaining hi the boats was divided between, them, deponent's boat getting one good oar and -a broken one. The two boats kept company, hovering round the burning ship the whole clay and until the afternoon of the 19th, when the ship sank. There were thirty people iu deponent's boat. Deponent then • kept to the north-east for the Cape of Good Hope, as did the other boat.: The boats kept'company all the 20th and 21st November; • when it'commenced to blow. They then were separated. They were without provisions or'water, mast or sail. They had but one oar and a-half. The wind was southerly, and by taking one of the foot lines they managed to rig a sail with a girl's petticoat, and .so. kept the-boat-on her course. The boat contained the baker and the immigrant's' cook) three A.B.'s, one ordinary seaman, and twenty -three' passengers, "The boat containing the chief mate had four A.B.'s and ordinary seamen, .the butcher,.-and sixpassengers, including one baby*- aged eleven days. The people rapidly sank from want of food and water, and.by, the ,25th they were reduced to eight in number. Three of these were out of their mind. On the 26th, before daylight, a 1 barque passed, which they hailed, but were unseen. On Friday, the 27th | they, were picked up by the British ship Sceptre, of Liverpool, and five people were then remaining alive. They were received on board and treated with every kindness. "., Two, however —llobt. Hamilton and a passenger—died before reaching St. Helena, leaving myself, Thomas Lewis and Edward Cotter, so faros I know, the only survivors. The deponent considered all the gear was regularly kept ia the boats, and must have been thrown out in the confusion. The oils used for the side lights and for lights in the cuddy were kept in the port quarter galley. The crew, including deponent, had lucifers, which, they.used to light their pipesand lamps when necessary. The boatswain was the only person having access to the boatswain's locker, of which he kept the key. Nothing was kept there but the stores already enumerated, and deponent does not know whether the boatswain had been there thr.t day. There was one ordinary seaman told oft' to go into the coal-hole every day to fill baskets, which were hoisted up by the emigrants.No other person was allowed to go into the coal-hole, and deponent, who used frequently to talk to him about coals, heard no remark as to their heating or smell. He knew of no reason how the fire originated. - (Signed), Hasur Macdonald.
Roman Lewis, quarter-master, gave corroborative evidence. He said the boat in which !:e escaped remained two days by the burning vessel. They were much exhausted from thifirst, and having no water or provisions, they rapidly sank. He could not account for tlufire.
Edward Cotter deposed that when the ship caught fire the immigrants formed a line on the deck and passed water along. The immigrant!* " got tin dishes, and everything that could hold jgfM water, but the fire burned very fast. When the *•' deck-house caught fire the immigrants were panic - stricken, and ran away, the smoke stifling them. AVhen lowering the boats t!m people were sliding down, their heads falling in t>. the water. In the boat, after leaving the ship, all they did was to lend each other a hand about the boat. There was not much talk. The biggest, fattest, and healthiest - looking went off first. It was not from them that blood was obtained, but from other men. Witness only ate twice. He drank whenever a vein was opened, and felt better the last two days in the boat than before then. His great thought was of being picked up. It was cold during the night, but very hot in the day. They had escaped with barely clothes to cover them.
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New Zealand Times, Volume XXX, Issue 4358, 9 March 1875, Page 2
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1,351THE BURNING OF THE SHIP COSPATRICK. New Zealand Times, Volume XXX, Issue 4358, 9 March 1875, Page 2
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