THE WRECK OF THE WILD DEER.

Temuka Leader, Issue 1083, 15 March 1883, Page 1

THE WRECK OF THE WILD DEER.

The London correspondent of the Christchurch Telegraph forwards that paper a very interesting account of the wreck of the W ild Deer, on her way out to the Colony, From it we make the following extracts :

The Wild Deer was a composite vessel (i. 0., an iron frame planked with wood) built by Connell and Co., Glasgow, in 1863, and freighted with a valuable general cargo. She was insured for £14,000, and carried in all 250 souls, viz., 207 Government emigrants, two saloon passengers, and a crew of forty-one. The emigrants were mostly Scotch, a great many of them being laborers with families, but there were also a number of English and Irish amongst them, the latter being mostly servant girls sent to the colony by Mr Vere Foster.

The Wild Deer heaved anchor at Greenock at about 8 in the morning of the 11th January, and was taken in tow by the tug Flying Sportsman, which left her off Pladda at noon the same day, the wind being S.W. and very squally. As the afternoon waned the weather grew worse, and at dark it blew half a gale of wind. This ought surely not to have disconcerted a capable crew, but according to the account of passengers (owners and officers being discreetly silent), the ship ‘ lost her course and drifted,’ eventually stricking at 11 p.m, on the North Rock, a dangerous reef (about three miles from the village of Clonghey, County Down) on the N.E. Coast of Ireland. The why and wherefore of the catastrophe are so far extremely vague, and it is to be hoped we shall not find that- ns frequently happens—the vessel put to sea before a number of the sailors had recovered the effects of their farewell drinking bout. Certain-it is that shortly before she struck an attempt was made to put the ship about, and this (strangely enough considering the force and quarter of the wind) tailing, they ‘ wore’ her and she grounded. The passengers were asleep or seasick below when the Wild Deer struck aid, ns may be imagined, a fearful panic at once ensued. Men and xvomen in their night-clothes or three parts naked rushed up on dock skrieking and cursing. Members of the crew (who ought to have known better) yelled out that the ship was going to pieces, and they would all be lost ; and but for the presence of Captain Kerr and the mate, and the fact that rockets sent up from the wreck were almost immediately answered by the Coast Guard ashore, an awful loss of life must inevitably have eventuated. By and bye, when a moderate amount of order bad been restored, the females and married couples were battened down below, and the men assisted the crew in putting out boats, stowing sails, etc, At daybreak the Coast Guard’s boats came alongside and the female passengers and children were put into them and landed. The remainder of the passengers and crew

