DESCRIPTION OF THE SCENE. Narratives of Survivors. (BY TELEGRAPH. — "STAR" REPORTER.)

Te Aroha News, Volume III, Issue 150, 17 April 1886, Page 4

DESCRIPTION OF THE SCENE. Narratives of Survivors. (BY TELEGRAPH. — " STAR " REPORTER.)

Kukerangu, Tuesday night. Only one other body has been found to day, and th.'it nearly thirty miles away to the north of the sceno of the wreck. Very strong currents eeein to have been setting in in that direction during yesterday and today. Last night I was unablo to give you any very clear description of the adjacent country owing to the darkness. f This morning, at daylight, we were able to see exactly the position of the ill-fated vessel. She lies on a ledge of shingle and boulder running out from Clareuce Ho ad about a mile and a half, and within a q j artei of a milo of the end ot the ledge. The spot is marked on the map as "Waipapa Point," but is evidently a mistake, for tho residents ot the locality say that the epot they know as Waipapa is about four miles south of the scene of tho wrock. The shoal or ledge on which the Taiaroa came to grief ison the northern bank of the Clarence River, and is known as "Trolovo's Point," Clarence North Head, and is seventy-five miles from Blenheim Just at tho spot where the vessol struck the shoal 3 run vory speedily to the water, thus forming u veiy steep bank five or six foet in height. This bank and the surrounding beach are covered with very largo rolling bouklors and shifting shingle, up which it would be very difficult for anyone- to climb, especially a man exhausted by a protracted battle with the waves. Thero wore several steamers at the spot at daylight this morning, including the Penguin and Wanaka from Wellington, and the AVakatu from Lyttelton. By one of tho Wellington boats tho survoyor for the Underwriters' Association, Captain Bendall, and Captain William-", acting for the Union Company, were passengers. Aftei an examination of the vessel &he was condemned, and handed ovor to the ineuranco companies.

Appearance of the Wreck. Viewed from the thore, the steamer does not appoar to bo very much damaged, although at high water, and with rather a heavy sea, early this morning, the water was rushing through her bulv. aiks and over the main dock. The water is flush with the hatches, and all the cases in the hold aro smashed to bits ; the saloon is also a _ perfect wreck. Appliances have been fixed by which visitors may be slung across a rope in a basket and so board the steamer. There is, however, little or nothing of interest to be seen about the v, reck. The steamer lies almost parallel with tho ledge or point on which the struck, and only about fifty yaids from the shore at high water and ten yards at low water. Beyond iho loss of her boats, phe has little appearance of being a shipwrecked /essel. Mr Liggins, tho Blenheim agent of the Union Company, arrived at the scene of the wreck early thia morning, and at daylight had a gang of men at work fixing up tho "boatswain's chair," by moans of which the steamer is reached from the shoie.

Searching the Beach. Early in the day, and accompanied by Sergeant White, of the Blenheim Police Force, I made an examination of the beach north and south of the wreck, but nothing of any importance was discovered, though we searched as far down as Kekerangu, and some mile 3 to the south of the wreck. We also visited Troloves Woodbank Station, where we found the two survivors, Sergoant Grant and the passenger named Hutton, and three bodies washed ashore in the neighbourhood The latter were exceedingly healthy in appearanco, and one (that ot Mr James Powell) is identified as that of the second mate. From the appearance of these bodies, I am inclined to think that these three men were alive when they reached the shore, but thoy woro done to death in tho surf. The fact that upon each of their faces there are fresn blood seems to bear out thi3 theory; for if I am not wrong, bodies bruised or cut after death do not bleed freely. The probability is that the poor fellows managed to gain the shore, but that in the terrific surf and the howling night they could not gain a footing upon the shifting shingle, and were dashed to death upon the beach, Powell, the second mate, is very much cut about the head and face. Immediately after examination of the bodies, which wore laid out in the Avool&hed, I sought the station, and was fortunate enough to obtain

