Page 1 Advertisements Column 7

Temuka Leader, Issue 933, 1 April 1882, Page 1

Explanation. - As some surprise has been expressed that Captain Grant, of the schooner Elsbank Castle,- did not pick up the body of the woman that was passed 15 miles west of Stewart Island on the 13th instant, the Dunedin Herald gives his reason for acting as he did, which to all seafaring men wi 1 appear satisfactory. In the first plaes there were but four hands all on board the vessel, one of the crew having jumped overboard and 8-vam ashore as the schooner was going down the Grey river to sea. At the time the body was sighted, the vessel was running before the c unmencemer.t of a Btiong S.W. breeze, wirh, the square-sail set, the hour being 5.30 p.m. Away to the windward was every indication of approaching bad weather, and indeed, the fog settled down deasily during the evening. The schooner would have had to shorten canvass] then be hauled to the wind before a boat could have been launched, and by that time the body would hare been out cf sight, presuming the master had thought if prudent to risk the lives of the two men who would have jiiitl to man the boat, as only hinuelr and one of the crew would Imre be<*n left on Imrd. ' Indeed the tafe.y of the ;c'oo,r;cr would have been jeopardised if uuvilu.-.g h Sj 3«. peaed to the boat, aad bad weather eo-t ic*