left in the ship’s boats, and in those of fishermen, who soon surrounded the vessel in large numbers. Two of ibe women emigrants have supplied particulars, which run as follows ;—About eleven o’clock all the passengers had retired to their berths, when a great shock was felt, and the vessel gave a lurch Io one side, and then to the other. By and bye the cry was raised that the ship was sinking, and some twenty minutes after they felt her going on the rock. The passengers by the ship’s motion, were thrown from side to side, and. great confusion prevailed the crew shouting that they were lost, shortly after the last rattle came, the ship sank down on one side, and the mainmast being at the same time broken, but fortunately no one was injured by it failing over the side, though one or two of the crew had narrow escapes. Signals of distress having been made, the fisher men on the coast proceeded to the aid of the doomed ship, and succeeded in bringing all the passengers and crew safely ashore, where every attention was paid to their comfort in the farm-houses in the district. During to-day (Saturday, 13th) all the available cars and spring conveyances were sent from NCwtowaards, and (tome 200 of the passengers and crew came up this evening and proceeded by train to Belfast. The greatest sympathy was felt for them, and as each conveyance arrived the emigrants were received with cheers and conducted to public and coffee houses, where they were provided with tea and other suitable refreshments. The emigrants all speak in grateful terms of the hospitality with which they have been treated on landing, as well as in the town of Newtonards. KABEATIVE OP ONE OP THE CREW, One of the crew gives the following account of the disaster :—“The Wild Deer left the Clyde about 8 o’clock on Friday morning. She had on board 200 passengers and a crew of 41 all told, and a general cargo. The crew consisted of the captain and officers, seven able seamen, three ordinary seamen, besides the steward, cook, carpenter, sailmaker, and engineer. There was also on board a doctor and a female medical assistant. When we left the Clyde the weather was fine and clear, and a fine breeze was blowing from the S.S.E. The weather continued fair until we got well out into the channel. Soon after the tug left us and before we got to Ailsa Craig the wind veered round to the south. By this time the ship had se* full sail. Sometimes she lay on her course and at other times was compelled to go out of it. This state of things coutiaued up to dark, when a thick haze set in. and the wind increased. We were then, I should think, about midchannel. Between 6 and 7 o’clock we shortened sail, and continued in the same direction until half-past 10. At that hour all hands were called above to put the ship round to another tack. In attempting to do this the ship ‘ missed stays ’ and drifted landwards before the wind. At this time the lightship was visible. After the vesaeU • missed stays’ we tried te ‘wear her, and while doing so she struck on a reef. She grounded without any violent shock, and began to rock to and fra. Captain Kerr and all hands were on deck at the lime, and had been for some hours before. The night was so dark that we could not see the outline of the rock Even after the vessel struck all we saw was the breakers right ahead of us, but we could not form any idea of how far off the mainland we were. The first order was to take in the sails and get all the boats in readines. When the ship struck the passengers were nearly all in bed. Those who had not retired rushed upon deck, and on learning what had happened, ran back and awakened their fellow-passengers. The greatest conster. nation prevailed, especially among the female passengers, and it required all onr efforts to keep them from rushing precipitately up the companion ways and crowding the deck; Even as it was many of them came above, and implored us to tell them if the vessel was in immediate danger. We .did what.we*could to allay the panic, assuring them that all would be got off safely at daybreak. In a short time order was restored, and the best of discipline was thereafter observed. Immediately .on. the vessel grounding two rocket-signals were sent up. After a brief interval the signals were' answered from the lightship, which is stationed', about five miles from the mainland. Tmches were then lighted and. kept burning during the night as a signal of distress. Soundings were taken as soon as the passengers were got below, and it was found that the vessel had grounded amidships, there being plenty of water foie and aft. The vessel was drawing 17ft of water. There was fairly smooth water on the port side and rocks on the starboard side. Just after the vessel struck we set the head sails to see if we could back off, but she was firmly berthed

on the rock, From eleven o’clock on Friday night to seven on Saturday mom* ing our position remained unchanged. The night seemed very long, and ail eyes on deck were directed towards the shore in the expectation that our signals would attract attention and secure assistance. It was not until seven o’clock that we discovered that help was at hand. At that time we observed a boat, rowed by Coast-guardsmen, coming towards us. The information was immediately communicated to the passengers, and, it is needless to say, was received with the greatest satisfaction. When the Coastguardsmen came alongside, we learned for the first time how far we were from ' the mainland, The order was then given , to lower the ship’s boats, seven in num* ber. The tide had by tins time receded, and the vessel was lying on her port side on the rocks. The female passengers' w«re first removed. They were lowered from .the. port sde into the boats by m eans of ropes placed round their waists. There was little or no confusion. Everything was done in order, and as the sea was calmer the boats had no difficulty in coming close to the vessel. By the time all the females had been got into the boats, a number of fishing yawls had come alongside, and these were immediately employed to take the male passen- - gers ashore. At half-past one o’clock the last batch left the vessel; Captain Kerr remained on board until the last person had been lowered into the boats. I should have mentioned before that at about five o’clock the mainmast fell over the side, and shortly afterwards the vessel’s keel gave way. The breaking of the keel was caused by the tide receding, the weight of the cargo fore and aft producing such a strain amidships that the vessel almost parted in two. The mast when falling stove in one of the ship’s boats, but caused no further damage. On the arrival of the boats at - Cloughey, we had in many instances to wade up to our shoulders to land the women and children The people treated us with great kindness. The Presbyterian minister of that place threw open the church to accommodate us, as the houses were not sufficient to hold all our number. Food and drink were served out and we were provided with sleeping accommodation in a large barn. I may say that I have been 16

years at sea, and I never saw a crew display greater courage or work with greater energy under such trying circumstances.” The writer concludes a very interesting article as follows “ Though a small portion of the emigiants by the Wild Deer have recovered bits of their luggage, by far the greater proportion have lost everything, and it is, therefore, to be hoped special aid will be offered them on their arrival in Otago.”