A TALE OF '66

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LIII, Issue 312, 27 May 1911, Page 10

A TALE OF '66

WRECK OF THE GENERAL OKANT. BATTERED IX AX OCEAN CAVE. (IRIM 'L'RAtjKDY AND A MAX. "Sacred to the memory of the 48 souls who perished in the wreck of the General Grant, May 14, 18lHi." These lines, scratched with infinite pains oil a piece of slate about 24 by 12 inches in size, is in the possession of ft Wellington resident. It was 'found in a rough hut on Disappointment Island (Auckland Group) many years ago, and, together with oilier circumstances, makes the revival of thi story of the wreck of the ship I U-iieral lirant on the cruel, storm-wracked cliff-coast of the Auckland islands of particular interest at present. The first circumstance is that a report was recently circulated to the effect that an expedition was being fitted out to search for the gold which was lost in the General Grant, W the second is that it was exactly forty-live years a"0 on Tuesday since the righiy-fweight-ed old "wind-jammer" crashed into the hare wall of snarling rock, and, with her bow stuck into a. natural cave, was battered to pieces. £50.(100 IN "DAVY JONES'S LOCKEK." The sum of CIO,OOO in hard Victorian gold went down with the ship, and, for all that is known, still lies in the crannies and pockets of the ocean bottom near where the vessel was wrecked. A tempting bait, indeed. To salve the gold adventurous spirits would need to prepare themselves for a bout with death itself. Down there at the Bitter Isles the demons of sea and sky seldom sleep, and to attempt to do anything—save, perhaps, in a well-equipped submarine would be playing with loaded dice. THE STORY OF THE WRECK. But to the story. It is one of a gallant ship, which should never have been lost, and of a MAN. The General Grant, of Boston, U.S.A., stood out of Hobson's Bay, bound for London via Xew Zealand and the Horn, on May 4, 1806. She had 83 souls on board, and carried a valuable cargo of wool, skins, and gold. What the precise quantity of gold was will never be known, but what is known is that there were at least four boxes, each containing 1000 ounces insured, and, among the passengers, were many who had made their fortunes, and were conveying them to England. Bulking it together, it was estimated at the time that there was not less than £50,000 worth of precious metal on the General Grant. It had been decided to call at a New Zealand port, but, in some inexplicable way, the vessel wandered wide from her course, and then black trouble hit her. At 10 o'clock at night the man on the look-out signalled land ahead. It was three or four miles distant, and looked like a fog-bank. As there was only a light southerly blowing it was decided to hold on for a while. This land was presently recognised as Disappointment Island (ominous name), and, before another hour had elapsed, the Auckland Archipelago had opened out before them. The skipper decided to pass between Disappointment Island and the main island, but, when fairly between these two drear outposts, the wind dropped altogether, and immediately it was recognised that | the, vessel was being driven on to the I rocks by the swell. | In such a predicament the first thing J to do would be to get out an anchor, | but in those days the anchor was not always kept ready for action, and one account says that the anchors and chains were stowed away in the hold, and to get them up would have been the work of hours. Another account stated that the lead could not find bottom, but this is not credited. Anyhow, no anchor was put out, and, slowly through the night hours, the vessel drifted with deadly certainty nearer and nearer to the great; black barrier, until it seemed that the cliffs overhung the masts. Then, suddenly, when everybody's nerves were strung to the highest tension, the jibboom struck the roek-faee, and snapped. The rebuff sent her astern for a hit, but disaster was there too. It appeared as if the rocks had closed round her, for the next shock came from the stern, and the rudder and spanker-boom were shattered. So sudden was this that the man at the wheel had no time to e«e.ip({. He was struck by the falling boom and killed. Between the two projecting point of rock the helpless ship floundered and surged broadside. The lights hung out on the leeward' or land side showed a vast wall of smooth black rock, rising sheer from the water to a height beyond the range of vision. Ahead was blackness, and, behind the great manes lifted the vessel on and on, until a cry of horror arose—the cliffs were seen to be on either side and overhead—thev were drifting into a great ocean cavern, there to be shattered into splinters. INTO THE BLACKNESS. "Lower a way the boats!" shouted the captain, but the order was never carried out. The ship drove inch by inch into the cave until the mast-heads began to scrape the roof, and great masses of earth and rock were soon descending upon the deck and on those upon it. Could anything be m#re awesome than that deadly shower from the blackness above, combined with the agony of uncertainty which possessed every soul on board. All hands huddled aft to avoid the falling stones. A lead was lowered—five fathoms under the stern. To launch the boats under that dread shower was not to be thought of—they must wait and pray for dawn. As the night of terror wore on the wind increased. and the waves grew bigger and broke into the cave savagely, as if to finish their fell work swiftly. The grinding against the roof of the cavern became so great that at length the fore royal mast, the top mast, and lower mast smashed in succession, and a mass of rigging. splintered spars, and great boulders thundered on to the deck. The stones smashed in the forecastle deck, and soon the starboard deckhouse was half buried beneath them. Then came daylight, and with it down thundered the mizzen top mast. There was no time to falter any longer. The captain ordered out the boats, and rlien order gave way to panic. Once a boat was lowered there was a rush. Some LEAPT MADLY OVERBOARD. Others crowded and fought their way into the boats, which threatened to swamp. A few disheartened ones refused to leave the ship at all. There wis one. at least, who retained his head in that dreadful battle for life. This was James Teer, a native of a little villaeg in County Down, Ireland, who had made, money on the diggings, and was returning in company with his friend, Patrick Caughey. He rescued the stewardess Mrs. Yewell (of Manchc-ter), and saved the life of her husband, and also that of faughey. The General Grant had three boats. The two quarter boats had been lowered, and were engaged in picking those who had thrown themselves into the water; but. as the longhoat was about to be logered from the quarter-deck, a big wave lifted the stern of the vessel so high | that the main mast rammed against the roof, was driven clean through the hull.