Ail Interview With the Survivors. Both are now quite convalescent-, and able to walk about and resume the ordinary duties ot life. During yesterday, Sergeant Grant 'was a little knocked up, but, with the excoption of a slight bruise to the knees, is aa well as ever. Hutton, the other, never seems to have been very seriously inconvenienced. I first met Grant, who gave me the following as being as nearly as possible his recollections of what took place : —With Torpedo Instructor Ward and several members of the Torpedo Corps, Grant, who says he is an old sailor, was on his way to Dunedin with the object of conveying the torpedo boat from that part to Oamaru to take part in the Easter encampment at that place McQuartor (another survivor), and also a member of the Corp=>, occupied the bunk next to Grant, They were steerage passengers, and Grant says there weie about ten or twelve men in the steerage. Both lay down in their bunks shortly after dusk (both being dressed) and fell asleep At about half-past seven Grant was awakened by the vessol striking on the rockp, and ho heard McQuarter exclaim, "My God, we are in for a night of it !" Hurrying on deck, he wont first to the poop deck to endeavour, if possible, to discovor the position of the vessel. Several asked the captain where they were, and the latter replied, " A few miles from Kaikoura." By this time

The Seas were Breaking Over the Yards, and tho word being passed round all hands went to the saloon, where the steward distributed life-belts. In the meantime the mate had been lowered with a boat's crew to ascertain if it was possible to effect a landing. While the boat was away from the ship lights were burned and a rocket was fired in order to assist the mate in making a survey of the land. In a few minutes, however, the boat returned to the ship and reported that it was impossible to land anywhere as the land was too high. The captain then ordered everyone into tha boata. This must have been about half-an-hour after the vessel struck, and the boats were taken out astern, and secured by lines over the stern, the intention being to stand by the ship in the boats. This was considered a wiser course than lying at the ship's side, owing to the possible danger of the masts going by the board, falling over the side, and smashing into the boats. The wind was blowing strongly off the shore, and boats were thus kept at the longfch of their linef, and consequently in little danger of being stove against the side of the vessel.

A terrific sea was running, howevar, and great difficulty was experienced in keeping the boats free of water. Men were kept continually bailing, and some of the lady pasbengers were beginning to grow faint in consequence of the great exposure to the elements. Between 11 and 12 o'clock a heavy sea capsized one of the boats, and the occupants were

Struggling in the Water. Some were pulled aboard the boat, in which were Grant, Hutton, Ward (Instructor), and MeQuarter, the survivors. With ladies and others, of whom it is not known how many there were altogether, thii boat was now loaded and confusion becoming general was Ijalso capsized, and Grant was compelled to swim for hia life. So far as he can judge, just at this moment the Captain's boat got away, and as it pa?sed the occupants tried to throw a line to the capsized boat, but it missed, and was lost in the darkness Another boat Grant believes was borne down to the struggling people in wa'er and stove in againBt the vossels side. Grant struck out for the shore, and seems to have had

A Great Fight For Life. The waves he describes as terrific in their force, and he saye, that he would never have roached ashore alivo had it not been for his life-belt. He was eeveral times lifted to the top of a great wave and dashed on tho beach, being taken out again by the return current or drawback. It seemed impossible to gain a footing on the rolling boulders, owing to the strength of tho return current, which swept down the sloping shingle already referred to with great force. At last, just as he was giving up all hope, he bethought him that he would try lying on his back and trusting to chance instead of trying to help himself. He therefore lay down in that position, with his hands under his head, in order, if possible, to protect his head from the stones on the beach. This stratagem was successful, and upon being thrown up by the next wave, Grant managed to ding to a large boulder whilst the waves receded. Then, summoning up all his stiength, the poor fellow, by a great effort, dragged himself out of tho reach of the waves, fie looked about for other survivors, but could find none, and so started to prospect the country. It was, however, 30 daik that he could not see where he went, '. and he appears to have wandered aimlessly about for four or five hours. Before day- j light he became almost done up, and sat , down several titnea to rest himself. Com \ ing to a creek, he was able to satisfy his , thirst. When daylight broke he found ', himself on the property of Mr Trolove, the , owner of Woodbank Station, on the Clarence . River. Here he was hospitably cared for , by tho warm-hearted owner and his domestics, who, however, had already been good Samaritans to another survivor, of whom Grant knew nothing. The latter really thought he was the sole survivor, but was ( as glad as sui-prised to find another in the poison of Hutton, tho passenger already , referred to, and whom I also interviewed. ; I ought to mention that Grant received a nasty knock in the knee whilst in the surf, and was very larne for some hour;;. He ia able to get about again now, however, and \ expects to travel over here the day after to . morrow to join his comrade McQuarters, : who, as I previously informed you, has been ', found near here. 1

