WRECK OF THE TARARUA.

South Canterbury Times, Issue 2531, 2 May 1881, Page 2

WRECK OF THE TARARUA.

The news of the total loss, of the s.s. Tararua; with nearly all the passengers on board, created quite a sensation in town on Saturday.. Before our hour for publication intelligence of the disaster had spread abroad, and our office was thronged with relatives and acquaintance of the passengers, eager to learn whether the names of the saved had arrived. Among those who are believed to have perished and who are well-known to many in Timaru may be mentioned Dr Campbell, brother of Mrs James King, who was on board with his wife, five children, and servant, the Rev Mr Richardson, of St. Albans, founder of the first Wesleyan Church in Timaru, and Mr George Martin, settler, of Otaio. The Rev Mr Richardson and the Rev W. Armytage were on their way to the Wesleyan Conference, which takes place at Adelaide on May 11. Mr Armytage has recently been moved from Kaiapoi to Leeston. He was editor of the “New Zealand Wesleyan,” and his labors in the Church to whiph he belonged were simply indefatigable. We learn that he leaves a wife and nine children.

Yesterday morning we received a telegram from Wyridham, giving fuller particulars of the Occident and a list of those who had been known to be saved. The substance of the message we immediately published as an extra, as follows May 1. The steamer’s course was altered from W.S.W. to W. at. 4 a.ra. ; struck at 5.15, and at 5.30 was.full of water. The women crowded in the smoking roombut were, removed by the Captain to the forecastle head, where they remained till 2.50 p.m. The other passengers occupied the rigging and forecastle. At tli',b hour., mentioned-V'the sea began to break heavily over the vessel, and men and women dropped off one bj 7 one. The Captain was cool, to the last, his final exclamation, when all hope was. lost, being, “ Oh, God ! what shall we do now ?” When morning broke the Hawea, Kakanui, and Prince Rupert were in the offing, but only a few spars of the wrecked steamer were visible.

The following is a list of those who are known to be saved:—Crew —Robert Lindsay, chief officer ; Peter Maloney, second officer; James Burnett, Edward Johnson, Charles Stewart, Torquel Nicholson, Franz Danz, John Weston, Thomas Dixon, A B’s; Franz Rahel, fireman ; John Maher, fireman; Antonio Micaeliff, chief cook. Passengers—(steerage) William Hill,John Chatterton, George Lawrence, Henry Deely, George Robins, Thomas Davis, John Williams, Gustave Tellien.

The Fortrose correspondent of the Times” telegraphs that a terrible sea arose with the flood tide after the Tararua struck on the reef, breaking and sweeping everything from the stern and bows. The vessel filled immediately after striking. Boats were launched but only succeeded in landing seven steerage passengers and six seamen. One boat is still absent in which are the second mate and

three sailors, and two passengers. The balance of the passengers took to the rigging and boats, but numbers were washed off by each succeeding sea, while others who attempted to reach the shore by the aid of pieces of wood and life buoys, were drowned in the surf. It was quite impossible to assist the poor creatures from the • shore, although within sight. The vessel and cargo broke up, and the beach was strewn with wreckage of all descriptions yesterday. Only, one person came ashore after -the boats wore found useless. The vessel parted amidships towards the afternoon. At 2.35 this (Saturday) morning she became a total wreck the masts breaking and the hull went over broadside, drowning all who remained on board. ; .' FIRST MATE’S STATEMENT. I turned in at 4 a.m., the captain and second mate being on deck. At 5.15 the vessel struck. 'When I left the deck the vesselwas steering-west. From 2 to 4 o’clock had been steering W.S.W. The weather was hazy over the land. Noticed nothing unusual when I called the Watch.' The captain came on deck and altered the course,’ as stated. I was asleep when the ship struck. I ruslied.om deck; The engines wore reversed to no use. The vessel had struck aft, unshipped the rudder, broke the propeller, and the engines were of no use. The}' were stopped. All hands were called to clear the boats. Ten minutes after the engines stopped the ship was full of water. At 5.80 the first boat was lowered with the second mate in charge, four sailors, and one passenger, as a crew to try for a lauding. One of the passengers, Lawrence,a young man,when about half way swam ashore, having previously promised if successful, to remain and help in landing the passengers. He did so after finding his way to Brunton’s and causing to be sent the first telegraph message per station hand, Charles Gibb, who rode 35 miles to Wyndham by 12.30. Another attempt at landing passengers was made, but of five two were drowned in the surf. Another boat was lowered, the carpenter being sent With it to see if a landing was practicable on the reef. His report was unsatisfactory. The second mate was.sent and tried a landing on the reef, without success. One man was lost. The captain next sent the first mate in charge of a boat containing three passengers and a boy, all of whom landed safely except the boy who was drowned. The boat was capsized and opened at both ends rendering her useless. Repairs were made by the men on shore, but the sea was too heavy to launch her. The vessel was thumping heavily. The passengers were in the rigging and clustered on the forecastle head the sea breaking over heavily. At 2.30 a heavy sea washed several passengers (women ‘and children) overboard, and after that they dropped off one by one. A smvivor, a Maltese, who swam bravely for his own life and tried to rescue' a girl, states the captain got all the ladies out of the smoking-house to the forecastle head, all being there till 2.30, when a sea washed them off. The captain displayed coolness to the last. His exclamation when all hope was lost, was “ Oh God ! what shall we do .now.” The steamer, soon settled down.

