The Storm in Australia.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume XLVII, Issue 7928, 18 September 1905, Page 3

The Storm in Australia.

•THE HELFA XICOLL'S EXPERIENCES. STATEMENT OF THE CAITAIX, A TIIRIU.IXG XAIUIATIVE. SYI>.VEV, Aug. 3U Captain Henry Pender, the master of th« steamer Hvlen N'icoll, whoso countenance bore iiumigtakablc trac- > es of, the terrible expTicnces through which he harl passed, ami of grief for the loss of seven of Iris comrades, was seen on board his vessel by a represent artive of the Sydney Morning Herald shortly after the Helen Xicoll at the foot of Balhurst-slreet last night. He was in almost a collapsed condition, owing to mental wcrry ami physical fatigue, for his own vessel Jiad tt.vn in peri I, fend the delivery of all hands from watery (raves is regarded as a miracle. He was besiege by the relatives of the men lost by the foundering 01 the Jones Bnnbers. anxious to learn whether there was any possibility of the m*n having reached some portion of the coast in safety. but he coold hold out absolutely <lO liope, and the scenes which followed <wer»! of a very painful character. When be was alono in his CSrtJfi} ■ Captain Pcrtdor was asked whether L fca funriih an account c! IBel P low "f the Jones Brother*, and ol | owu cxpvrwiicc, but, Jyj siwl-

fastly declined to make any statement, preferring to await the holding of the inevitable, Court of Marino Inquiry. Pressed for some particulars, however. Captain Pender consented to briefly narrate what had happened.

■lt was arranged."- .miid Captain Pender, "that the Ilelen Xicoll would pick up the Jones Brothers outside the port of Newcastle, ami the schooner sailed out of the harbour shortly after five o'clock oil Wednesday afternqon. She had canvas partly set both fore and aft, and waited for the Helen Nicoll outside Nol/by's. It was then: blowing a fresh westerly, but the weather was fine, and there was practically no sea. Apparently there wns 110 danger, and we expected to make a flying trip to Sydney. Everything went well." Captain Pemler said, "until we were abreast of Lake Macifuarie Heatls. That would be between nine and ten o'clock on Wednesday night, as far as I can judge. The seas had by this time increased until they were running mountains high, ami the wind bad veered round to the south, west, and hod attained the force of a living gale. The schooner pitched and plunged severely, ami terrific seas were breaking right over lioth of the vessels. Suddenly, 011 account of the terrific strain 011 the rope.the hawser parwd. The little was driven before the gale at an alarming speed northward, and we feared that she would conic to grief, so wc decided to follow her. 111 such a seaway it was very risky to turn tha steamer round, but we could not allow the schooner to go to certain' destruction without an effort to save her, .so wc turned round, and in so doing the seas struck us with terrific . force, breaking right over the vessel, and doing a good deal of damage. We got a second line aboard With very great difficulty. As soon as we turned round we steamed full speed northward, and followed the Jones Brothers, which was being driven befor* the gale. The schooner had passed the port of Newcastle l{o- - we came abreast of her. That would be late on Wednesday night, out I cannot give an idea of the hour, for I have not had time to look at a watch since I left Newcastle. In view of tho heavy weather conditions prevailing wo deemed it inadvisable to attempt to make Sydney in the teeth of such a tempest, and an attempt was made to reach Newcastle, and to wait there for a moderation in the weather conditions before again making for Sydney. We were right inside, and I had rounded Nobkf'-s, and was negotiating the bar when the second line suddenly snapped. The wind was now very furious, and the seas were higher than I have ever seen them. We were by this time In great peril ourselves, and I can assure you that none of us on board expected to reach (he shore in safety. Gigantic seas wers breaking right over us, sweeping this decks, and doing nearly all tire damage. We were then right on the Oyster Bank—that dreaded patch of sulfmerged rock and sand that forms the grave of so many vessels. The Helen Xicoll was not making any water ; her holds were all tight, but she shipped immense 'quantities' of water, which .flooded the cabins. Everyone was drenched, and we all felt thaft we were ffcing -to-destruction.) It must have been about midnight. The Helen Nicoll had a list of quite 30 degrees to starboard, and it was almost impossible to keep a footing. Ycu can form some conception of the perilous position we were in when I tell you that wc •were within a few yards of the wieck of the French Iranque Adolphe 011 the Oyster Bank. It was simply a miracle how we escaped. Don't ask me to explain it. I can't. It seems to me, looking hack '<}rr J trat awiul n(s though some Provider.t ial hand had been «tnrt>ched .cut to save us. I was on the bridge, blinded with coal 1 dust and spray, which covered the vessel continuously from stem in stern. We had the engines going full speed! and I navigated her 1 .Know 1 not how. All of us believed that wc were aljout to enter the great unknown, and not a soul spoke. Tin. force of the wind was great, but the seas were ten thcusand tinn-s worse. The engines apiiearcd powerless against such fearful odds : but w t . escaped, ami it was not) until wo were well out from N'oUby's that we realised that we had saved ourselves. As I have already said I cannot explain 'the circumstances —it was a miracle. We never saw the schooner again after the second towline parted at about midnight. I did net know what had lfccouie of her until wo reached Sydney. As soon as we gained a position of saMy our first thoughts wen; for the Jones Brothers. We couHl do nothing while we were in peril ourselves. We cruised round until daylight hoping to catch some glimpse of her lights, with the object of going to her assistance. I had hoped until my arrival at Sydney to-night that she 'had safely made some harbour of refuge. She had sail set, and we thought that there was a possibility that she had succeeded in weathering the storm."