A NARROW ESCAPE.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume XXXXII, Issue 304, 20 December 1900, Page 1

A NARROW ESCAPE.

The steel screw tteamer O'gs, belonging to Au9traliaa owhhp, caim near being wrecked on Nov, 9, wlii'e trying to ixake 'Frlfco Harhuar fo ' the firsb time. For 8 days the sh\\ was fn a h'avy frg and likable t j c ilonlate her pobition, and was steaming slowly ahead towards the port. Tfac - officers looked and loi gel for the ligh' (hip that mariners tip ct to gu.df them to the Go'den 0«»p, but the lightship had beensent to Ihi harbdor foe repairs,, and there was no sobititote to show a beacon and toond • whistle. The s'tara of the steamer was lowered, tnJ sle beat bick and forth, kokiog for b goals. At fjur o'clock in the afternoon the look-out cilled tut that there were bre»kcis 1 ahead. . Hatdly lal the bell sunudid in the engine-rot m when'tbe keel of theOga waa grating on (he a-.ndt. She had been, t-avelling straight in- ' shore and thetnginrs weie rivet aed and apretls frr hdp sounded, and a blue recked sei t pp. Sov n men from rachof tbrceHe sauug sations pot oH to the ship at once. A boat cams ba«( for tags, and sis stroog iug» went at ones to the assistance of the distressed tbip. Evtry effo.t was made to drag ino Veesel off the sand, but it became evidett that nothing could be done before miraing, so three , tags left, leaving three vith jcut ' enough ejt«*m up to prevent the Ol£a }', bfiog carried farther in shorr. Before the arrival of the tags the steamer bad tamed so that Ler sWe wis patalejlwith the sarf line. She " remained in this position all night, and <-settled }n the sand. It was a snip-isa to everyone when in the morning ive ' togs tueceeded in floitirg the thp. 1 Part of the cargo, oonsiVting o( soger fr/)m Java, hid to be jettisoned.