STORMS AND SHIPWRECKS ON THE EAST COAST.

Westport Times, Volume II, Issue 177, 24 February 1868, Page 3

STORMS AND SHIPWRECKS ON THE EAST COAST.

DREADFUL LOSS OF LIFE. (FROM THE GRE¥ RIVER ARGUS.) Totara, in the Oamaru district, has been the scene of a dreadful catastrophe, whereby nine persons have been hurried into eternity. It appears that on the night of Monday, the 3rd inst, the Waiareka Creek, near Totara, rose rapidly and carried away two houses, one built of stone, and all their occupants. From the Oamaru Times we gather that the houses in question are situated next to a blacksmith's forge at Totara, close to the bridge which crossed the Waiarekn, opposite Messrs Douglass, Alderson, and Co.'s station. One of them, built of stone, was occupied by Thomas Loudon, a carpenter employed on the station ; his wife, and James Loudon, his son, also a carpenter ; there was also a little girl about eight years of age stopping with them. The other house was a wooden building, and there was under its roof at the time the following persons, viz. :—Peter Dunn, farm laborer ; Thomas Richardson and James Waddell, farm servants; James Glass, blacksmith ; and Robt. Young. About eleven o'clock on Monday night they

were all sleeping in their beds, whem the creek, which, according to the testimony of some masons who live farther up the stream, rose suddenly fully four feet in as many minutes, bust upon them in full flood, sweeping away both houses with their occupants, and also carrying away the blacksmith's forge. Every soul was, drowned. Seven of the bodies were subsequently recovered, and at the inquest held on them Mr Robert M*Auly made the following statement: —I have inspected the body of the deceased, Robert Loudon, He was, I believe, a native of Hamilton, in Lanarkshire, N.B, His age was about 45 or 46., He was a married man, and his wife Annie and he lived on the Totara Station. He was a carpenter in my employment. In the same house were living with him James Loudon, his son, and a girl named Annie Smith. The last time I saw him was on Monday night, the 3rd inst. The house in which deceased resided stood near the "Waiareka Creek. It was a wooden house, recently and firmly built. There had been rain the whole of the 3rd and the previous night, and the creek had risen, but not higher than I had seen it before. There was nothing to cause any apprehension for the safety of the house or its inmates. At about 11 o'clock on the night of the 3rd, after I and my family had retired to bed, I was aroused by my wife drawing my attention to the unusual noise of water rushing about my house, which stands near the creek, but rather higher than the house inhabited by the deceased. I got up and told Adam Bailie to go and look if Loudon's people were up. I afterwards went out in the direction of the house, but it w r as so dark and the creek had risen to so great a height that it was impossible to get near enough to see whether the house was standing or not. At daylight I found there was no appearance of it, nor of a stone dwelling abo«t twenty yards from it, which had been standing, as I have understood, upwards of seven years. Another building, still nearer the creek, and which had been built for a blacksmith's shop, and had also been standing for some years, was also swept away. In the stone building were five people be'onging to the station, and there might have been a stranger stopping the night, which would have made a sixth. The inmates of the stone dwelling were all swept away as well as the Loudon family, and perished. Nine are known to have been drowned, ;;nd there may have been ten. The creek may have risen about 15 feet or upwards, and about nine feet above any flood I have previously seen in it. Seven bodies have been recovered and identified as follows, viz., Thomas Richardson, James Glass, James Waddell, Robert Young, James Loudon, Annie Loudon, and the subject of this inquest, John Loudon. The names of the two persons whose bodies have not : been found are Peter Dunn and Annie Smith.

WEECK OF THE SCHOONER OTAGO.

Oamaru was the scene of a third wreck during the gale—that of the schooner Otago, 26 tons, Captain Campbell, loaded with coal and timber. The following particulars were furnished to the local paper by the master:—

Slipped anchor and put to sea on Monday last at 3 p.m., under close reefed canvas. The wind was blowing a heavy gale from the E.S.E. Kept the vessel close to the wind, steering E.N.E., and making about a N.E. course. The vessel behaved so well up to 5.30 p.m.; was then between five and six miles off the land, when the rudder-head gave way, and the vessel became unmanageable. Lowered the mainsail, and got the vessel before the wind to run her ashore, finding it was the only chance left. Came ashore off the Boundary Creek, about six miles to the north of Oamaru. Beached the vessel end on, but being struck by the breakers, she filled with water in about two minutes, everything being washed off the decks. The vessel fell over on her starboard broadside, and all hands, with great difficulty escaped to shore; saved nothing. The vessel almost immediately broke up, not a vestige of her being left, portions of the wreck drifting down to the Water Nymph. She was the property of Mr Charles Clark, Port Chalmers. She was built at Dunedin about four years ago, and was or 26 tons register. It is not known whether she was insured, At the time of the wreck, she had 160 bags of coal aboard, consigned to Mr Aitkin of Oamaru, and 7000 feet timber, consigned to Mr Lemon. The cargo is also a total loss, scarcely an article having come ashore.