BATTLE WITH SEA

Sun (Auckland), Volume III, Issue 774, 21 September 1929, Page 9

BATTLE WITH SEA

THRILLING STRUGGLE ON SINKING SCHOONER ABANDONED JUST IN TIME From Our Oion Correspondent LEVTJKA, September 9. Caught in a heavy gale on the night of September 6, the auxiliary schooner Manoa, sprang several leaks and sank about 17 miles from Levuka. With the owner severely injured, the 15 people who made up the passengers and crew, succeeded in getting away in a lifeboat a few minutes before the vessel sank. The Manoa, owned by Captain MacIndoe, put off from Kubulau, Vanua Levu, a few miles along the coast from the mouth of the Yanawai River with 20,000 feet of bua bua logs for a mill at Waidoi. The ship’s company consisted of the owner, Mr. W. M. Maclndoe, Mr. F. A. Archibald, mining expert, a native mate, native engineer, Chinese cook, a Fijian woman and her baby and eight Fijian sailors. On the evening of the first day out the head wind lifted to half-gale force with heavy seas which opened the ship’s timber in places. The pump was found to be choked with bark from the logs and the crew got busy bailing out with kerosene tins. Then disaster occurred. A heavy sea flooded tfie engine-room and the electric lights went out. Mr. MacTndoe asked Mr. Archibald to hold the wheel over hard as the schooner would not come up Into the wind, and he and the native mate went forward to take in the sail. TACKLE CAME LOOSE By some mischance the block of the derrick came loose and knocked Mr. Maclndoe unconscious, inflicting a great cut in his forehead. The natives reported to Mr Archibald that the boss was dead and after feeling Mr. MacIndoe’s heart, he was sure it was a fact. Mr. Archibald ordered the boat out as the ship was sinking, but it was found that the whaleboat had its side stove in. The Fijian mate repaired the damage with the aid of a piece of kerosene case and his sulu (loincloth) and the passengers and crew climbed in and pushed off just before the Manoa gave a roll and plunged to the bottom. The occupants of the boat had a narrow escape as a mast-head missed the boat by inches. Mr. Maclndoe regained consciousness for a few minutes, hut relapsed again. After several hours of rowing, Makogai was reached, where medical attention, food, and dry clothing -were obtained. The Manoa and her cargo were insured with the Queensland Insurance Company for £ 506 in each case.