WRECK OF THE SHAMROCK.

Southland Times, Issue 738, 18 October 1867, Page 6

WRECK OF THE SHAMROCK.

The following particulars of the wreck of the Shamrock, near Vatoa Island are furnished by W. B. Berry, a passenger :—"* Mrß Berry and invself left Tonga by the Shamrock, on Friday, 29th March, and had fine weather, with a lair, wind, for Ovalau. On Sunday morning, about half-past twelve, I saw. the Island Vatoa, and reported it to the 'captain— l should say only three or four miles off at the furthest— and no one saw it but myself until I pointed it out. When we left Tonga I was not aware that we so were short of hands— only captain, mate, one cabin boy, supercargo, and c ok: I was on deck myself until alter one o'clock ; thinking all was sale I went below, but cou.d not rest lor about half an hour. I went on deck again, being on the weather side, when all at once the captain a-ked me to take the helm, and keep to the south, which I did, 'not knowing what he was going to do. I believe it was. to take down the squaresail. Wlien he came aft he took the helm from me, and not till then did I see my danger, when I saw and heard the breakers. When the captain took the wheel from me he gave orders to bout ship ; but not having sufficient hands to work her, she missed stays, and in a f. w moments we were east on shore oh the reef of Yuatayatoa,about two hours after sighting the island of Vatoa. Fortunately the break was not so much as it might have been, : owihgto the tide having but little ebbed, and at low water the vessel was left with about a foot of water around her, and was biiged. After some of the excitement was over; we set-to to make a raft, and got a small one made on deck, and at daylight .lawwwd w. I,

overboard. When the tide made, we took the raft into 10ft or 12ft water, about the middle of the reef, and anchored it, where we were safe from the seas or much swell. Mrs -Berry, myself, the supercargo, and a passenger from New Zealand, slept on the raft ; the crew in their boat, which was not of much use. The next day made a larger raft from the foremast, yards, spars, casks, and what timber and doors I had on board, and took it to foe place of the other raft, and then removed everything from the other to it and got it well anchored, with two or three small anchors. For three or four days we were exposed to all weathers, night and day. I Bpoke to the captain; I thought it would be better to have a sail put over the raft, so he got some American duck and made a sort of tent and covered it over, and luckily for -us, as it' came on to rain heavily the same evening it was put up. After being ten days on the raft, the captain thought proper to repair the old boat he brought from New Zealand, and I assisted him in doing it; but he gave me no information what he was going to do. lam sorry to say he wa3 drunk the most part of the time on the raft. (I have known him to drink five or six bottles of champagne before dinner.) On Wednesday, the 10th April, after breakfast, he got into his boat, with a crew of three men, and when ready to start said any one of us could go with them to the island, and I did not know until then what he was going to do. The passenger from JSew Zealand went with them. It being very fine weather, they got to the island safe, and landed the passenger and one of his crew (Charley) ; and on his leaving again, with two hauds and a Tongaman, in going over the reef edge, the boat upset, and if he had not let the Tongaman" go with them they would have been all drowned. As it was, one of his men (cook) lost his life. Fortunately for the other two, the Tongaman took them to a rock, which they stuck to ; and after some time, the Tongaman (Richard) got on top of a rock, and was seen from ashore, and they were at last taken off by a canoe. The next day the natives, in small canoes, came off to us ; but the chief (Tui Vatao) would not let Mrs Berry go off in so small a canoe, but sent his men back again, and got one half of his large canoe fitted up to get us off, the other half being broken. So on Saturday, 13th of April, being tho fourteenth day on the" raft, wo were taken off with a few things safe on shore, although a heavy break on the reef. Three of the meu were washed overboard in., going in. Since landing, I -have managed by'the natives to get off the principle part of my goods from the vessel on fine days. Some of my boxes have been under water for eight weeks, so you may suppose what state the contents must be in irom saltwater. However, our lives have been saved." — " Sydney Morning Herald," Sept. 5.