THE W. F. WITEZMANN.

Wairoa Bell, Volume IV, Issue 155, 22 July 1892, Page 2

THE W. F. WITEZMANN.

A TEMPESTUOUS VOYAGE. The well-known American four-masted fore-and-aft schooner W. E. Witezmann, which left the Kaipara for Melbourne with a large cargo of timber and whose non-arrival there was causing considerable uneasiness, put in an appearance there on the 3rd inst. after a most harassing experience. The schooner left Aratapu on May 28, after having been bar-bound for 17 days. Heavy W.N. W to South gales were encountered, with a high cross sea that broke over her. During a considerable portion @f the time she was hove to. On June 25, when about 25 miles S. W. of Blinders Island, the fore and jib stays were carried away during a heavy westerly gale with a fearful sea. The work of securing the masts was attended with imminent danger, as all the masts hung by the forestays. On the following day a heavy sea struck the vessel, washing a portion of the deck cargo of timber overboard. Three days more were spent hove-to before a W. N. W. gale. Provisions now began to run short. On the 29th the steamer Glaucus responded to signals, and gave a supply ®f flour and biscuits sufficient for two days. Next day the schooner made Wilson’s Pro montory, and signalled that she was sh©rt of provisions. The steamer Eddystone hove in sight just then and supplied further stores, but the schooner’s boat had a narrow escape from being swamped, when conveying them between the two vessels, and a portion of the food was spoilt by the salt water. She eventually reached port as stated. When the Glaucus relieved her the last bag of flour was being used.