After night came on cries were heard on shore, and then cheers as a light, supposed to be that of the Kakanui was seen ; then a great crash, and then only the rolling of the surf. At daylight the steamer was seen heeled over, and she gradually sank until only a portion of her- spars was visible. The Hawea, Kakanui, and Prince Rupert were in the offing. The latter picked up the second mate’s boat.. It is not known here whether she picked up any more survivors. The total rescued is 20. A portion of a mailbag was picked up at sea and one child’s body by the Kakanui. Those on shore declared the scene heartrending through their inability to help. Two brave swimmers battled for life on a plank. One a splendid swimmer, left the plank at the edge of the surf and came in with a roller. He was seen struggling withiii a few yards of the shore, but was taken out again by the backdrift. The reef extends seven miles out. The men who landed are almost naked, and clothes have been sent at the order of Mr J. S. Shanks to supply their wants. The kindness of Mr Brunton is unbounded. Singularly, the body that came ashore bad a lifebuoy attached, and life was scarcely extinct but all means were unavailing to restore it. EXCITEMENT IN DUNEDIN. Dunedin, Sunday Evening. Pifteen thousand extras issued by the “ Daily Times,” containing particulars of the wreck of the Tararua, have been eagerly read by the public, besides thousands issued by the other papers. The following particulars wore issued to-day in an extra : Captain Angus Cameron, the Marine Superintendent of the Union Company, who landed at Boat Harbor oil Fortrose on Saturday morning, and made a thorough search of the beach as far as was practicable, from end to end, states that at noon on Saturday, he observed the points of the Tararua’s bowsprit and mizen mast sticking out above the surf. The wreck appeared to be a mile off shore, and on the north side of Waipapa Point. Proceeding along the beach, Captain Cameron collected the survivors of the passengers and crew (with the exception of Mr Lindsay, the chief officer, who was, it is presumed, searching for bodies along the beach)i and with the assistance of Mr Brunton, whose station he arrived at, procured a wagon, and sent the poor fellows as far as possible towards Boat Harbor. While returning to the scene of the wreck, Captain Cameron states he observed the bodies of a young female (apparently some 20 years of age) and a young man of from 25 to 30 years old. The bodies were perfectly nnde, and two' ladies, wives of the settlers, kindly proceeded to envelope the girl’s body in a sheet. Captain Cameron states that he gave orders for coffins for the unfortunate young people, and left Mr Peter Maloney, second officer, with Mr A. Lindsay, the chief officer, to look after any bodies which might wash ashore, and having done all that he possibly could, Captain Cameron retraced his steps along the beach, a task of great difficulty, getting a lift for a part of the road from Mr Rich. STATEMENTS OF THE SURVIVORS, George Robins states —I was a steerage passenger from Otago to Melbourne. I left the ship by the last trip of the first officer’s boat. Just as we reached the beach the boat capsized, and I made for the shore. As soon as we landed we lit a fire on the beach, and kept it burning all night. Just at dark we saw the ship. The passengers were then clinging to the rigging. I picked the cook up oat of the water aa he swam ashore.

