THE BRIGANTINE ORETI.

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume XIX, Issue 3204, 28 October 1876, Page 2

THE BRIGANTINE ORETI.

The following further particulars regarding the wreck of the above vessel are taken from tbe c New Zealand Times ' of the 25th Oct. : — The. steamer Wellington, which arrived here yesterday morning, brought thejerew, and captain and his -wife, of the Oreti from Picton. An inquiry into the cause of the wreck was held at Picjon,- and the evidence taken has been forwarded to Mr Seed, Secretary of Customs, but at present we are unable to publish it, as the affairs stands we might say mb judice, it being not decided whether any further action should be taken or not. On questioning the captain and crewj who of course are rather reticent in giving information, we learn that the Oreti had anchored in Queen Charlotte Sound, and on Saturday afternoon she got under way ; had light airs all the afternoon, whon shortly after 10 : o'clock the ebb tide set in, and it being nearly a perfect calm the vessel drifted helpleesly down to the rocks broadside on. Every at- ■ tempt was made to wear her round, but in vain. Her heel was the first to touch tho White Rocks. Immediately after striking a • kedge -was run out, and all hands hove on it with the windlass ; but the tide had receded "too fast, and after trying all their might to get her off, it was found impossible to remove her, and that she had settled down on the rocks. A fresh N.W. wind then sprang up, and jt was decided that the captain, his wife, and three seamen should go in the boat to Mr Turner's house in the Sound, the cook and the mate to remain on the rock. After they had left, two Maori whaleboa<s, fully manned, visited the -wreck, and offered to take the two men left behind away, They, however, refused to leave the vessel until the captain returned, as she was not abandoned. One of the boats then left for Mr Turner's house, and brought back Captain Nelson, and the ' vessel was then abandoned, as nothing could be done to save her. At 4 o'clock on Sunday morning the shipwrecked people left Mr Turner's house, where they had been very hospitably entertained, for Picton ; but falling in with the schooner Colonist, they were taken on board and brought there. BY TELEGEAPH. The ss. Wallabi left Westport for Wanganui at 5 a.m. yesterday.