WRECK OF A YACHT.

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXIV, Issue 5638, 25 April 1879, Page 7

WRECK OF A YACHT.

NARROW ESCAPE OF THE CREW.

It was reported in town on April 15th that the yacht Brothers, with three persons on board, had been lost outside the Heads.; During the evening, however, it became knownthat the first part of the rumor only was true, the occupants, of the, yacht, Messrs. Arthur Dixon, Marioni (a Greek), and James McOallum, we are happy 1 to say turning up all safe: during the night. The yacht, however, was smashed to'pieces on the rooks outside theHeads. The following account of their narrow escape is from one of those who were in the, yacht I :— Left Island Bay on Easter Monday with the wind from the N.W. ; on the first, tack she would not go to windward, or stay. ! They found that the centre-board had got: jammed in the trunk, when she struck ground beating out of Island-Bay; lowered the centreboard, and she cleared the reefs in one board, the yacht staying very quick in the heavy sea. The wind had now increased to a gale. Passed, the s.s. Go-Ahead, who took no notice of the , yacht, though it had all it could do toiwork, having to ’ lower the peak occasionally in the heavy puffs.. It was.turning dark very fast,: with rain squalls.' Could not see the land, nor any of the lights.' Marioni, who was forward, sang out to go about; that the yacht was; ashore. . Tried to, put her round, but by this: time it was blowing feather white, with a very heavy sea, the boat sometimes standing nearly on end, and laying over till she was almost on ■ her beam ends. As soon as she was shaking, in the wind, one big sea caught her bows and took her nearly ashore ; tried to wear her, but; it was no use. The staysail blew away, and the mast followed suit, tearing the chain plates out of her. After the yacht struck the reefs,; Dixon .and the Greek managed with difficulty to get on to a high rook. ' McOallum, who was watching for a slantto jump ashore, was washed; overboard by a heavy sea. The yacht rose on the same-sea and struck him on the head., Dixon, seeing what had happened, very pluckily jumped from off the rock on which he; was standing, and swam out to McOallum,; who he brought ashore in an insensible condi- : tionl'•' There is no'doubt that had not Dixon swam out to McOallum the latter would have been drowned. The night the three spent: amongst the rocks and kelp can better be imagined than described. All their; -provisions' were of course lost, and their’ clothes’' wet through. The rain fell incessantly all night, and - daylight was anxiously looked for. At 4 o’clock another visit was made to the yacht, 'when it was found that the planks were all smashed out of her bottom, and there Was consequently no chance of getting her off. An attempt to save the sails and gear was made, but there was too heavy a sea to save anything, and they made a start for home, arriving as above, thankful that they had escaped- with their lives. ’ ' ,