THE GAMBIER DISASTER.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume XII, Issue 3915, 17 September 1891, Page 2

THE GAMBIER DISASTER.

Various laoidiatt.

Melbourne, August 60. The group of survivors found aboard the Easby when that vessel . was moored alongside the wharf pre- ■ sented a pitiable spectacle. In spite •-' of all that had been done for them : ' : since the rescue many of them were , still shivering in wet garments, and women and children had not recovered from their terror and prostration. Borne of the tales told were very pitiful, and threw a ghastly light on ,the few awful minutes that elapsed (before the Gambier wbb overwhelmed 'and on the still more terrible experiences thai came afterwards. | The third officer, Mr Spillman, woi washed overboard when the ship sank and saved himself by clinging to • bundle of rugs and a hatch until within swimming distance of the Easby. Neill McCauley, one of the seamen, went down with the ship, and was kept beneath the surface by beitg caught in the debris for a tovtr minutes, as he concludes.':-A* 1 ' lust he freed himself, though exhausted, and, clinging to lumber, managed to sustain himself until rescued. The women and children had soma terrible experiences. Mrs Turner wu lustained in the water by a seaman lamed Harridan for a considerable time. Ultimately, when placed in >ne of the boats, she was insensible 'rom exposure, and remained so for lome time. Mrs Glenfield (wife tU j|nmereia iraveller) who, with her children, WM i passenger from Sydney, had a listressing tale. She seized her child ind made hasty preparations to leave ;he ship. She gathered together a ittle warm clothing for the child, and ncked up a bag which she thought sontained money and jewellery. With his in one hand and the child in the •ther, she then ran on deck. While » vailing for the boat, she was sweptt> iverboard; but with maternal levotion clung tightly to the child, ,nd after being buffeted about by the raves, was thrown against a hencoop. JVith this she supported herself until eacued. After being removed home o Northcote, Mrs Glenfield bcoame>

completely prostrated with delirium* In her ravings she called for the child she had saved. One whose conduct marks him oat for honorable mention is George Martin, a steerage passenger, whose destination is Adelaide, and who formerly lived in Auckland. He acted - j|j|h great nerve and good judgment, una saved the lives of several people, among them being Mrs Robinson, a steerage passenger, and Thomas Phillip, and Joseph Rooke, besides three children of a resident of Caulfield. Miss Harriet Nuttall, who Was in charge of these children, shares with Martin the honor of saving them as she watched oyer them with much devotion, bnt for which they must have become separated and moat probably drowned. Mr and Mrs Robinson, of Adelaide, are from Sydney, but originally left .Newcastle. They were rpscued in one of the boats. Those in charge tried to serrate them by forcing Mrs Robinson into a boat by herself, but she refused to leave the ship without her husband. She answered "No ! we have Jived together, and if necessary we die together. 1 shall not go unless he comes too." Her husband was then permitted to enter' the boat. Upon the couple being interviewed, they expressed much concern about the loss of their luggage. "It is all wo had in the world," they said, " and our little stock of money has gone down too." RflKbAfra McCarthy, one of the steerage escaped in htr nightdress only, all else she had being lost, evin her husband. When informed that her husband was amongst the missinjj, Mrs McCarthy, who is a young and lately married woman, abandoned herself to grief, and throughout the day was in a veiy low state indeed. Her husband was washed out of the boat that capsized. Arthur Hill, a Salvation Army cadet, on his way from Brisbane to the training home at Richmond, was awakened ont of his sleep by the chief steward. He helped to get the ladies into the boats, and was swept into the sea when the water rushed over the """*™2<bip- e ess R UBSe l'j a female " "adet of the Salvation Army, by the band, and retained his hold when tluty were washed overboard. HoldiDg her with one arm, he swam towards one of the boats with the other. Having reached it, he placed Miss Kusbcll upon it, but it capsized. He caught the young lady by tho hair, and retained hold of her until he and she were picked np. She was then insensible, and remained so almost all the morning. One of the lads, named Turner, who was saved, narrates that when Strug-' gling in the water, be felt something Siting bis neck. This he found to be a rat, which had fixed its tiny teeth firmly in the lad's neck, instinctively grasping for support, the boy pulled it off and shared a plank with the animal, bat says his curious companion was very soon washed off.