THE FLOODS IN OTAGO.

Southland Times, Issue 898, 12 February 1868, Page 2

THE FLOODS IN OTAGO.

THE WRECKS AT OA.MARU By the arrival of the " Waihopai," we are, through the courtesy of Captain Eraser, in possession of the Otago Daily Times of the Bth Feb. from which we subjoin the official report of the fearful wrecks that took place at Oamaru : — SEBGEA.NT BULLETS BEPOBT. Sergeant Bullen, who is in charge at Oamaru, has sent in a full report as to the wrecks, and the floods in the neighborhood of Oamaru. Before giving the substance of this report, we may state that, on Thursday evening, we received a letter from " A Spectator" of the wrecks, who writes most enthusiastically of the " gallant, intrepid, and I may say, almost imprudently brave conduct" of Sergeant Bullen- The writer complained of the "reticence" of the Oamaru Times, in the account given above, in noticing the Sergeant's conduct; and he writes highly in praise of the behavior of the police generally. Sergeant Bulleu refers to the gale, and to the small yesBels getting out of the roadstead ; and he continues — At 3.30 p.m. the Star was observed drifting, having apparently parted her chain. She was moored with her own chain, attached to the swivel of the G-o---vernment moorings. Having gone about 300 yards, she was brought up with the starboard anchor. She continued to drag this anchor, and the chain which had broken from the swivel was being hauled in, when, at 7 p.m. she parted from her anchor, her head canting in shore. Sail was set, but to no purpose. * * * * After this, she heeled over to starboard, and the seas went clean over her. Her deck was soon stove in, her masts went, and the sea came through her bilge, washing out the wool, of which there were over 2100 bales on board. During this time, the crew were clustered on the upper or shore side of the forecastle. Captain Culbert had barely time to crawl forward, before the after part of the ship gave way. He was seen holding Mrs Baker, a passenger, vyhose two (

boys, aged three and five year 3 respective* ly, were drowned in the forecastle, where their mother had put them for shelter i and safety. During this time, lines were being procured, with the view of getting one on board, but the sea was so terrific, that no person dared venture sufficiently near the vessel for the purpose, the " drawback," and pieces of the broken spars, rendering it a service of great danger. Several persons having failed, the Sergeant fastened a line round his body, and took in his hand a line with a weight attached to its end. He ventured into the surf, and made three unsuccessful attempts. If there had been daylight, the last throw would have been successful, for the weight struck amongst the people on the ship ; but, through the darkness, they did not see the line, and they did not know what was being tried until they heard the blow of the weight on the ship's side. After the throw referred to, the Sergeant was knocked down by a sea, or by a floating bale of wool, and he was with difficulty hauled on shore. He was so exhausted, that he was not again able to essay such an attempt. The crew were now hailed to hold on, as the tide was receding. About 10 p.m. a surf-boat man, Duncan Young, succeeded in getting on board with a rope, one end of which was fastened on board, and the other held by people on shore. It being now nearly low water, the whole of those on board were passed safely ashore. Shortly after the vessel struck, Mr Stevens, the Chief Officer, fell, or was washed off the forecastle. He was tossed about for some time in the surf, and was then thrown on the beach, and was saved. A seaman was saved in a similar manner. One man who jumped overboard, was last seen clinging to a bale of wool, outside the line of surf. Brooks and Petrie, two seamen, are the only ones of the crew lost ; and the other two sufferers are the children of Mrs ' Baker. "While all were engaged at the Star, the "Water Nymph was seen close in shore, with all sail set. But the crew could not keep her oft ; and about ten o'clock, she struck 100 yards north of the Star. Being light (she had but 244 bales of wool on board), she was washed nearly high and dry almost as soon as she struck. All hands got safely out of her, saving their effects. Owing to her canvas being set, she canted'in-shore, and she remained comparatively steady; but in a short time water was seen Breaking through het main hatchway, and it was evident that her outer bilge was stove in. She now fll a.m. Tuesday] lies on her beam ends, with her back broken. 2 p.m. — The auction of the wrecks concluded. That of the Star sold for £40, and the wool for £1360. The wreck of the "Water Nymph sold for £172, and her 244 bales of wool for £810. The purchasers of the Star's wool are a company here, and of the Water Nymph'a, Messrs Cargills and M'Lean. Both the vessels and the wool are insured. Several seamen of each ship have been injured, but not seriously. sth February. — The bodies of the two seam n (Brooks and Petrie) of the Star of Tasmania, were recovered to-day, from the surf in front of the town ; and later on, the bodies of the children were recovered, namely James B. Baker, aged 5| years, and Malcolm ~W. Baker, 3 years. The bodies are to be buried to-morrow. Prom correspondence handed to us by Messrs Dalgety, Rattray and Co., we have some additional particulars, as to the circumstances of the wrecks, and of the sales of wool and material saved. "We quote only such items of information a3 have not been contained in previous accounts : — 4th February. — The poor crew of the Star of Tasmania were brought ashore more dead than alive. Captain Culbert stood the storm most bravely, and saved Mrs Baker's life at the risk of his own, but he was very much bruised, and quite exhausted. Many of the men are severely hurt. Every attention was paid to all and sundry by the people on shore. In the case of the "Water Nymph, the vessel was very light, having only 244 bales of wool on board, and Captain Babot got sail on, and managed to run her fair up on the beach, and got all hands landed, Without much injury except some bruises. . . . . Captain Culbert is in Bee's house, quite insensible. His officers are very much bruised. Every care is being taken of them. Captain Babot is very much cut up about losing his ship. Captains Culbert and Babot have called a survey of both wrecks, and the surveyors recommend them to sell hull and cargoes immediately. As there is no chance of bringing any competition from Dunedin, they sell to-day at eleven o'clock. The Star of Tasmania is now a total wreck, and the debris all scattered over the beach. There are only 210 bales of wool washed up whole, but the beach is strewed with loose wool. Captain Culbert has rallied again, and is about. He is very much cut up about the loss of his vessel, and everything, for there was nothing saved ; they all came on shore barefooted and almost naked — in a most pitiable state. The sale of the wreck of the Star of Tasmania only brought at auction £40 ; the woolas it lay on the beach, 210 bales, with the wool in the bay, £1360— £1400, a very sad result as a return for 2072 bales of wool. The purchasers of the wool are a company. Of the Water Nymph, the hull, masts, sails, and spars, brought £172; sundries, about £1.00; the wool, 244 bales, Benmore, £810 — £1082. This parcel was purchased by Mr Holmes, for Messrs Cargills and M'Lean. This is a fair price for the risk they still have in getting it out of the ship. February 5. — Captain Culbert is still keeping better, and is busy arranging to pay off his men, and go down to town. Captain Babot is doing the same. They will most probably leave on Saturday. "We have accounts, supplementary to the foregoing, from other sources. Mr Henry Aitken, in a letter ta Mr Keith Ramsay, writes;— r

