WRECK OF THE Wairarapa.
A profound sensation was caused throughout the colony on Thursday morning, when it became known that the Union Co.’s fine steamer Wairarapa, overdue from Sydney to Auckland,had been wrecked when within a few hours steaming of her destination, and that 134 of her company had peiished.?<cJ. L. Clark, second officer of the steamer, state/:—We left Sydney on 24th October, at about 6 o’clock; had moderate weather and winds, and passed Three Kings at 7.45 on Sunday morning ; weather thick and foggy. About half-past ten o’clock passed Cape Maria Van Dieman ; and at 12 o’clock were off Spirits 'Bay, close to the North Cape. At 12.40 a thick fog came down, obscuring everything. We steered a course for Cape Brett, Bay of Islands, and continued that course until about ten o’clock at night, when the course was altered to steer outside the Hen and Chickens Island (Mokohinou.) It was ten minutes past midnight-when the vessel struck. Many and conflicting accounts are given of the conduct of Captain Mclntosh, who was one of the Company’s most trusted commanders and who was among the lost. Many acts of heroism are recorded, and the deaths of w r oraen and children are described as horrible and heartrending. Joseph Wright said —We saw the Three Kings on Sunday about breakfast tithe. The weather was foggy and we could only see the coast line sometimes through - the fog. Towards evening the officers got rather anxious about the distance run, and kept looking at the patent log every half-hour or so. They got the deep sea leads ready, one forward and one aft. The passengers began talking in groups, noticing how thick the night was and the speed the vessel was going at. They had a presentment that something serious would happen as the fog-horn was not sounded, and the steamer’s speed did not appear to be lessened. Borne of the passengers, till about nine o’clock were singing hymns, among them, by a strange coinsidence, being “ Pull for the shore.” and “ Shall we gather at the river.” About half-past ten the ship’s course was altered. After midnight she when on the rocks with a terrific smash and grinding motion, knocking down the glasses and lamps. The passengers went up in an orderly manner on deck. I went down below -went the passengers were passed up lifebelts. One of.the officers said the vessel was going 13| knots when she struck. After she struck the engines were reversed, but she heeled on the port side and settled down, some of the passengers, principally women, sliding off the deck into the sea. From the after part of the ship two boats were got out at the time to save the women and others, taking 29 in the one and 35 in the other. Heartrending cries were heard in the darkness in the waters, and orange -cases, slieep bins and horses went overboard, some of those in the water being struck by the horses and
Permanent link to this item
Hononga pūmau ki tēnei tūemi
https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/SOCR18941103.2.24
Bibliographic details
Ngā taipitopito pukapuka
Southern Cross, Volume 2, Issue 32, 3 November 1894, Page 9
Word count
Tapeke kupu
498WRECK OF THE Wairarapa. Southern Cross, Volume 2, Issue 32, 3 November 1894, Page 9
Using this item
Te whakamahi i tēnei tūemi
No known copyright (New Zealand)
To the best of the National Library of New Zealand’s knowledge, under New Zealand law, there is no copyright in this item in New Zealand.
You can copy this item, share it, and post it on a blog or website. It can be modified, remixed and built upon. It can be used commercially. If reproducing this item, it is helpful to include the source.
For further information please refer to the Copyright guide.