THE LOSS OF THE BEGA.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXI, Issue 9061, 9 April 1908, Page 5

THE LOSS OF THE BEGA.

ADDITIONAL PARTICULARS. A TOUCHING SCENE. Received April 8, 9.45 a.m. SYDNEY, April 8. Further news is to hand regarding the capsizing: of the Illawarra Company's steamer Bega, which resulted in one death through shock. It took the Bega's boats thirteen hours to effect a landing. The boats were connected with each other by a line. One of them, containing women and children, had to be baled out continuously, owing to a plug being left out, and inability to discover the aperture in the darkness and through the crowded condition of the boat. The women used their shoes and hats as balers. There were no rowlocks in this boat, which had to be taken in tow by another —a heavily laden one. Cries went up from the women's boat that thty were sinking. Then two or three men in the towing boat demanded that the line should be cut. Feeling ran high, and an angry scene followed. This boat was also taking in a good deal of water. A passenger named Sharp, who was sitting in thn stern, was handed a knife and asked to cut the line, but he threw the knife into the sea. No food or water had been placed in the boats, and the occupants suffered much from thirst. Four seamen of the Bega behaved splendidly. They took the oars on leaving the steamer, and never ceased pulling for twelve hours. When nearing the breakers the rowlocks were passed to the boat which was in tow, and the rope was severed. Comoing breaker? bore both crafts nigh up on the beach, where they capsized, but in safety. Here a touching scene was enacted. There was a forlorn, tattered party of women, hatless and bootless, one clad in a nightdress, the others but half clad, all fatigued and drenched to the skin, their minds wearied by the anxiety of the wreck and the perilous journey and horror of the scene when it was proposed by some cravens to cut them loose, to drift helpless, perhaps to tternity. All this had worn them out, but they formed into a group—mothers with little babies in their arms, children clinging round their skirts—and stood on the lonely seashore, where they sang two hymns of thanksgiving to Him who holds the sea in the hollow of His Hand, who had led them in safety. There was not a dry eye present; it was a reaction that followed a night full of incidents, alarm, and danger. Received April 8, 9.14 p.m. SYDNEY, April 8.

The steamer Peterborough, which is bringing part of the Bega.'s castaways to Sydney, put into Kaima in a disabled condition. She met with an accident to an air pump. The castaways were landed. The remainder made the journey by train. In an interview, 1 Captain Davies, who is acting chief officer of the Bega, and in charge of the women's hoat, declared that the boats were fitted with everything necessary. He denied that one of them was without rowlocks, and that a plug was out of the passenger's boat towing the women's boat. He confirmed the statement that a suggestion had been made to cut the painter by a seaman, who produced a knife. This was strongly resented by the others in the boat, and anyone attempting to cut the rope was threatened with rough treatment. The knife was afterwards returned to its owner. All pay tributes to the coolness and bravery of the women and children. The steamer Coomonderry, which was sent to the relief of the remaining castaways, met with an accident to her engines, delaying her several hours.