Til a few idinilf.cs the waves were breaking over the deck. aid 1 lie InsL hope Lhnt the vessel would hold togclher was shattei'ed. The captain (anil a pan. n.ni'i who had entrusted his jjoltl to liim) climbed the rigging. Tlic long-boat lloated oil' and made for the entrance of the rave to join the others, leaving two or three unfortunate ones behind. It had not proceeded more than a hundred yards when a heavy sea and a swift eddy caused it to founder, and all her occupants were left struggling in the icy waters. Two of the sailors and one passenger were picked up by Teer; the rest were drowned. As Teer's boat returned from its worn of rescue, he saw the death throes of the ' Oneral Orant. The hull was submerged, Dawn she went before their eyes, and up the brokeif masts crawled the. waters, picking up and silencing the few luckless beings who had stuck to the ship, l.'p. up. it went —-t.ho little man with the gold was drawn down to keep it company, and, last of all, through the gloom could lie seen a figure waving a white handkerchief from the mizzen cross-trees. It was tin' captain. 1 PULL FOll TJJK S110KE! The other two boats got clear of the, cavern, and it was then seen how providential it was that the ship had been hurled into the cavern instead of directly against the dill's, which rose sheer to a height of 400 ft. They decided to make for Disappointment island, and, after a struggle against a head wind, and with constant baling, reached land at dusk. That was 'Peer's boat. The other boat had a particularly trying time. Its occupants made one or two desperate attempts to land, with the intention'of scaling the cliffs. One sailor made a fine attempt. He went up and up until he was out of sight, and then there was a cry, something hurtled through the air and shot into the sea. They rowed to the spot, but no sign was seen of the poor fellow. Sadly they pulled out to sea again, when to their intense bewilderment they heard a succession of "Ahoys!" and, looking up, they saw the "dead" sailor very much alive scrambling down the cliff' with the agility of a goat. it. appears that he had managed to capture an over-attentive albatross, and had killed it and thrown it down. ON THE ISLAND. Then commenced their long dreary residence on the island. The first wild inclination of some was to eed full on the salt pork and bouilion which tney hail brought ashore, but Teer put his foot down, and, being a man of strong mind and arm, lie had his way, and became the acknowledged leader of the castaways, flood order was maintained, and organised search parties were detailed to look for shell-fish or other edibles. But the cold increased daily, and it was soon evident that, if they did not get a fire anil keep one, they must perish. But where were they to get matches, flint and steel, othe wherewithal to create a flame? Everyone concluded that they had been so soaked on the night of the wreck and the struggle with the i waves the next day .that tlicy could not possibly possess a strikeable match. Then Teer discovered amongst his belongings a small box of wax matches—worth to tlieni more than the four damped boxes of gold which sank with the vessel. A quantity of'dried bark was collected and carefully arranged, and Teer struck the first match on a dry stone. It rubbed softly, but gave no flame. Tt was damp! One after another was tried without success, until there were only two left. THE LAST MATCH. Teer had not the courage, brave man as lie was, to strike these. Taking one of the matches, he placed it in his hair to dry, and gave the other to the mate to do likewise. The next day Teer went on a tramp through the scrub forest to see if he could find any game or edible plants, but returned in the evening tired and disheartened to find the party in a state of great agitation. The mate's match had been struck! "And where's the fire?" said Teer, sick at heart. It appears that the mate, in his excitement, had either lit the match at some distance from the material, or had dropped it, whilst burning, from his fingers. For the first time Teer showed fierce anger, and struek the ma.te a violent blow on the face. One match between them and possible death! Teer took it from his hair and examined it carefully. It seemed perfectly dry, The wicks of the other matches which had failed to light were torn into sherds and placed beneath the dry bark. Then came a dramatic scene. The fifteen survivors all knelt on tV sand and prayed. It was a very direct and simple prayer-—they prayed that that match would light. Then Teer took it in his hand. What the agony of that fnoment must have been cannot be imagined. Teer could scarcely suppress the painful trembling of his fingers. But the crisis was soon over. There was a steady rub on a dry stone, a splutter of flame, and soon a stream of blue smoke was risin" from the heaped-up fuel. The fire thus lit was watched and tended carefully day and night, each member of the party keeping guard over it in turn, until the subsequent disepvery of a flint relieved the castaways for ever of the haunting fear of being left fireless. HOPES AND FEARS. Slowly the winter passed away and brighter weather came, but. before this, the presence of goats on the island had been discovered, and made good use of. Their flesh was sweet, and with their skin clothes were made, for everv member of the party, either by or under the eye of Teer. the capable. Then Teer remembered the wreck of the Musgrave at the Auckland*, and thought that it would be a good idea to find the survivors' camp, and otherwise explore the group, "By picking their weather they were able to do this, and, what was better. they did discover the old hut, and found some tools, nails, and sail-cloth, which they badly needed. Then Teer set about devising messages to the outer world. At firsOie tied pieces of wood with the call or help burned in. and attached them to the bladders of seals, and set them afloat to leeward: but the seagulls took them for a new food and punctured the bladders with great, enthusiasm. Then he made a number of small model boats, and burnt the appeal on their decks. On October 6—five months after the wreck—a sail was sighted far out at sea, but though signal fires were lighted, and a boat was launched it was all to no purpose. She sailed awav into the distance. Then in the summer it was thought that an attemtp should be made to reach New Zealand. Brown, the mate, insisted on being sent in charge, and three others were selected bv lot—marked shells. One of the boats was decked with skins, and well provisioned, and stood awav or the Bluff, 400 miles away, on January 22. 18117. They were never seen by mortal eves again. Brown's companions were: William Scott. Andrew Morrison, and Peter McNiven. RESCUE AT LAST! The summer passed slowlv, and usrly winter showed its malignant face once more. With it came sickness and death. In August David McClelland, aged (12. fell ill and died. Then came the scurvy, with its dread listlessness. and desire to do nothing but sleep. Teer saw'Mie danger, and took strong measures to keep his people moving. He made a sort of springboard on the sand, and from the

