GALLANT PRINCESS.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LIV, Issue 188, 7 February 1912, Page 7

GALLANT PRINCESS.

THRILLING STORY OF NIGHT ON WRECK. ROYAL LADIES INTREPID IN FACE OF PERIL. In view of the sad death of the Duke of Fife, due, without doubt, to his experiences as a result of the wreck of the Delhi, the following thrilling narrative descriptive of the anxious hours f.;.sted by the Royal irs and others is of particular interest at the present moment.

This narrative has been supplied by a daughter of Captain Arthur H. Bying, R.N., of Ryiie. Miss Byng was a passenger in the unfortunate ship, and in a letter received by her parents she says: "All I saved from the wreck is my money and tickets and the clothes into which I hurriedly thrust myself in the middle of the night—satin petticoat, tweed suit, no hairpins, no combs, ,no gloves. But as the princesses were in their nightgowns, with overcoats only over them, and one had a huge hair curler on her forehead half the night, I was better off than some. But now to go back to the beginning. We were told that we were.twelve hours late, and that we ought- to be at Gibraltar in the middle of the night. I was awakened by the ship heaving to at what I thought must be Gibraltar, but she stopped in such a peculiar manner and there were no voices and none of the usual noises' of arrival, that I began to think it odd. Then I heard a steward talking to a man' in the next cabin. The stewardess came to me and said: 'The captain says he wishes all to dress quickly and come on deck.' I said: 'What's the matter? Is there danger?' and she said, Uot immediately, but I believe we are on a rock.' The day, before I had one of my funny presentiments, and I had wondered what were the most important things if we had to take to boats. So I hurriedly got my keys, my money, and my tickets, put on my warmest clothes and a small bottle of brandy in my pocket, taking a small nip so as not to feel faint. . .1 then scrambled on deck, where I was told to go to the first-class saloon, where all the passengers were soon gathered in the oddest of attire, hair down and hair in curlers, and some tied round with motor veils. I clung to my little green hat and motor veil I found myself up in a corner where presently the Duke and Duchess of Fife were brought and Princess Maud The Duchess might have been dressed for an ordinary journey, and. she clung to an umbrella, tut Princess Maud only had her nightgown on and a big coat over, as far as I could see. They were all quite calm, and the Duke was very kind and considerate, insisting that all the ladies must sit, and talking to anyone he found himself near. Then the lascars came running up the companion way with the lifebelts and we were eacn buckled, into one. All this time the ship was going deeper and deeper into the sand—as by this time we uad learnt it was, and jio rook—and liu-je waves kept bursting over her. A : i began to play the piano. It was ver,, kind of him, but it seemed out.of .pla/A The scene with the lascars running ai.out under the electric lights., and the muck made me think of 1 NOTHING ELSE BUT A CINEMATOGRAPH. ■

and I sat and tried U> think that I was j looking at one. There. was no panic and ' the stewards and Stewardesses were kind- j ness itself. Only one woman groaned and moaned, and was almost in hysterica. We had to assure her every time the ship lurched and groaned that otherwise she would never get off. All this time it was; pitch dark outside, rackets were bang- j ing off, and the Marconi wireless working hard. There was nothing to be done, with, us .till daylight came, except get the boats—-some: of them had been banged to pieces—ready for use. In the meantime, terrific squalls of wind and rain ke.pt. blowing up at intervals, in one : of which the Duke ventured forth, and was blown over and hauled in. The Duchess rushed at him saying, 'Do come' in. ,If we are to be. drowned We will be drowped, together." She then sat down, and tapped hpr lifebelt, and said, Taney me a sandwichman!.':) tl' never thought should, be/ > a;,san4«iclpai.' The captain, poor man, kept coming up and reassuring them. . .. After about four hours of waiting in the saloon the dawn came. We found we were almost on the Afri can shore, with the worst sea and 'surf between I have, ever seen in my life. We were' theii allowed to go and have some breakfast, which, all sea-sickness having vanished,, we-ate with quite fair appetite. The lascars jyitji great trouble got a lijEe-lipe ashore*;. and wet igot our handbags 'packed with the hqlp ,of 'the stewards,., but after all, we> were >,not 'kllowed to'take them, except those who. had-all their valuables in, them. As I had only necessaries I could not say anymost' reluctantly was parted from combs 9,1$ hairpins and toothbrush, aad all the little things which make life so «omfortable. . . A steam pinnace— French—with great difficulty came alongside of us. One of the sailors called out, 'We come to save.' Then our order came. The women with children were put in the steam pinnace, and we women were all put in a huge boat with four lascars which the pinnace was to tow through this terrible surf. Then my heart sank, The Duke and Duchess refused to leave' with us, and we started packed like herrings and going over waves and surf like mountains. One moment came in which we were in the greatest danger. The Frenchmen's rope towing us broke, and we were at the mercy of the surf, and even with lifebelts there would have been small chance for any of us. Then I saw the neatest > and quickest thing I ever saw in my life. The French pinnace swung round in a second, crossed our bows, and threw us another rope, and we were safe. . . At last we got alongside our cruiser, and the sight of our own sailors was a most comforting moment, though we had another trying ordeal, as the sea would not let us get very close. A sailor made a springing lfeap into our boat, and one by one we had a. rope thrown over our heads and under our arms, and we were told to ■jump at the right moment, and we were pushed and hauled aboard, where our troubles finished. The officers petted us and gave up. their cabins. We washed, and I did my hair with three hairpins an <l stuck the little green hat on top again, and our dresses and coats, some soaken to the skin, were taken and dried. They gave us luncheon, tea, and dinner, talked and sang to us, and finally brought us to Gibralter."