AN ISLAND WRECK.

Te Aroha News, Volume VII, Issue 456, 22 March 1890, Page 4

AN ISLAND WRECK.

AMERICAN SCHOONER LOST. ASHORE AT MANGAIA. News comes from the island of Rarotonga, in the Hervey Group, by the island steamer Little Agnes, of a shipwreck at an adjacent island, the circumstances of which exactly resemble those attending the loss of the Auckland brigantine Ada C. Owen, belonging to Messrs Donald and Eden borough, at Rarotonga last year. The cause was the same—being b'ecalmed close to shore, and drifting on to the dangerous coral reefs. The lost vessel was the Cassie Hayward, an American schooner of fair size, and was under charter to Captain Piltz, a well-known Auckland trader and shipmaster, who also commanded the vessel. The wreck took place on February 4bb at the island of Mangaia, in the Hervey Group. The Cassie Hayward reached Rarotonga on January 24th last, from San Francisco, on a trading cruise, and was engaged by

Captain Piltz for a cruise through the Hervey Group to collect copra, fruit, produce, etc. She sailed for the island of Mangaia, and after shipping some produce there she was working along the coast of the island on February 4, when the accident occurred by which she was lost. The wind dropped to a dead calm. A heavy current was setting in to the island from seaward, and this carried the schooner with it. The captain got out the boats and started to tow the vessel into safety out from the dangerous coral reef which fringes the island. All the men’s efforts were useless, however, for the current carried the schooner right on to the reef, on which the swell lifted her high up in a position from whence it was hopeless to expect to get her out in safety again. The captain and crew managed to get ashore safely, so that no lives were lost. All the cargo and all moveables of value were saved. The hull, which was insured in America for £2,000, was sold by auction to Mr H. \\. Pearse, a trader on Mangaia, for $65. The cargo, which was worth over $5,000, was sold to a native chief for $l3O and re-purchased by Captain Piltz for $l5O.

A few days after the wreck the s.s. Little Agnes took the shipwrecked crew and Captain Piltz off the island and landed them at Rarotonga.