WRECK OF A CANADIAN LINER.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume L, Issue 324, 25 January 1908, Page 4

WRECK OF A CANADIAN LINER.

7;trt TOU'LK RKSUUm I'UtUU.IXi; S(.:lOXfcS IX A libimiil). lIKUOJHiU OF XllH UtEW. Halifax IX.S.J. December 3. Tin' wreck of tiie Canadian Pacific Kailway t,'oinpaiiy>> steamer .\louul I'emple, a, vessel of nearly WOO loiisijross register, which was bound Iron. Antwerp to St. John, New Jirunswick, ivith a crew of 1110 and «30 passengers, mostly future settlers ill the Canadian west, on iroiibouml ledges near the inoiitli of I.a llare Kivcr, on the east coast nf .Nova Scotia, was one ot the niosi thrilling th;il has ever occurred u'i rockv shores. The piteous scenes which were witnessed among the closelypacked immigrants after the ahip struck, ilu- tortures i-ndmed by llii! Imll-fvozeii. whollv drenched, hiuigrv, and thinly-clad crowd, huddled together on the open decks lor protection against the liiting spray i'ur hours, almost defy do>eriplion. Tlu* Mount Twupie iefL Antwerp on XoveinlK'i- 20th, ami, after experiencing rough \vc;i i 11ci' all the way across the Atlantic, ran into a blinding south-east

-.now>tonu jusl ell' Luncnberg, about Ul> miles from Halifax, sit tliveo o'clock im Monday morning. It was not until the roar of the breakers ahead ot the vessel was hoard thai Captain Jioothby kivl any idea that he was nearly thirty out of his course. He immediately slopped his ship, turned her, ami tried '.b escape, but in groping her way out, she si ruck, and now lies a wreck, with her nose pointing seaward. I immediately the immigrants poured out on deck, panic-stricken, beseeching the officer* in various languages to sav< llwm and their children, falling to the : ileck, praying, shrieking, and cursing. Mothers witli their babied in their.arms knell with Hie calmer passengers ami prayed to Uod for deliverance.

As the Mount Temple struck a tremendous sea hit her, smashing half her boats and rendering all but two or three ! useless. Cannons and rockets were tired, but no response was made from land until after daybii-a... After bonis of torture in the cold, grey dawn of morning, the shivering passeti ger, could -e-r the steep banks of thfland looming, up 7o feet away. 'The sc, was running high at this time, but showe.l -igns of moderating. Captain lloothby at first determined lo make an attempt to land his passengers by the few remaining serviceable iioats. "but when the immigrants saw the tumbling io.sing waler of Ihe gulf thai separated Ihem from safety, terror rtei/.ed upon them, and they refused to move. The only course left now was in

attempt to -ccu're a breei-hes buoy, ami this effort Captain lloolhby determined to make. His brave crew manned one of the boats, and then a terrific struggle camnieneed. Tos-,-d here am! There, the little erafl struggled gallantly. Jlundredis of smarting eye- peered ink) the semi-iwilight of the winter's morning to

watch its progress. Now a wave hid it from sight, and there was a deep in drawing of breath, and many groaned ai the thought that she was'lost, i'.u; the next moment would show her on the top of a wave, still afloat, and many a thankful prayer was uttered. After live'hours' toil the little boa.! grounded, amid (he cheers of llio-a aboard the doomed vessel, and a line was made fast ta the top of the cliff. The women went first, and of these the earlitvt to land were iwo women, mother and daughter, with a little grandson m arm,. Again and again the basket made Ihe trip over the raging waters, sometimes bearing two passengers, sorm-limis three, unlil all the women were safe!, landed. In (In- meantime the --.-a hid subs-.1-M considerably, and the boat* were put lo work lo earn- the men. It look seven hours lo lan.l all the people, but al hist every one of Ihe (i:io immigrants wa-

safely aslior,,. Hut their conditon now was harJl.. beUur than lielore. lionUmind Island i a barren jiiere of land, windswept, uniiibabiieil and without the slightest pr i

te-.-tion. The barren shore was covered with two indie, oi snow and slush, and the ci!inlit : on of the all too scantily el id women and children was indeed heartrending.

For hours many of the poor people stn..il shivering, 'ihe children crying. Then a small steamer arrived and'cartied Hie most necessitous to the nearest place of shelter. It was not until this morning that the lasi passengers were taken off Ironbound Island and forwarded lo Halifax.

Before last night the Canadian (iov eminent had sent supplies, and the te.' for,, of the previous night were not repcat.d.

So far as 1 can ascertain, not a single life was lost, and, although many suffered from exposure, all seemed fairly well and even cheerful to-day. Apparently there is no chance of getting the ve-sel off. Everybody praises the bravery and resourcefulness of Captain lioothby and his crew.