Wreck of the La Bella.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume XLVII, Issue 7976, 13 November 1905, Page 2

Wreck of the La Bella.

A Thrilling Narratm.

Heroic Conduct of a Fisherman,

GALLANT RUSCUM BY TIIK LIFL'BOAT.

Till-; VKSSKL BRIOAKINU UP.

Mcll.lourne, Nov. 11.—Laic last n■ fe.lit Hie light-keeper at vurrnamloul reported that a vessel was on the riei, a unai'ler of a mile oh the breakwater. Her identity has not Lieu ilclinitcly asceruiiuil, but she is u.licv-Ld lu he Hie bartiiicnlim- La Bella, limU-r-ladcn, from kaipara. Seas are lna.iiug over lier, and she is rolling heavily. A boat was sent to her assistance, hut returned earlv in the morning anil reporUd that the crew thought Ihev heard .shouts Iroiu the wreck, hut'were i.nahle to yet close enough to distinctly hear or see if anyone, w.is aboard.

The pilot, however, thought lie saw six or seven men clinging tn the rigging. When Ill's 1 seen, the masts were, standing, but .the fore ami mainmasts have since been carried away. A lifeboat has been despatched to the scene, but has not returned yet. The La Bella carried a crew of ten. (Received Nov. 11, fj.ll p.m.) SYDNEY, Nov. 11. Warruainbool reports that tup La Bella lias broken up. The vessel is lying on her side, very little being vis-si-ble.. Five of the crew were saved, in—i eluding the captain, and seven were drowned.

(Received N o v. 11, 7.10 p.m.) MELBOURNE, Nov. 11. Te following is a list of those on she La Bella who were drowned : First mate, J. W. Coalson ; cook, Charles Jaokman ; seamen, Giistave Johnson, Pierre Johann, Harry Wilson, Jack Denliam, ami a seaman whose name is given as Robert. (Received Nov. 11, 7.at) p.m/)' : MKLBOURNK, Nov. 11. Coalson and Jacknian were residents of Auckland ; Johnson was a New Zealandcr, and the others who were drowned west' mostly residents of Melbourne.

The survivors- arc -Captain ftlyliiss ; secoml male, Robinson ; seamen. Rcscnholme, Noakc ami .Payne. Tin- La Bella struck half a mile oil Ilie breakwater at 10 o'clock last night, am! went, lo pieces lUiring (he morning. ' .

The lifeboat Went, nil' twice iluvjiij; the early morning and recovered Ilm men who were clinging -to the rigging, luil owir. K to the heavy s,ea was mi-

able to reach the vessel. The survivors were seen at daylight clustering on the forecastle, o\ct which heavy seas occasionally'broke The ship rolled tremendously, bumping heavily on the rocks. Subsequeolly the lifeboat went out wilier the command of Pilot Roe.

The men on the l,a, Bella signalled frantically for help. The vessel swerved round will, l,cr bows seawards, and tin; breakers then struck .her broadside, on. The liferent .stopped 20(1 yards from the La, Bella, the pilot considering it impossible -that Jhe craft could live in the breakers.

William Ferrier. a fisherman, v.cnl hi a dinghy right into the billows. Two of the crew sprang from the wreck-, awl Ferrier rescued one, who proved to be Ihe captain. The lifeboat picked up the second swimmer and tlmrwciri nearer the vessel, on which two men were still s« n , One. of these sprang overboard and after swimming 80 yards got a Irani t|- c lifeboat.

Ferrier, havijig landed (he captain, rcturiK'd in his dinghy and sculled to Ihe stern of the ill-fated vessel which was almost down lo the water's fd"n He brought off the .second mate whi was almost exhausted. (Received Nov. 11, 8.10 p m ) MKLBOURNIO, Nov. 11. The name of the man given as "Robert" is Ko'.ierl r>;;!. Both Wils#u and (lent belong to Melbourne.

KKUIUKR LOUDLY CIWKRKI) VOR I HIS HK'ROISJI. PITKOIjS CKIKS FOR iiklp. '.Received Nov. 13, 0.3! a.m.) Mh'LBOURNK, Nov. 12. Details of the wreck of the La Bella so far are meagre, and fail to show how the disaster actually occurred. A heavy sea was running, but the night is described as being clear moonlight. After the lifeboat made two futile attempts to rescue. Pilot Roe took her out a third time at 3 o'clock, and stood hy till daylight, returning to the breakwater at 5 a.m., without having been, able to render assistance.

Two subsequent, attempts to throw aline over the La Delia also (ailed owing („ the distance being t„ 0 great.

Breaker aDcr breaker sdbinerged tl*u ship, and but f o r the fact, that tinsrew were lashed they must all have "ecu swept off.

As the vessel settled down she beam ends, thus exposing those on beam ends, thus e.xpoting those on the force-as le to (.],,. m |, roadßirto s n 'r°/, ""•' Si ' a ' aml u "' leswwd m/.c of he group showed that some 0 the doomed crew had ibecn washed <•"■ f.i- f ul llf ,||y (1,,. ~,„.,;„„,,. ()| - „ men ma.de their way to a highc Po:nt of (lie vessel.

•■\s the morning advanced, the crowd which had gathered 011 the whail had U, helplessly W aicli the franlie signals of thos,. on the wreck ,'"' "'■H>- The lif.-l.ou. hut again, owing t„ Ihe heavy sea was unable lo approaUi xiimeieaUy ',"''"' " s !">"« to the [.Moons cries lor succour.

At this stage, Ferric, made gallant "'ls, which rcsuhcl iu ~„■ ~,„,„ snl \ 7 '»« survivors. C n l v by fit ™'K "P was he able (o ~,,'" ,iul .''"'Shy, which was "lX'Uvl by a smgl,. o . ir asl ,, tu ami( , he angry rollers. After rescuing the a am c stripped oh' his gucrUy viu it to tin. captain and bronchi I '«> ashore. 11,. ,],,„ relll , 'fj »l f Ihc last man. H fc lep!a