A SAD STORY.

Tuapeka Times, Volume VII, Issue 369, 1 July 1874, Page 4

A SAD STORY.

(Hong Kong Times, March 19.) No sadder or more touching story has reached us for a long time than that told by our Swatow correspondent. The German barque Chance, laden with coal, bound from Newcastle to Hong Kong, drifted ajrainst a rock and immediately sank. The cabin boy was the only one who went down at the moment ; the captain and crew, the oaptain's wife, and the young children and nurse managing to jump on to the rock. So sudden was tho calamity that they had not time to dress ; and nothing was saved in the way of provisions but a bottle of jam and another of claret. The position was indeed most perilous. Two piece^of deck plank were lashed together, and, an empty bag being placed at the end, this was hoisted as a signal of distress. Soon a barque have m sight. Hope rose with the sight, and when the men could be seen on the vessel's deck the hour of deliverance seemed indeed at hand. " See mother," said the captain's little girl, " our Lord sends us help." Simple words — their spirit taught perhaps in quiet and happy moments by the mother to whom they were now addressed. Hopeful and joyful did they sound now ; but, alas; never was hope msre cruelly blighted. The barque passed on her course away, and pleasing expectation gave place to terrible despair. It was with difficulty that the wretched ones could keep their place on the rock, for the sea at times washed over it ; and to add to their sufferings their hands and feet, during the struggle with the waves, 'were painfully cut and torn. In this sad state the day and the night ware passed ; and early next morning the calamity was intensified in a most shocking manner. A heavy breaker came rolling along ; and all were dashed clean off the rock. Wife and children and servant, all had disappeared. Wearily and anxiously passed the next twelve hours, when the distress signal was seen by the captain of the German schooner Caroline, and the rock was at once made for. Then a boat was lowered ; and the boatswain and four Japanese sailors went off to the rescue. The state of the sea made this a work of extreme difficulty and danger ; but at last it was successful, and the men — eight in number — were got safe on board.