Mr Mutton's Statement. Mutton is very reticent about everything that occurred previously to the capsizing of the two boats. The ladies, he suye, were in the second boit capsized, and perished in their life-belts at the ship's side. In almost every particular his story agrees with Grant s as to the capsizing of the boats and the subsequent struggle for life. Fearing that he would have no chance of getting ashore alive if he went straight for the beach, he struck off to the right, or in a northerly direction, and swam, he estimated, throe or four hundred yards. He heaid a voice ahead of him calling out, but could not distinguish what was said. Hutton is a good swimmer, but was heavily clad in a long overcoat, and he also thinks that he never could have reached the shore alive had it not beon for his life belt. After swimming a hundred yards Hutton judged from the sound of the surf that tkere was here a firmer beach, and he therefore made straight for the shore, ne was considerably knocked about in effecting his landing, but atlast, after being washed back once or twice, he managed to hold on to the stone 3 long enough to allow the water to recede, and he then dragged himself ashore. He " cooeyed " for some time, but as he received no answer, he, like Grant, began to think he was the only survivor, and started to look for a house. He walked about in the darkness for some hours, found water and quenched his thirst, and at daylight found himself on Woodbank Station. He arrived there about half-an-hour before Grant. Such is the story of the survivors as told to me to-day. After again visiting the scene of the wreck, I on my way back rode along the beach to Kekerangu to the telegraph station, about IS miles.

Ail Incoherent StoryAt Kekorangu I had another interview with McQuaiters, the man found near here yesterday morning. He seems a good deal better since last night, but still rather incoherentin his statements, Be says now that whon the second boat capsized they righted her, and twenty-two passengers found room in her, though they had to sit noarly up to the waist in water. The boat drifted away north, and was frequently upset, every time losing several passengers, As the night woro on, and the boat's gunwales being level with the water's edge, necessitating passengers sitting in the water, they became exhausted, and unable through bodily iatigue to do anything to improvo the condition of things. By this time the number had been reduced to eleven, and one by one these died through fatigue and were thrown overboard to lighten the boat, until only two were left — himself and the chief officer, Mr Monkman. He does not seem to remember Mr Monkman dying, and can only recollect drifting ashore through the surf with the dead body of the mate in the boat. Mr Vallance, brother of the racing man, supposed to be lo&t, arrived to-day from Canterbury for the purpose of looking for his brother's body. He has been on the beach to the north all the afternoon, but has found nothing. Just after my return to Kekerangu, at S p.m., Dr. Bedford and Rev. McAra, Presbyterian minister, arrived from Kaikoura, the former to examine the bodies prior to the inquest and burial(probably to-morrow), and the latter to perform the sad ministrations at the grave. The inquesb will probably be held at 10 o'clock, if Mr Allen, coroner, arrives in time.

Disposal ft' tbc Bodies. Five bodies are to be buried here in the Kekerangu cemetery, but no arrangements have yet been made for the burial of the three bodies at Woodbank Station. It is not improbable that they may be taken on to Wellington to - night by the steamer Wakatu, which was at the wreck this evening. The body of Mr

Monktnan, cbief officer, will be interred at Blenheim at the request of his friends if it is at all possible to get it conveyed over the fifty five miles of rough road between here and Blenheim. It is stated that one of the unfortunate lady passengeas by the ill-fated vessel was the wife of Mr G. G. Fitzgerald, late editor of the "Marlborough Daily Times," and now occupying a similar position on the " Timaru Herald." Constable Dews to-day proceeded along the beach to the north for the purpose of bringing in the five bodies found yesterday along the beach. The bodies are all here now, and are being washed, dressed, ana placed in coffins. Full descriptions of each unidentified body will be noted with corresponding number over the grave, as was done with the unidentified bodies at the Tararua wreck, so that in futuv3 relatives may possibly discover where they are buried. The bodies brought in to-day by the constable are much battered about. In two cases seagulls have picked out their eyes, and in one case a man's leg has been bitten off, presumably by a shark.

Identification of' Bodies. Kekekangu, 11 p.m. The postmaster on temporary duty in charge of the wreck on behalf of the postal department has succeeded in recovering the Taiaroa's mail bags. The chief steward of the Taiaroa will leave Wellington per Wakatu, arriving here to-morrow, for the purpose of identifying all the bodies. There is no necessity, therefore, for forwarding descriptions of the bodies, as I proposed, as thoir identity will possibly be established to-moxrow.