Our boat was capsized right on top of us, and when we extricated ourselves we swam ashore. The sea was very rough. William Hill—l was a through passenger for England in the steerage with my wife and child. At the time the ship struck I went on deck to look for «ny wife and child. I found her washing about the deck (the females were in another compartment) with the child in her arms. All was confusion. The women and children were screaming. The vessel was bnmping heavily on the rocks, and a heavy sea was washing over her. I told my wife to hold on to the stanchion and went to see if there was any means of getting a boat. I found all was confusion. At last the starboard boat was got out, and as it was being lowered from the davits a sea struck her, and she was stove in. The men got back to the ship. After some delay a boat was got out on the port side, and then Captain Garrard succeeded in restoring order. He put the second mate in charge of the boat. It w'ent round to the starboard (the leeside), and the men who could swim were also placed in her, in order that they might carry intelligence to land. The boat succeeded in getting near shore, and a man then swam ashore. The boat returned to the ship, and the passengers were anxious to get in. A line was rove from the yardarm, and six passengers were lowered into her. They were cautioned not to go unless they could swim. I saw them struggling in the water —I allude to the passengers. I only saw three of them gain the shore. It was getting light at the time when the boat returned. The captain said he would not risk any more going. The females were conveyed to the smoking-room in front of the bridge. The captain, it was, I think, said to me, “ Get your wife and child into the smoking room ; she will be all right there." The sea was breaking over the vessel aft. I said to my wife if there was a chance of getting away to render assistance I Would go, as I should not be allowed to remain with her. I took a survey of the shore, and seeing a smooth part near the reef, I went to the captain and called his attention to it, asking him if there was not a possibility of landing on that part of the reef. He sent away a second boat in charge of the carpenter. I did not see her leave the ship. When she came back the carpenter said he thought it was possible to land on the reef, if a kedge anchor was put in the boat. I asked the captain to allow me to go to the reef and examine it. I said I would hold up my arms if it were safe to land on. One of the firemen went with me, and the boat’s crew. On nearing the reef in the second mate’s boat we found it was not so smooth as it appeared. It was very rough and there was a heavy sea rolling over it. The fireman swam from the boat to the reef. It was a very dangerous plan. I returned to the ship and then went back to the reef for the fireman, who swam out to the boat and was taken on board greatly exhausted. We could not get alongside the ship again on account of the high sea. The chief officer and a boat’s crew tried to land on the reef, but could not and they made for the beach. At this time the Hawea made the scene of the disaster, and Mr Hill’s attention being attracted to the wreckage, no further statement could be procured from him.

Peter Maloney said—X am second officer of the Tararua. It was my watch from 12 on Thursday to 4 a.m. on Friday. The night was very dark, and there was a thick haze over the land. The ship struck about 5 a.m. on Friday. The captam had come on the bridge, and all the officers were on deck. Captain Garrard thought he was far enough to the south to clear Waipapa Point, and gave instructions to alter the course to the west so as to head for the Bluff. A few minutes before the ship struck the captain went aft to verify his position by the standard compass. While he was doing so I became aware that the ship was in a dangerous position. The course was immediately altered, but too late, for the vessel went right on to the reef to the northward of Slope .Point. I was sent away with a boat’s crew and one of the passengers to find a landing, if possible, and the. second boat was despatched in charge of the chief officer with the same instructions. James Maher, one of my boat’s crew, swam to the reef to find if it were possible to land the people there. Meantime th 3 chief officer’s boat had capsized. Five persons were seen to land from her. I took my boat back to the vessel, and then returned to the reef with three steerage passengers in addition to my boat’s crew. These passengers, who were supposed to be able to swim, jumped overboard and were not seen again. James Maher, swam back to the boat and was taken on board very much exhausted. He was bruised in the ribs, arms, and head. Early in the day the other two boats were washed out of the davits and smashed. After getting Maher on board I tried to get alongside the steamer again but found it impossible, as the sea was making a clean breach over her, excepting on the forepeak. The ladies and children were placed in the smoking room on the bridge for safety. As I could do no more I stood out to sea to see if I could fall in with any passing vessel and obtain help, and at 2.20 p.m. on Saturday Captain W. Hanning of the ketch Prince Rupert, took us alongside and remained by her till the Hawea came up. THIS DAY. Invercargill, May 2, The male body found on the beach has been identified by Thomson, as that of Mr Bailey, a waiter in the Criterion hotel Dunedin. Mr M’Culloch R.M- coroner proceeded with the search party last night to the Toi Tois. Mr Fairclough Wesleyan minister, Invercargill, also went with a view to the identification of the Wesleyan conference delegates’ bodies. His wife is also related to Capt. Garrard. RECOVERY OF MAIL BAGS, The inquest on the wreck of the Tararua commenced at Wyndham today. The Hawea picked up seven maU bags from the wreck, one bag Auckland to Sydney, one Wellington to Sydney with enclosed mail from Nelson, one bag Wellington to Brisbane, one bag Wellington to Hobart, one bag Christchurch to Melbourne, with enclosed mails from Hokitika and Greymouth, one bag Dunedin to Sydney,with enclosed mails for New Caledonia, one bag, Dunedin to Hobart, with enclosed mails from Christchurch. The bags were opened at Port Chalmers and their contents dried. About 1000 letters will be able to be delivered, but the papers are reduced to pulp. The Te Anau which leaves this afternoon will take on the Brisbane and Orient mails.