WRECK: AT FIJI. TOTAL LOSS OF THE SHIP SYMRA. Seventy Coolie Immigrants Missing. (From the "Auckland Star.")

Te Aroha News, Volume I, Issue 52, 31 May 1884, Page 5

WRECK: AT FIJI. TOTAL LOSS OF THE SHIP SYMRA. Seventy Coolie Immigrants Missing. (From the "Auckland Star.")

By arrival of the steamer Penguin from Fiji we have files to date of the 16th May, from which we learn of the total loss of the ship Symra, a large vessel of 1,040 tons, with 480 coolie immigrants from Calcutta, bound for Suva. Information reached Suva on the night of the 12th May that a little bofore dusk a large vessel was on tho reof at Nasilai, and the master of the Government steamer Clyde was directed to get up steam and be pro pared to immediately proceed to Nasilai. Soon afterwards, "Dr. Shaw, the surgeon superintendent of the Symra, arrived in an open boat, and reported the ship on thereof between Naisali Point and Keba, dismasted and badly bilged ; that the water was running through her lower hold, staying all means of getting at the immigrants' stores. All available boats were despatched to the scene as quickly as possible, Mr Cockburn, manager for Messrs James McEwan and Co., the agents for the ship, being the first to make a start in his gig.

The Chief Officer's Account. Mr Henson, chief officer of the Symra, who was despatched for assistance in one of the ship's boats, arrived at Levuka about the same time, and from him it was learned that the vessel sighted the Island of Kadavu at about 9 a.m. on Sunday last, and after sighting the land she was kept on her course with a fair wind (S.E.) for the port of Suva, keeping an offing from the Solo Reef of ten to fifteen miles, weather thick and hazy. At about 5 pm. high land was sighted on the port bow and right ahead, which was supposed to be Viti Levu. At about sundown the vessel was hauled to the wind on the starboard tack, heading N.E.j and at 8.30 p.m. breakers were reported in sight to leeward ; an endeavour was made immediately to put the vessel on the other tack, but without success, and the unfortunate vessel, when in stays, was thrown on to the reef with her living freight, the seas making clean breaches over her. Destruction rapidly followed, the masts going by the board, and all her boats save one smashed to pieces.

The Penguin Visits the Wreck. The s.s. Penguin was discharging at Levuka at the time, and was soon desgatched to the scene of wreckage. Capt, romarty has furnished us with the following particulars respecting what lie observed of the wreck : — "We passed the neighbourhood of the wreck at night, but could see nothing of her. Rockets were sent up and port tires burned, in the hope of obtaining some answer which would help to determine the position of the Symra, but as all proved unavailing, the Penguin ran on to Suva, and arrived there about midnight. It was then soon known that the news had reached before us. The doctor of the vessel, who had swam ashore through the surf, had come on to Suva in a boat, and upon his making the authorities acquainted with the mishap which had occurred, the Government steamer and a number of small boats were got ready to proceed to the wreck. The Penguin left Suva again at 12.30 the same night, and at S o'clock in the morning found the stranded vessel at Nasilai Point, on the extreme corner of the reef, about midway between Suva and Levuka. Her foremast and topmast wei'e standing, but the main and mizzen masts were both gone. The vessel lay on the edge of the reef, and a fearful sea was breaking clean over her. A number of people could be seen clinging to the weather side ot the wreck, but unfortunately it was quite impossible to render them any assistance. It was utterly impossible for the steamer to approach her, and even to go close in was to incur risk which no hope of effecting any good would justify. It would have been certain death for any boat's crew to have got into the break churned to ■white angry foam by the jagged-edged coral reel at times visible as the surf lecederi. From the outside the wreck was unapproachable by anything except a rocket and life line apparatus, and that could only have been effectively used from the shoreward side. The boats had not then arrived from Suva, but a number of canoes and one white boat could be seen inside of the rc"f, but it was plainly evident that they were quite helpless to render aid to the unfortunateimmigrants, who at this time were in imminent danger of being washed off the vessel at any moment. At 9 a,m. the foremast went over the side, and an hour later

The Wreck Parted Amidships, and not a soul could be seen about the vessel. Finding it impossible to render assistance, Captain Cromarty reluctantly took the Penguin on to Levuka. The steamer Clyde, which was expected from Suva along with a numberof boats, although due, had not then put in an appearance, and the canoes which were previously seen had disappeared from the shore. It was concluded on the Penguin that when she left there was no one on the wreck, and that those saved were on shore, and it was hoped, in spite of the most grave misgivings, that all have reached there in safety. The Symi'a then lay about 20 miles from Suva and 30 miles from Levuka, on a dangerous reef off the island of Viti Levu. It was blowing hard from the S.E. with rain, and the Symra bore every indication of becoming speedily a total wreck.

Seventy Coolies and Most of the Crew Missing. An extra issued by the Polynesian "Gazette " at Suva on the morning of May 14th states that the Clyde had just returned from the wreck. Her master, Captain Callaghan, reported that all but three of the Symra's La>car crew were missing, and that also between 60 and 70 of the Coolie immigrants could not be accounted for, and it was feared that all had perished. The vessel had broken in two, and everything was washing out of her. Her cargo was a large one, and included 300 tons of rice.

" Even butchers weep" has always been a useful phrase for expressing intense pathos; and a case which was heaid in the Court of Queen's Bench lately ought to provide a similar formula. Forty-two summonses for libel had been taken out against different parties by a butcher of the name of Mitchell, because the newspapers headed a case in which his name appeared as "The Charge of Kidnapping a Wife." This led " parties who dealt with him in offal " to cease doing business. "Even dealers in offal aie ashamed " should at least become as serviceable as the older phrase. "Pat," said a gentleman who was fond of using high-sounding phraseology to his ni.'iii of-all-work, "lam going to town at ten o'clock, and shall weed out the cucumber beds in the interim. " ' ' Interim ? " thought Pat. "That's a mighty quare name for a garden, anyhow." "Is Mr Smith at home?" asked a visitor who called shortly afterward- "Vis, sorrj Ye'll find him at work in hie interim, there bey&nt," announced, Pat,