FOLLOWED BY SHARKS.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LIV, Issue 172, 19 January 1912, Page 3

FOLLOWED BY SHARKS.

i WRECK OF THE ASKOY. A NOTABLE OCEAN VOYAGE. A thrilling tale of the sea is given by the crew of the Norwegian ship Askoy, who reached Sydney on Friday morning, January 5. The Askoy was wrecked on the Elizabeth Reef, 300 miles east of the Clarence Heads, on Wednesday, December 27, while bound from Salaverry (Peru) to Sydney. The trip which proved fatal to the ship was from the West Coast of South America to Sydney in ballast for orders, and up till the time she drove on the Elizabeth Reef the passage had been uneventful, except for a succession of calms a few weeks before.

Mr. Andersen explained that at noon and at 4 p.m. on December 27 observations were taken, giving the ship an absolute safe position so far as the Middleton and Elizabeth reefs were concerned. She was sailing along before a fair wind until about eight o'clock in the evening, when the breeze shifted to the southward. Steps were at once taken to place the vessel on the correct course, and she was then sailing by the wind. A POWERFUL CURRENT. "It was about this time that we observed the influence of the current, a powerful set," he said., "and I am of tke opinion that we must have been carried at the very least 40 miles in two watches —about eight hours. There was a man

on the look-out, a man at the wheel, while the captain and myself were on deck. The moon dipped just about 11 o'clock, and the ship drove bodily on to the reef at the same time. It was most unexpected. No doubt high water had something to do with us not noticing any head. The thing was so sudden that you can hardly understand it. The captain and myself had been talking on deck. He left me to go on to the forecastle, while I went to the poop. He had not reached the forecastle head when she went on. Without any delay the yards were backed, and all that could be done with the sails was done to try and get her off, but it was no good. "All hands stood by throughout the night, and as the tide went down she began to bump a bit aft. A couple of boats were got ready, and swung out in the tackles ready for lowering. There were fears that the masts might come down, so orders were, given to send the two boats away from the vessel with a couple of men in them, and they moored aft with a lay-line in case of accidents. "The ship remained tight until 11 o'clock next morning, when it was found that she was leaking on the port side under the fore hatch. It was, after the break of day that we noticed the water round about was alivie with sharks—hundreds of them swimming about, apparently wondering what it f was that had been piled up on the reef. These ugly fellows were from 6ft to -16 ft . ip length., It is not a comfortable feeling to look over the side and see such a crowd of sharks about. COURSE FOR CLARENCE RIVER.

"The men wanted to leave there and then, but the captain thpught it would 1 be well to wait for high water again, and make another attempt to back her off. The sailors, however, were not sat- j isfied to wait so long, and, after a couple of hours, all hands were in the boats, and sailing away from, the Askoy. The boats were well provisioned, and each man took with him a change of clothes. But this was not much good, because we were soon drenched jand continued so until arriving at the Clarence river. Pine weather prevailed till Christmas Eve, when a gale was encountered, and for three days afterwards not one man had any sleep. In attempting a landing at South Solitary Island a i sand-breaker struck the boat and ? she filled right up, but she was bailed out again. It being impossible to land on the Solitary, a course was set for the Clarence River, where we duly 1 arrived, landing at Yamba.

After the f boat'left the wreck, large sharks ke£t xSom'pahy with it for several hours, and, as thet boat was leaking all the time, and a pian constantly baling, the experience was rather trying. Four hours after leaving the-ship we could not see any rigging, and I presume something carried away."

The captain's bpat and its crew made for New Caledonia,- and was picked up by a French mail, stealer. .