COLLISION OF THE P.S. FAVORITE, AND S.S. PRIDE OF THE YARRA.

Southland Times, Volume 2, Issue 2, 10 July 1863, Page 5 (Supplement)

COLLISION OF THE P.S. FAVORITE, AND S.S. PRIDE OF THE YARRA.

FRIGHTFUL LOSS OF LIFE. ELEVEN BODIES RECOVERED. (From our Special Reporter, y One of the most heartrending accidents it has ever fallen to your Jot to chronicle happened on Saturday evening last, withing a mile or two of Port Chalmers. The s.s. Pride of the Yarra,oneof our oldest harbor steamers, left Port Chalmers at six o'clock to proceed to Dunedin. There were on board of her a number ot passengers from the Matoaka, including the Rev. Mr Campbell, his wife, children, and servant. This gentleman, it will be remembered, had recently been appointed Head Master at the High School, and arrived on Saturday in the Matoaka. The total number of passengers carried by the Pride on this trip is variously stated at froo: forty to eighty. From all that I can learn Ido not think the total number exceeded fifty. For the first half hour after her leaving Port Chalmers Jetty, everything went well, but when abreast of Blanket Bay, she was brought into violent collision with the steamer Favorite. Both steamers were carrying lamps ; but neither the one nor the other had on board a single boat. The accident occurred as nearly as possible at half-past six o'clock, when it was intensely dark. The Favorite struck the Pride on the port bow, cutting her almost through, so that she filled and sank immediately. When the collision took place, some persons on board the Favorite lashed the mast of the Pride to their vessel, and thus kept her for some time from sinking. The cries of the passengers at this time were heartrending — the overhanging hills reverberated with the piercing shrieks of the female passengers. The majority of those on deck escaped, but those who were in the little close cabin of the steamer were almost all lost. Captain Wilson, of the William Miskin, who was in the cabin, as soon as the two vessels struck, made a dash to get out, and was fortunately successful. One or two others followed his example, but the women and children with whom the cabin was nearly filled, remained in their places and were drowned. After taking the passengers off the deck of the sinking vessel, and picking up those who were drowning, the Favorite returned to Port Chalmers, under the belief that all were saved. Subsequent events show the fallacy of this belief. Intelligence of the catastrophe was conveyed to town by various gentlemen on horseback, and by the Golden Age, which steamed up with the survivors, and at three a.m. on Sunday, again returned to the Port, having on board a body of police and some divers with the necessary apparatus. She arrived at the Port at 5 o'clock ; but in consequence of the darkness, nothing could be done for two hours, when the Water Police Boat proceeded to the scene of the disaster, and commenced to drag for the bodies. In about another hour the Favorite, having on board Captain Thompson, and other members of the Harbor Department, also arrived at Blanket Bay, and anchored in close proximity to the wreck. From nine until twelve, ten or a dozen boats were busily engaged in dragging, but all without suncess. A boot came up on the hook of one of the drags, which it is supposed had been torn off the feet of one of the drowned men but this is scarcely probable ; it is more likely that the boot was hurriedly cast off by some one the previous evening, to enable him to have a better chance of swimming for his life. At twelve o'clock the diver,

J". Watson, went down in one of HeinckeY diving, dresses, the lifeline being held by his mate, J. Wheeler, who had been sent for from 'the Heads. For several minutes nothing could be heard but the rippling of the water against the vessel's side, wheu a nervous twitch at the life-line warned those above that something was coming up. The line having been bauled in, a most horrible si<*ht presented itself to the spectators. The first of those who were drowned in the cabin bad been brought to the surface. The body was that of a woman, and drew forth exclamations of hoaror from all, as it came slowly up through the wa*.er,dressed in black, with its long hair streaming behind. This poor sufferer had, in common with most of the bodies recovered, evidently died after a painful struggle with her fate. Her mouth was wide upen, and filled with froth ; her eyes appeared to be starting out of her head, and all felt a certain amount of relief when the body was laid in the bottom of the Police boat, an d covered with a flag. Again is there a pulling of the line, and another body appears, this time it is also that of a lady. Another and another, then followed, at one time a full grown man, at another an infant, until eleven distorted corpses were laid side by side in the boat. Then, and not until then, did the intrepid diver come to the Surface. The scene at this moment was one never to be forgotten. The great home truth " that in the midst of life we are in death," was felt by all, and found an echo in the breast of every one present. Down many a cheek bronzed aud furrowed by exposure to the weather, I noticed tears dropping fast but silently, while many were the regrets breathed for the untimely fate of the departed ones. With a faltering voice and dimmed eye, the Captain j ordered the Union Jack half mast high, and towing the corpses behind in two boats, the steamer returned to Port Chalmers. As the Favorite, with her sorrowful burthen, passed the various ships in the harbor, all lowered their flags and hoisted them half-mast in respect to the dead. Arrived at the Port, the bodies were taken to the store of Messsrs Main's, and there lie to await an inquest, which will probably take place to-morrow. The appearance of the bodies as they reposed on the Union Jack was even more horrible than when first they were removed from the water, in consequence of the faightful extent to which the features of some of them were distorted. One poor little fellow, a boy, whose life had only extended to some seven summers, appeared to be asleep, so tranquil was his face. With his hands upraised towards heaven, he appeared to have parted with life without a struggle. No one could look at him without asking, " Can this be death ?" As some of the bodies are not identified, I send you the following list, including all those at present found : — No. 1. — A female, middle height, 30, kid boots, black dres ; , black manfle, green kid gloves, bonnet trimmed with mauve, gold keeper and wedding ring, mother-of- pearl brooch, silver geneva watch, with silk guard and locket ; a plain white handkerchief in pocket of dress, not marked, also a key, thimble, purse containing five Ll notes, one sixpense, and half an earring, also an earring in ear. No. 2. — A female, under-sized, 23, brownish-grey dress, worsted, jacket (blue and black), grey cape, black stockings, elastic-side boots ; in pocket, 15 marbles, one sixpence, a comb, a broken locket, a copy of " The Practice of true devotion,' 5 having on the fly leaf "Edward Thomas Mason, January j Bth, 1847," also some other articles of no value. Nos. 3, 4, 5, 6.— We omit the description given by our Special Reporter of the persons, dresses, &c, of these bodies, which have already been identified. No 7. — A boy, aged about seven. No 8. — 1 boy aged abont five. No. 9. — A boy, age about three and a half. No. 10. — A girl, age about two years, dressed in short scarlet frock and pinafore. No. 1 1 . — A baby in arms, age about four months. No. 3 has been recognised by his son as the body of Mr. Somerville. No. 4 is the body of the Rev. H. T. Campbell ; No. 6, that of his wife ; No. 7, 8, 9, their three children. No. 5, is the body of their servant. A Mrs. Andersoa, of Port Chalmers, who is known to have been aboard the steamer, is still missing. It is fully believed that there aae at least half a dozen more bodies to be recovered. This melancholy occurrence has thrown a deep gloom over Port Chalmers, and a similar feeling of sadness will, doubtless, pervade the whole Province, when the tragic event becomes known. We purposely refraiu from giving any opinion as to the party in fault, that will, of cou se, come out at at the inquest, but we cannot help expressing our belief that had the '' Favorite carried a practicable boat, all, or nearly all, of those drowned might have been saved. — Daily T leyrapa, June 6.