A SWIM TO THE RIO GRANDE.

Poverty Bay Standard, Volume I, Issue 123, 5 May 1884, Page 2

A SWIM TO THE RIO GRANDE.

(communicated.) Those who have viewed the Rio Grande from the shore, as she now lies stranded on the beach, can but little imagine what a state of chaos is to be seen on board. Owing to the severe weather from the South, accompanied with heavy sea which has been running for the last few days, it has been impossible to make a survey of the vessel or to arrive at a true estimate of the damage done. Perhaps it may be interesting to give a short account of the state of the wreck, am] how two head- . strong young adventurers swam on board. Yesterday at high water whilst looking at the vessel from the beach, I remarked to a friend who was with me, that I would very much like to see what damage was done to the vessel, and I also added, as a feeler, that if anyone would follow me I would try and swim on board. Now my friend, be it understood, was quite as headstrong as myself, and being a good swimmer took up the challenge, much to my discomfort. Before many minutes had passed we were both battling with the waves, and I might add that on this particular occasion we found them no easy enemy to overcome. Before we could recover the shock which one huge sea would give us, and before we could regain our breath, or get the saltwater out of our eyes, we were suddenly lifted some yards into the air and carefully deposited again almost at the point we had left a minute before. It was after one of these tremendous upsets that I took a glance at my friend, sincerely hoping that he would exhibit some signs of retreat, but to my great disappointment his face still wore *a determined expression, so sooner than be the first to throw up the sponge, I resolved to see it out.. After a pretty tough swim we reached the lee side of the vessel, and crawled up on deck by some ropes which were trailing in the sea. We soon found that we were as badlv off, as far as safety went, on board as in the breakers, for the vessel was heeled over io an angle of forty-five degrees, and to stand on her deck without holding on for dear life was an impossibility. The hatches have been carried away, and the sea was making a clean sweep in and out of the main hold. The vessel is full of water, and from the way she grinds on the bottom, I think she must have started to leak through several large holes amidships. The coal has not been disturbed much by the sea, so if the weather keeps fine, there is every reason to hope that it will all be saved. The cabin is in a state of chaos. There are lumps of wood, planks, papers, bottles, boots, all mingled with various articles of wearing apparel which are being kept in motion by the rolling of the vessel. I was leaning through the hatchway looking down at the conglomeration of articles below, and feeling highly interested with what I saw, when one of our old enemies rather larger than the rest, caught me in his mighty arms, and it was with the greatest difficulty I could keep myself from being driven headfirst down the hatchway. I found that this part of the ship did not interest me as much as I thought it did, so I crawled forward to where my friend was ezploring the fore-part of the vessel. Everything appears to be fearfully battered about by the sea—but a boat which is lashed to the quarter-deck, strange to say, has not been damaged at all. The spars, sails, and running-gear, are all in good order, but should the wind and sea again rise, I think that the masts will go over the side. We ran aloft and had a look round, but remembering that we were both in a state of nature, and that telescopes were plentiful ashore, and as my friend showed signs of cramp, we descended rather faster than we went up. A few minutes later we were again in the briny sea striking out for terra Jirma.