Ilax-grass evolved a whip, and those who would not lake e.veivi.-e had to settle with him. So the sight of a lot of skinclad men running along the sand and jumping off the springboard under the stern eye of Teer wan not the least eventl'ui of these remarkable experiences. On November 10 another sail was sighted, but, though signals were frantically made, it faded away in the Hying scud of the south. Two days later another sail bore down from the north. This was the brig Amherst, whaler, wwhicli had picked up one of 'Peer's miniature ships al. sea, and her captain had determined to search the Auckland Islands for the survivors. Teer and three others put off to the vessel, but, so strange a sight did they present in their shaggy goatskin dresses and shaggier beards, I hat Captain Gilroy conceived the idea that they were escapees from Tasmania, or some other convict settlement. Teer was so incoherent with joy that he could not tell his stoif,', and wa'» being ordered into his boat again when a negro member of the crew recognised that lie was Teer, whom he had met at the diggings in Victoria. Explanation followed, the full, story was soon told, and, in the fullness of time, the Amherst glided into Melbourne with one of the strangest, talcs of snipwreck ever told. TEER HONORED. James Teer had developed into a great man with the chance. Oil arrival in Melbourne. the survivors presented him with a gold ring and an address. The NewZealand Government was so impressed with the value of his services that they wished to compensate him for all that he had lost. This he refused to accept, stating that he had only done his duty. But he did accept the gift of a valuable gold watch and chain from the Government of this country. It was sent home to him in the care of a young sailor who knew him well. But the vessel was wrecked off the China coast, and that was the end of the Government's tribute. As late as 188!), Teer organised an expedition in Melbourne, and, when it seemed that he could not fail—such were the precautions made for an exhaustive submarine hunt—he was found dead in a hotel in Melbourne—a dramatic end to a dramatic life.—Wellington Dominion.