"The Star of Tasmania wai a total wreck in a quarter of an hour after the struck. The crew and the passengers, who had gone on board, mustered on the side of the vessel near the bow. She WU then lying with her masts towards the sea, and breaking up very fast. Every attempt was made, and all sorts of strata* sjems tried, to get a line from the shore to the wreck, but without avail for a long time. The mate of the ' Star' took a line and endeavored to reach the shore, but had to let go and save himself. He reached the shore in safety — I mean, without losing his life. Another followed, and was successful, but the third who attempted it got Bmashed among the drift* wood, and was carried out. The remainder all stuck to the wreck until about 11 p.m., when one of the boatmen managed to get to them with a line, and get them on shore. The tide had at that tiue gone out considerably; but the landing was only effected at the risk of those on shore, as well aa of the sailors. About 9 p.m., the Water Nymph was seen coming direct on to the 'Star,' broadside on; but they managed, by stress of sail, to get her to shoot past, and she came ashore a few hundred yards further on. Being light, and having plenty sail on, she canted in, and as it was then about high water, she was comparatively safe in a short time — I mean so far as the men's lives were concerned. They got out without any difficulty. There were two of the * Star's ' sailors drowned, and two children passengers. The bodies of both the sailors have been found, and the body of oue of the children." " The Emu, an Akaroa vessel, put to sea at the same time as the Otago. There is nothing heard of her, but it is hoped she is all right. Our wonderful jetty has also disappeared, except a small piece of the inner end — I have not been at ifc . since, but, to judge from hearsay, I should ' say from forty to fifty feet. " All the " suif boats but two are smashed up ; in fact, not to be seen. This was done by the creek, which was three or four feet higher than has been remembered by the oldest inhabitant. There has also been some more of the road to the jetty washed away, and until ifc is repaired, drays will be unable to go down with stone. The crane is standing all right, so that, when the road is repaired, and boats get to work, stone can be shipped as formerly." Eeferring to the destruction of the boats, Captain Sewell, the beach-master, writes to Air Bamaay : — " Monday next will be as soon as I shall have a boat repaired, fit to be launched, and to discharge cargo. Any vessel ready to sail for Oamaru would do well not to be here before Monday." Captain Clerk, of Port Chalmers, who was the owner of the schooner Otago, has also received, from Mr Aitken, the following information with regard to the wreck of that vessel. Mr Aitken communicates the gratifying news that Capt. Campbell and his crew were fortunately able to save themselves before the vessel broke up. He writes : — " I am sorry to have to inform you of the wreck of the Otago. She left here about mid-day on Monday, being ordered out by the Harbor-master. The wind was then south-east, with a nasty heavy sea. Captain Campbell slipped his cable, and made a very good offing, so far as I could see, and I believed he continued to do so till between five and six o'clock, when the rudder, head gave way. Then, of course, there was nothing for it but to run for the land, which was made about seven miles from here. The captain and crew got ashore with great difficulty, and saved nothing but the clothes they wore, and greater part of even the clothes they were wearing they had to leave behind when the vessel struck. All here who know anything of the sea, had lost all hopes of ever seeing the crew alive again. The vessel, every one knew, must hare come ashore somewhere on the coast, the sea was so terrific. I was quite proud to see Captain Campbell and his crew this morning, having giv9n them up for lost. A few pieces of the wreck have been washed down here, and the captain picked up a part of his time-piece on the beach, just about where the Vistula was lying." Capt. Clark has also received from Capt. Campbell a letter in which he states that on the first signal to " stand to sea" being hoisted, he slipped the vessel's chain, and stood out. The rudder-head gave way when the vessel was about seven miles off shore. The vessel becoming unmanageable. Bhe was kept before the sea with her head-sails, and was beached, as has already been described. Another correspondent states, the captain and crew landed with great difficulty, and just about dark they got to the nearest farm-house, reaching Oamaru on the following morning. They jumped ashore in their shirts and drawers, and saved nothing. They returned to the scene of the wreck on the following morning, but could see nothing of the vessel ; and, the writer adds, " considering that by that time some portions of her had drifted down here, I do not wonder at them not finding her."