TRIALS OF SHIPWRECK.

Taranaki Daily News, 7 October 1921, Page 5

TRIALS OF SHIPWRECK.

SURVIVORS FROM SUNDAY ISLAND. PERILOUS EXPERIENCES. By Telegraph.—Press Association. Auckland, Last Night. Six members of the crew of the American schooner Columbia River, which was wrecked off Sunday Island on September 9, arrived here to-day by the cruiser Chatham. On the Island the party subsisted on stores and water from the ship'. There were plenty of goats, but the only other quadruped they saw was a domestic cat left by some previous party. The weather was fine when they went ashore bow on, grounding a hundred yards from the shore. The most perilous part of the experience was landing. They were able to launch a boat over the bow and get a line ashore through the heavy surf, and by means of the line the men were cradled ashore. The line was subsequently used to land stores, tents and water. When the captain and his party -set off on their perilous trip to summon help the party for two days lived on the ship. Then an equinoctial gale blew up, and the ship, began to go to pieces slowly. The second mate and two men set off over the mountain to reach the other side to find an easier landing place. They were a whole night trying to get over the precipitous country, and were unable, on account of a sheer drop of cliffs, to find a way to what little beach there was.

A launch from the warship sighted them next day, and even then it was a difficult and dangerous matter getting them. off. This was only done by a bluejacket making a dangerous swim through heavy surf to the foot of the cliff with a line, which was carried up the cliff and a rope rigged from the cliff, along which the men were cradled to the launch.