WRECK OF THE WAIKARE.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXII, Issue 9685, 8 January 1910, Page 5

WRECK OF THE WAIKARE.

By Telegraph—Press Association,

DUNEDIN, January 7. The special representative of the "Daily Times," who visited the scene of the Waikare wreck in the Moura, returned to the Bluff to-night. He states that shortly after ten p.m. on Wednesday the Waikare turned over to the port and sank the bow resting on the reef opposite Stop Island, her stern being out of sight in deep water. As she heeled over before finally sinking and partly disappeared, the water vsas seen to be pouring from a great hole in the bottom nearly amidships, and this in itself was sufficient to show the great gash made by the rock. When the Moura reached Dusky Sound at 9.30 on Thursday morning all that was to be seen of the ill-fated Waikare" was a small longitudinal slice

of deck as she lay on her side. The ship lay some fifty feet off the rocks. The Moura met a stiff east wind on the voyage from Dunedin, and having no cargo she pitched a great deal, making matters very unpleasant for those en board. At 2 a.m. on Thursday k she met H.M.S. Pioneer, but the sea was so rough, that communication was impossible, and the former continued on her voyage to Dusky Sound. When darkness fell the Waikare was obviously sinking, being well down by the steam. Towards 10 p.ml the men in camp heard all sorts of weird noises. First, there came the sound of an iron hull grinding on the reef, followed by crashes and smashing of crockery and furniture tumbling about inside the vessel, . and explosions and rumblings of air confined somewhere in the hull. When the vessel finally turned over on her side and laid her spars and funnel on the reef strange sounds echoed around among the island. The appearance of the beach was uniquejj Spread over the entire length was a marvellous collection of articles, heaps of blankets, rugs, boxes portmanteaux, boat fittings, spars, kitchen furniture, broken umbrellas, ladies" shoes, fruit casea, hats, sides of beef and mutton, and books"were strewed on the rocks in every direction. Those on the island were unanimous in awarding the highest praise to the ladies for the way they acted in the trying circumstances on Thursday. Soundings were made about the spot where the Waikare struck.- For a long time nothing but deep water was met, but eventually a line went down only a few fathoms and hung there for a moment. The line was then pulled and lost its hold. The men immediately went ashore and marked the spot. They wera unable to find the spot again, but they are positive they rested the line en what is apparently a pinnacle tf rock about the place where the Waikare struck. A party consisting of Messrs Mclntyre (Repairs Superintendent), Appleyard (second officer) and five men were left behind bjf the Moura, and they will make closer investigation into the matter.