SAD BOATING ACCIDENT AT WELLINGTON.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume X, Issue 3342, 23 October 1889, Page 2

SAD BOATING ACCIDENT AT WELLINGTON.

Two men named Gum and Stewart hired a boat at Petono yesterday afternoon and \ionfc for a sail in the harbor, taking with them a Miss Spackman, Towards evening tlio wind freshened, with choppy seas, Cries of distress were heard at Kaiwarra, and it was feared ail accident had happened to the occupants of the boat but nothing could be seen of them from the shore. Boats went out in search but could see no sign of tlio boat or occupants, By 10 o'clock all sounds of distress had ceased, and the search parties returned.. j

The Press Association sends us the following particulars Wellington, Wednesday, In the course of an interview this morning. Miss Mary Spackman (aged 19), tho only survivor of last night's boat accident, states tlmt tlioy left Petone before 7 o'clock and at 'about 8,40 were capsized, owing, she believes, to tho boat jibing in a squall, All three occupants got safely on the! boat, she helping Stewart, who was a rather delicate man. Tlj&y cried lustily for help, biij saw no one. After ap hour Stewart's strength gave out! and ho fell back iuto the wator and was. never seen again. Gum, wlio a styong' powerful man showed! signs of exhaustion n'ftej tro. hour 011 tho Ipt, (1(1(1 fell across tho bottom with Ins head almost, touching the wator. Miss Spaceman pulled him up and said, Be a man, jwpg on like me." H?, l)o;ivm, was too fur gone, and a few minutes later fell off, and Miss Spackman saw liirn floating along, side the overturned craft for some time, but could do nothing to help bim. For three hours after this Miss Spackman, who was stnddle across

tlio bout was by herself, and apparently with little hope of ..being rescued, aud was fast drifting towards the Hmds, At last the pctone naval cutter came near and she called " Sbdl I throw you the painter." The men called' to her to cling to the boat and they would come alongside, which they did, and took hoc ashore. Miss Spaekman feels very little effect from the exposure, but her left arm and right leg are a little bruised. John Gum was a single nmn about 24 years of age, James Stewart was a widower with three children, and has friends at Cambridge, Miss Spaceman is granddaughter of Mrs Wagg, of Masterton.