Wreck of a Ship in Cook Straits.

Poverty Bay Standard, Volume I, Issue 228, 5 September 1884, Page 2

Wreck of a Ship in Cook Straits.

SEVENTEEN LIVES LOST. PARTICULARS OF THE WRECK. [Per Press Association.] Wellington, September 5. Information reached here at daylight this morning that the ship Lastingham, from London to Wellington, had been wrecked at Jackson Head, Cook Straits, and 17 lives were lost, including the Captain and his wife. No further particulars are yet to hand. The Lastingham was a ship of 1085 tons, of the Shaw-Saville line, and was commanded by Alexander Morrison. The catastrophe happened while the vessel was running through the Straits during a heavy N.W. gale on Monday night. The vessel struck on the mainland at Jackson Head, and a terrific sea was running. The ship soon commenced to go to pieces. The captain, his wife, 5 passengers, and 11 of the crew were washed away from the wreck and were drowned. The remainder of the crew, including the first and second officers, reached the main land, and were yesterday picked up by the ketch Agnes, which was passing through the Straits, and brought on here. The vessel has gone to pieces. Beyond the captain and his wife, the names of those drowned are not yet ascertained. The chief officer, Mr. Neale, supplies the following particulars: — The Lastingham sighted the coast of New Zealand about 8 o’clock on Monday morning last, and in a little over 12 hours afterwards was a total wreck almost on the same spot where the steamer Rangitoto was lost. Heavy weather prevailed at the time, and continued. At the time the vessel was driven ashore there was a gale of terrific force. Rain fell heavily for some hours previous to the accident, and land was not visible for more than a mile ahead. Great efforts were made by the officers and crew to prevent the vessel going ashore. She became a total wreck in less than two hours. The crew and passengers endeavored to save themselves in various ways, some of them plunging into the boiling sea and striking out for shore. Others sprang from the vessels side on to rocks in the vicinity, while others attempted to float ashore on anything that would bear their weight. The scene was one indescrible confusion, wind howling, rain falling, people rushing about shouting and screaming, and the sea breaking over the ship’s side. About midnight a muster of the

survivors was made, when it was ascertained that 18 were missing and no doubt drowned, the captain and his wife and the whole of the passengers (five in number), being among the number. A miserable night was spent, and on Tuesday efforts were made to find habitation within easy distance from shore, but without success. Three of the men, Chalmers, Wood, and Alvarey, continued on their journey in hopes of discovering inhabitants, and were not seen afterwards by those of the survivors who are now in Wellington. It is difficult to say whether they will be found alive. The survivors are fourteen in number, and endured great privation while in the neighbourhood of Jackson’s Head, owing to their not having saved anything. The captain endeavored to save the log book of the ship papers, etc., but as he lost his life in attempting to reach the shore with his wife, it is not likely those articles will ever be recovered. The only articles of food which came ashore was 41bs of pickled pork and two packages oatmeal and corn-flour. They stopped their hunger by gnawing raw meat and drinking oatmeal mixture, water being found close to the wreck. This was all they had until rescued. The men had to run up and down the beach to keep up circulation. Wednesday being fine their clothes were laid out to dry, and the survivors obtained needed rest, having been without sleep for thirty-six hours. Each night the men huddled under the rocks to keep themselves warm, and on Thursday morning discovered a small vessel passing. A. piece of blanket which had come ashore was fixed to a pole and moved to and pro. The signal was observed, and a boat being lowered the survivors were soon on board the ketch, which proved to be the Agnes, from Pelorous Sound to Kaipoi, with timber. Captain Jensen, of the ketch, attended to the wants of the shipwrecked mariners and then bore for Wellington. At the time of their rescue the men had almost given up hope of being rescued, as on Tuesday and Wednesday no less than five steamers were seen passing close to the land, and though signals were made no one on board seems to have noticed them. However, no effort was made to rescue them. When they were taken on board they were thoroughly exhausted. The chief officer is of opinion that had they had to stop for another night on the coast some of the party would have succumbed to their privations.

Those saved are John Heal (chief officer), John Barton (second mate), Biddle (steward), Robertson (carpenter), Graves, Combaire, Chambers, Munro, Donaldson, Chalmers, and Alrarez (seamen). Thomas and Fryer, apprentices. The whole of the passengers were drowned. Their naws are as follows :— Messrs. Meakin, Purserl, Naish, McGinn, and Davis.

None of them were married men, and it is understood they have never been in New Zealand before.

The names of the officersand men drowned were Alex. Morrison (Master), Henry Groves (3rd officer), Peter McGuire (cook), John Murray (sailmaker) A.B, Barnard, Lambert Groredon, Matthews and Watson (seamen), and Sharp and Pearce two of the compliment of four boys which the ship carried. The Lastingham struck head on and immediately broached to, when her side became exposed to the fury of the terrific sea running, and her deckhouse, boats, and everything about the decks was swept overboard. The sea continued making a clean sweep over the illfated vessel, and in about an hour the decks bulged out, and this was the last seen of the vessel, as she then slipped off the rocks and disappeared in deep water. It was with the greatest difficulty any of the crew managed to reach the rocks, and it was then in a very exhausted condition, and their hands were severely lacerated. Captain Babot, of Shaw, Saville and Coy., has taken charge of the survivors, and will see that their wants are properly attended to.

The shipwrecked crew speak in high praise of the treatment they received at the hands of Captain Jenson, of the ketch Agnes. It is understood that Captain Morrison, who commanded the Lastingham, had retired from the sea some time back, but was ruined by the failure of the Glasgow Bank, and had to go to sea again, this being his second voyage.

[An inquiry into the circumstances connected with the wreck was held this morning, but no new facts were elicited.]