NEW PLYMOUTH.

Thames Star, Volume X, Issue 3303, 23 July 1879, Page 2

NEW PLYMOUTH.

■ ••:■';' '.','. ... fi^ilLast bight. The schooner Arthur Wakefield from Ly'ttelton to /New ' Plymouth, laden witti grain, foundered off Opunake on Saturday at; 8.30. •;•■ 'r ; .'CH-^O |~T~ The crew escaped in a boap whic¥ floated off the vessel's disci, J tout j without food or water, and only partially [clothed. They being afraid of the natives fulled to New Plymouth, arriving after 24 Hours privation and toil 'on a stormy sea. The boat upset in a surf, but all hands -landed. ' ' * ;"" .' " j Captain Andrews gives the j following particulars :^-The Arttur Wakefield left Lyttelton on Tuesday last, and made Cape Egmorit between 11 and 12 j o'clock' ipa Friday; night, i wheii the* wind , but t a heavy . sea was running. On Saturday when the mate tried the! pumps, he found an unusual quantity of water in the hold. The captain then went forward, and found six inches of water. The buckets as well jas the, pumps, were then used in an endeavour to keep the vessel clear, but frith no fvail,; and her; course: iwas shaped for Wanganui, with , the ; wind v /wes|e^iy.' When off Opunake she showed jugns of settling down, and at 8.25 p.m. the captain gave orders to launch the boat; but, owing to the heavy; sea, this ,w,a& ,a 7 matter of no little difficulty, and; it was doubtful if a small boat could live.! However, the boat was launched in! safety, < and had scarcely left the ship when t the vessel foundered, going down he&H first. Nothing was saved beyond the shipfs register. The crew had b%ti|^io%:|c|othitfgi most of them being in their shirts and trousem The captain ordered tte j to be headed for Opunake, but en reaching there;. it -: was found impossible to land, owing to the heavy sea, and. consequently he stood out to sea, working at the oars all night, while somes 'were engaged in bailing out. At daybreak the captain made for New Plymouth, an,d, ; during the whole of Sunday they struggled, without; food or water. They reached New Plymouth at dark, and when entering tne surf the boat was capsized, and the occupants thrown out. One seamen obtained possession bf a lifebuoy, while thp other struck out for the shore,,, which they reached in safety, but exhausted, "and their legs cramped from having sat! in the boat for 24) hours. However,! they "managed to reach Brougham street, when they went to the Imperial Hotel, and were well taken care of. The (japtain can give no reason for. the disaster.!