WRECK AT THE CROZETS.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume XLVIII, Issue 81918, 16 February 1907, Page 3

WRECK AT THE CROZETS.

LETAILS OP THE DISASTER, HAZARDOUS BOAT VOYAGE. THLIEP STEAMER EEQUISITIONED. Meluouse, Feb. 15 The Catherine intended to come to Melbourne after rompletine a scaling expedition in the Crozets. American Bay, on the east side of Possession Is. land, was made the headquarters of the expedition. The bay is completely sheltered when the winds come from the west, but the waters received the full stn ngth of the strong easterlies wlueh occasionally sprang up suddenly and with the force of a gale. | On December 4th last the Catherine ay at anchor, with 400 seal skins in her holds. Without warning, the wind changed to a full blast tint camt from the east.

The anchors began to dr.-ifr, and the vessels case vras soon hoyvlm. Slie gradually drifted sborewnrds anri eventually struck an m.chartered rock. A tremendous sea was running, and the only ehanee the crew had of saving ihcir lives wa«to take to ILO boats. Captain Kee sent away seven men in 'l»e iirst boat, :ird remained with the ">ther six wen till the vessel was about to break up. The boats were nearly swamped, but as they reached the were thrown up high and dry, and almost undamag-

ed. The vessel went to pieces as the crew watched her from shore. As the wreckage was washed up it was secured, and subsequently served useful purposes. A hut erected afforded shelter to the . shipwrecked men. A port'on of the wreckage was used for firewood. There having been no warning of the disaster, time did not permit of the vessel s stores being landed on the island. Some of the ship's stores were washed up. The only tools washed ashore were an axe, a hammer, and a pair of tongs, and with these a rudder was fashioned and fitted to the stern-post of a2O-feefc boat, and the keel strenghtencd. Early in January the little craft was ready to sail.

Captain Bee, who is unmarried, decided to select only single men, and chose Johanscn and Authonsen, two of the most reliable and most experienced men in the crew. They willingly agreed to accompany Ixim on liis yenlursomc expedition to Australia. For nine days the weather was terrible, and they hardly knew whether they were inside or outside the boat, as the seas flew over and kept them drenched to the skin, while the cold was intense. When they had covered a thousand miles, .and Had almost perished, the first and only sail was sighted. They were seen, and in two hours were taken aboard a direct ship and really brought back to life from a numbed, frozen stale. Their boat is still on the .ship. -The Norwegian Consul has cabled to Christiania to have arrangements made to rescue the men on the Crozets. .Ur Dcakin (Federal Premier) has wired to the Premier of the Cape asking him to arrange to have the islands visited.