THE STORY OF AN OLD WRECK ON KING'S ISLAND.

New Zealand Times, Volume XXX, Issue 4368, 20 March 1875, Page 1 (Supplement)

THE STORY OF AN OLD WRECK ON KING'S ISLAND.

Captain Archibald McEacham, of West Melbourne, writes to the Argus as follows : " Referring to an article which appeared in your issue of yesterday, giving what purports to be a brief outline of the many sad casualties which have occurred on King's Island, I would ask your indulgence in order to correct some 1 errors in the account given of one of the vessel's lost, and' in which I, with many others in the colonies, had a painful interest. I referto the Brahmin, commanded by my much beloved and lamented brother, who lost his own life in the brave attempt to save the lives of those under his charge. Your report states that the Brahmin, 680 tons, from London to Sydney, was lost, supposed 'through an error in reckoning, the weather being moderate at the time, and further, that seven lives were lost.' Now the true facts of this melancholy shipwreck, which I have gathered from the carpenter and an apprentice (survivors) are these :—The ship had for three days prior to her wreck passed through more or less tempestuous weather; the sun being all the time obscured, no observation could be taken, and at the time of striking she was " close-hauled" under double-reefed topsails, and bearing up to pass between Cape Otway and King's Island ; but a strong current prevails, of which none of our most scientific marriners can give a correct and definite idea, and which set the ship to the southward. Such was the caution used by the captain, that he was in the act of hauling off on another tack when, unfortunately, the ship struck on a reef about six miles to the southward of New Year's Islands, and two miles and a half from the shore, the hour being midnight. Manned principally by Lascars, those unfortunate seamen became paralysed, and all attempts tp save the ship proved abortive. Captain McEacham now turned his attention to saving his passengers aud crew ; but as each boat left the ship they were swamped, aud many of the occupants met with a watery grave, and not until every one living had left the ship did this brave man make an effort in his own behalf, and even then he shared the hen-coop, which might have floated him ashore with the lad who was saved ; but, being exhausted from the almost supernatural efforts of that fearful morning, he sank when within a few yards of the shore. My brother's remains were recovered and buried with all honors by the survivors, who were on the island for six months, until the Waterwitch was wrecked, and a crew was formed who came to Melbourne with the first intelligence of the catastrophe. All the officers of the ill-fated ship, the passengers, about seven in number, and about eighteen Lascar seamen, perished, in all about twentyeight—not seven, as erroneously stated. I, myself, with several relatives and friends, | formed a party and proceeded to the island to exhume the body of nay lamented brother, and convey it for sepulture to Launeeston, and i while there I had sufficient evidence of the truth of the foregoing statements. Amongst the wreckage were the topsail yards, with the sails on them double-reefed, showing that the weather could not be moderate at the time. Having spent two of the most interesting but dismal nights of my life on the island, during a strong gale, accompanied with thunder and lightning and rain, I felt deeply impressed with the dangerous nature of the rock-bound coast, and the absolute necessity of lighting it in order that the tempest-tossed mariner may be warned of- his danger ; and sufficient and painful evidence has since been given that more than one lighthouse is required, and I am glad to note that it is also the opinion of our best and most experienced commanders, as stated before the gentlemen forming the ecent commission on the subject. In conclusion, I would quote as nearly as memory serves, from the article which appeared in your columns at the time of the loss of the Brahmin being reported, November, 1854: "The Brahmin was commanded by Captain Malcolm McEacham, a seaman of known and tried experience, whose brave heart and high sense of duty were fully borne out in the closing act of his life."