The Tarawa Disaster.

Thames Star, Volume XII, Issue 3857, 10 May 1881, Page 2

The Tarawa Disaster.

THE COOK'S STOEY.

The cook stated, that when he was washed overboard the steamer was under water aft as far as the mainmast, her .forecastle head only projecting above. The women and children were huddled together right in her bows, and all were crying. A little boy, who he took to be one of Dr Campbell's children, was holding outf his arms endeavoring .to keep his little sisters from falling down to leeward, and the cook described in most feeling language the little fellow's conduct. The tears were rolling down the poor fellow's face as he related the woeful story of the scene on the deck, and he became quite interested when our reporter told him that the body of a boy had been washed ashore, and remarked, " Why it must hare been that little Campbell. He worked like a man to save his little brothers and sisters". As has already been stated, ware after ware swept them one bygone away. .The men on board, who were their up in the rigging^ are said to hare been perfectly motionless and silent, and nerer heeded the cries of the cook for a line when he was endeavoring to rescue the IJobart girl: The cook had been wrecked once jjefore qn t^e Weal Coast. Ue was a good swimmer, having practiced it from bi» infancy in Malta, his natire place, and he- swam front; the Tararua to the shore, having his full clothing—-coat, vest and trousers-?, upon him at the time, though, as he observed, he had lost his slippers when 1

he was in the breakers on the beach. He said that he had intended to hare given up the sea after that trip of the Tararaa and have gone into business in Dunedin in conjunction with the chief steward of whom he spoke in moat affecting tesms. He also said that it was after all, a pity that Captain Gamrd had not sent everybody out in the fire boati which were on board, and let them keep at sea until picked up, instead of looking for a landing place. The water was pretty smooth from 5 a.m. to 8 or 9 o'clock, but then the sea began to rise. The captain was,, he said, fully.^persuaded-, tiufcjhifc TO steamer would hang together until atsistance came, and.so were the. pMsanfenr The girl the cook tried to save so pluciuy, 'tor^-"v*in7~war^Ttf«ii«^ Mary Kelly, known to the chief maje, a« hailing from New .Norfolk i^ttiat«lbllJir----= and as having come on board at Auckland* The parser and his wifOwere amolgst , those 90 washed off. Ana the cook'sJates - that jast before the wave came, the putter was kissing his wife and coojkqling her, telling; her that if things came to the wont and they had to go, they mu»t bear the/ knowledge bravely. It was after the big wave that, that the people-took more generally 16 the rigging. ?0 - ;