WRECK OF THE SUSANNE GODEFFROI.

South Canterbury Times, Issue 2366, 16 October 1880, Page 4

WRECK OF THE SUSANNE GODEFFROI.

From the “ Newcastle Morning Herald” of the 29th ult, we obtain the following particulars of the wreck of this vessel. During a heavy South-east gale, with rain and squalls, turning out a heavy sea on Tuesday, the 28th ultimo, the ship Susanue Godeffroi, of 1,119 tons* which had left Newcastle for Yokohama on the 19th instant, with a full cargo of coal aboard, was signalled in the Bight, and it was seen that after vainly attempting to enter port she became a total wreck. The vessel went ashore eight miles northwards of Stockton, at the further end of the Bight, at a distance of some three miles north of what is known as the ‘ Big Hill.; The greater portion of the route lay along a barren waste of sandhills, which combined with a perfect sea of flying sand and foam from the breakers, made travelling both slow and disagreeable. At an earl}' hour willing hands, both male and female, had reached the spot, and already had lent every aid possible under the circumstances to those who had proved to be the fortunate survivors. An interview with about ten of the latter, who in a wet and bleeding state had been rescued from the debris , and placed for resuscitation round a bush fire in a thick scrub closely adjacent, afforded an opportunity for getting particulars as to the cause of the disaster and the fatal break up.”

The following particulars were elicited from them “ After leaving port, the weather, which was at the time varied and threatening, appears to have taken a sudden change tor the worse, heavy winds and seas being met with almost from the start, becoming so heavy that they could not keep her to the wind. The crew allege that although there was a large cargo aboard from the first day the ship was making llin of water per hour, and continued to do so until Wednesday, when it was decided to run back either for Sydney or some other Australian port. This decision having been come to was promptly acted upon, and having shaped her course the vessel, still making water all the time, was put about and made for land, sighting it first when opposite Bird Island, between 11 and 12 a. m. on Monday. After sighting, Captain Edmondsen found it advisable to heave-to, which was done, the ship laboring heavily in a heavy sea and severe gale that lasted all night. Ihe water continued to inci'ease all along up to about daylight, when the ship, as described by the survivors, took charge of herself, heavy seas breaking over her with tremendous force, flooding the decks fore and aft, and extinguishing their only hope—the donkey engine fires. From continued straining, the masts, gear, and rigging had become slackened and dangerous, the lower rigging completely gone, and lower masts working very heavily. When in sight of Noclby’s the crew mustered, and, going aft in a body to the captain, pointed out that the pumps were rendered useless, and requested him to run for the shore, seeing that there was about Gft of water in the bold and making rapidly. Captain Edmondsen, then fully in sight of the port gave his answer that he purposed standing a little while on the wind, in hope that the lifeboat or some other help, seeing their condition, might come out to the rescue. At the end of that time, finding no help coming, he (after consulting his officers and informing his crew) made up his mind, and sang out ‘ Now boys, every man look out for himself, for I’m going to beach her.’ The yards were thereupon squared, orders given to clew up the mizzen topsail, and everyone preparing himself for a final jump by partially stripping, she was run straight away before the gale for the northern sand beach at 9 a m, and in fifteen minutes after had struck with a tremendous crash in shoal water some distance off shore. After striking, the surf, which was running mountains high, commenced at once to make breaches over her, and soon afterwards her masts went Ivy the board, and her after-part being forced northward by the force of the gale, she listed to starboard and split in two somewhere near amidships. The starboard almost immediately was broken in and crushed like a bandbox. The captain, Mr Taylor (first mate), the second mate, and nearly all aboard having run forward ready for a jump, now took refuge on the port side, remaining by the fore-castle-head until everything save the port bow was submerged. The captain, mate, and steward had secured life-buoys, and seeing that the time had come the second mate, Mr Charles Meade, gave the signal “ Now Then, life for it, boys,” and nearly all dashed overboard among the breakers, the foremast, it appears, went first, shortly followed by the main and mizzen, whilst a few seconds afterwards the hull disappeared in the surge as if by magic. So rapid, indeed, was the fatal ending, that eight or ton minutes after her keel first felt the sand nothing was to been seen save a stirred-up mass of planks, beams, deck fittings, casks, boxes, and splintered timber, extending for upwards of a mile and a half within a very short time. “ To their credit be it said, those first to hand displayed the utmost bravery in rescuing the drowning, as one by one they were washed up. The women present also,wives of surrouning settlers, displayed an amount of true human sympathy and heroism seldom equalled. Directly the half-suffocated and injured men were brought ashore, almost every woman and girl stripped off either jacket or petticoat, and wrapped the sufferers warmly in them. Captain Edmondsen, when first lauded, was evidently alive, though senseless, and after uttering a few sighs and gasps turned gently to one side and expired, despite strenuous efforts to revive him. Almost all the survivors were frightfully cut and bruised, one boy having his breast severely cut with the bottom copper,and his fingers partially smashed whilst all were more or less filled with salt water, and too weak to move.”