A Distressing Disaster.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume XLVI, Issue 53, 7 March 1904, Page 4

A Distressing Disaster.

The cable last week reported a particularly distressing boating disaster WN* Brisbane. Australian papers Jut to band give additional particulars of the sad affair, It appears that a .party o< live, aMr and Mrs Victor DrUry, their eight-year-old daughter Leila, Mrs Pring Roberts, •nil Harfy Carothere, 15, left V'ynlluta #1- 4.30 in tli# 12-footer Shamrock, With the intention ef sailing to Olareland, A .light brtem was blowtag at the time, but when in sight ef Cleveland jetty, about 11 o'oloek, « fierce squall struck the craft, which capsized. Mrs BobelHs became entangled ia the sail an'd cordage, but With remarkable presence of mind dived, and on coming to the surface •warn back to the boat. Uv Drury and the boy Carothers also gwaat the boat. At the tine of the accident Mr Drury was stearisg, with the little girl sitting at his feet. Mr Drury held on to the child, and regained the boat. The patty then distributed themselves so as to trim • the boat, which for 18 hours dri [tW about the bay. Before sundown the lad Carothers crawled from his ynaition to Mr Drury, who tried to assure him as to the hope of rescue, and with the little girl ia his arms Jumped into the water and placed the boy in his former position. The lad signs of exhaustion. Xwice he slipped into the water, but Mrs PjTbg Roberts swam alter him, and put him on the boat again. 'i'hen he thrice went into convulsions, and again he took a fit and slipped astern? Mb Drury, still holding his little daughter, Bwam towards him, ■but the boy sank.at sundown. The boat subsequently drifted into Green Island, and was almost safe, when the current suddenly carried them out again. When the moon rose, the little girl, who was stili clinging to her father, without . scarcely ever ■peaking, said'; " I'm safe with you, daddy, you can swim," and almost immediately afterwards expired in his «rma. All through the night the father clung to the dead body of his child, afraid to tell the ladies that she was not alive. The ladies were in & terrible condition from shock and exposure. The body of the toy ,WS subsequently found floating in the bay.