LOSS OF THE JESSIE NICOLL

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LIII, Issue 276, 12 April 1911, Page 5

LOSS OF THE JESSIE NICOLL

DETAILED ACCOUNT BY THE SURVIVORS. By Telegraph.—Press Association. Invercargill, Last Night. The auxiliary schooner Hnanui, which left the Bluff on March 14 for the Macquarie Islands after news had heen received of the wreck in December of the schooner Jessie Xicoll, returned to Invercargill to-day with Mr. Joseph Hatch (lessee of the island) on board. Mr. Hatch stated that the Jessie Xicoll survivors reported that, after landing the party at the island in very rough weather, the Jessie Xicoll slipped her moorings and stood out to the southward. The shore party saw her miss stays three times and let go her anchor not far from the rocks. The shore party could not launch a boat, but stationed themselves on the beach as near the vessel as possible. One man (Johnston) tried to swim out to the rock near the vessel, but got tangled in the kelp, and the leadsman, Bauer, had to go to his assistance and help him back. The second mate and three of the crew were running out a kedge anchor, and refused to come ashore when advised to do so by the men on shore, saying that they would wait for a change in the weather, although all hands could have easily got ashore. At 9.30 the vessel bumped on the rock and smashed the rudder to pieces. The shore party again shouted to the captain and crew to come ashore, as they could do no good aboard. Captain Holmes declined, but at 10 a.m. the ship's boat left with the second mate (Mr. Corp) and three A.B's., stating that the captain, mate, and cook had declined to come. The cook had told Mr. Cofp that he would swim ashore later. He made an attempt about 10.45, but failed, and had a hard struggle to regain the vessel. At about 11 a.m. a very heavy sea struck the vessel, and she capsized on her port side, the water-tanks and spars all floating about. Captain Holmes was seen to emerge from the cabin and make for the starboard side. He caught hold of the rail, but a water-tank struck him, and he was seen no more. The cook was standing on the port water-tank when the vessel listed, and the chief mate was climbing the rigging. The cook was washed away in a heavy sea, but the mate withstood the seas for a quaretr of an hour. The seas were breaking over him, and eventually he, too, disappeared. The captain's body, which was much bruised about the head and face, was washed ashore shortly after noon, but there was no sign of the others by night. Next morning most of the ship was washed up in pieces, and the beach was strewn with wreckage for about a mile. .The second mate's crew, in landing on the previous day, had had a hard struggle in the surf, but .they managed to reach, the shore safely after being washed out of their boat. Captain Holmes was buried on the 21st, and the body of the chief mate (Mr. Patterson) was found on the 22nd in a mutilated state. The cook's remains did not come ashore for over a month. On the 28th a vessel was sighted, and she proved to be the Ida M. Clarke, of Halifax, and Captain Gilbert, when interrogated, said he did not know where he was bound for, but he offered them provisions, and promised to report the wreck. THE OFFICIAL INQUIRY. I»vercargill, Last Night. This afternoon the official inquiry into the circumstances of the wreck was held before Mr. Cruickshanks, S.M., ana Captains Barber and McLean. Formal evidence as to the seaworthiness and equipment of the ship, etc., was taken, and the court found that the Jessie Xicoll was properly found, manned and equipped, and that the casualty was duo to the dangerous nature of the coast. If the captain had hung to his moorings, even if the anchor had dragged, the vessel eould have been beached on a good shingly beach. Masters of vessels should be instructed to anchor at night a quarter of a mile inside the Nugget Rock. The certificate of the second mate was returned.