IN AN OPEN BOAT.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXXVII, Issue 29, 4 October 1913, Page 5

IN AN OPEN BOAT.

THE STORY OF A WRECK.

AT SOUTH SEA ISLANDS.

[Per Press iAssociation.]

Auckland, October 4

The steamer Atua arrived from the Islands late lust night and brought the full story of the wreck on Jarvis Island of the American barquentine Amaranth, the crew of which reached Samao on September 14 in two small sailing boats, having covered 1140 miles. They had a chart, chronometer and sextant, but the food taken with them from the wreck had been quite exhausted.

The Amaranth loaded with coal from New.castle, on September 6th,

Struck the Rocks at Jarvis Island, to the north-east of Samoa, and in two hours was a total wreck. The crew took to the boats at 10.40 p.m. and stood by all night. The vessel having gone to pieces, they landed next miming. They waded through the serf to the forward part of the vessel, which was head-on to the outlying rocks, and obtained some canned provisions. No water could be ob tained, and next day the crew lefl the Island in a Hazardous Attempt to Reach Samoa. One boat contained the captain, his wife and, child, the second mate, thcee seamen, and the cabin boy. In the other boat were the mate and five seamen. The boats kept company till noon on the second day : when it was agreed that the captain, having the faster boat, should pusl ahead with all speed as it might mean the safety of all hands. On the seventh and eighth day out. the mate’s boat encountered heavy rain, which filled the water casks, and Probably Saved the Lives of the Crew Apia was reached just in time, but the provisions and water had giverout. The captain’s boat, which hac. a similar experience, reached Pagf Pago on the same day. The Captain’s Son, is Months’ Old. stood the voyage better than any : one Mrs Nielson, the captain’s wife, cam*, through the ordeal remarkably well. '