WRECK OF THE YACHT SECRET.

Poverty Bay Standard, Volume X, Issue 1026, 21 January 1882, Page 4

WRECK OF THE YACHT SECRET.

Melbourne, December 30. Some excitement was occasioned in the city this morning by a rumor to the effect that the favorite yacht Secret, which had been lent by her owners, Messrs C. and E. Millar, the wellknown railway contractors, of Collinsstreet, to a party of prominent citizens, had been driven ashore during Wednesday’s gale near Corner Inlet. The Secret left Melbourne on Thursday week with a party comprising Mr J. L. Purves, the barrister ; Captain Devlin, of the Steam Navigation Board ; Mr H. H. Budd, solicitor; and Messrs W. Gaggin, F. McEvoy, and Goldstein. The master, Richard Shepherd, two men, and the cook formed the crew. Inquiry proved that the report was well founded, though, fortunately, no loss of life occurred. Messrs Millar received the following telegram from the master of the Secret:—“ Driven ashore on north-west point Latrobe Island at entrance to Lewis Channel. Corner Inlet, in a tremendous W.S. W. gale, on Wednesday. She lies about 150 yards from the beach in 4 feet of water at high tide. She has been beaten over half-a-milo of sandbanks; much strained; exposed io weather. Have sent this message by Purves to Port Albert. Now await instructions.” Saturday morning. Further particulars received touching the loss of the yacht Secret state that on the 28th, whilst the yacht was proceedi ig from Corner Inlet towards Lewis’s Channel, a tremendous W.S. W. gale came on suddenly, and the vessel was beaten upon the banks and labored terribly. At 1 o’clock on Thursday morning, Mr Purves waded ashore to Little Snake Island. He found it uninhabited, a dense scrub, and no water. The provisions being removed to shore, Mr Purves and a Bailor started in a dingy for Welshpool. When he got there he found it deserted, and then started for Port Albert. Having picked up an old track, be came upon the telegraph wire, which he followed 13 miles, to within four miles of Alberton, when, being exhausted, he was hospitably received by a selector, where he remained the night, reaching Port Albe.t next morning. M r Purves telegraphed to Foster for a boat, which left there at 3 in the afternoon, expecting to arrive at the camp at sundown, and bring the passengers on to Port Albert early to-day, and thence to Melbourne by j first train from MorweU.