THE WRECK OF THE PIONEER.

Westport Times, Volume VI, Issue 920, 30 January 1872, Page 2

THE WRECK OF THE PIONEER.

The following particulars in connection with the loss of the above vessel, has been furnished us by the owner, Mr Reuben Waite.

We left Westport on Thursdav evening Bth December, at o o'clock for Karamea, arrived off that river about midnight, and kept off and on till daylight, (being high water about 5 o'clock in the morning.) When daylight came we could not make out the land there being a heavy mist until after high water. It came on to blow very hard fro.ni south-west and we held on until two o'clock on Friday the 9th. In the afternoon the wind increasing to a gale and the vessel making.a deal of leeway, we had no alternative but to run for it into the Big River, which we entered easily in three hours after we commenced riming, the vessel almost flying through the water. Next morning, Saturday 10th, the master and myself went along the beach to Anatori to look at the bar, Captain Black said he could get in easily enough so wc returned to the Big River the same day to bring on the vessel, and next day we took her into Anatori. 1 did not have an assortment of goods, neither weights nor scales, nor a house to put anything in. I intended bringing the store round from the Karamea. The diners were soon on board, and commenced operations on a quarter cask of beer. They soon emptied the quarter cask, and I could have disposed of half a dozen easily. The following day, tho 12th, I landed my goods and intended returning to Karamea. On going out of the Anatori the wind, that had just before been blowing fresh, luiled, and there came a dead calm, while the heavy surf caused by the wind drifted

the vessel ashore, and the sea made a clean breach over her. Myself and crew got off without accident, and a messenger was despatched to the diggings for assistance. In the evening about a dozen men reached the wreck. Wa discharged the ballast, and landed some cargo for the Karamea, but could not extricate the vessel that tide, as the anchor ballasted with a cask of stone came home. Eenewed our efforts the following day, got the vessel on some ways, and got her down a few feet with the intention at high water to tow her into the river. A breeze sprang up from the south-west, but not a heavy oiie, and we hauled the vessel afloat, those on shore hauling on to a line. They had to haul to windward, and the breeze blowing too strong, the master set the staysail, and the vessel would have gone out. At this juncture one of the men aboard said be would jump from the vessel's side if we intended to put to sea, and his mate refused to proceed without him. Under these circumstances the master had no alternative but to lower the staysail aud allow the vessel to drift ashore. She was then beached further from the river aud in a worse position than before. For some days we were unahlo to do anything as it blew hard from the south-west, and as the spring tides made the sea struck the 'vessel heavily. I despatched three men to Wanganui for rope, but they were unable to procure any, and on Christmas day I started for Collingwood, bringing back 521b of rope, a distance of G2 miles over a rough road. On my return the master and his mate had left for the digging*, and when sent for he refused to come down. At this time she would have been got off as the sea was as calm as a mill-pond, and the wind blowing steadily from the north-east. The arrival "of ten new hands from Collingwood enabled me to obtain assistance, and a party named Jones, who had come into the Anatori with a cargo of general stores, together with H. Moffat, formerly mate of the steamer Lyttelton, offered to take charge of the vessel if we got her off, and run her into the river or Wanganui. We <jot the anchor out to some smooth, soapy rock, and ball lasted it with stone (there being no drill to be got), and then put the vessel on the ways with the assistance of about sixteeu hands. As the tide advanced the wind freshened, until it had made a very heavy sea, so that the men on shoie dragged home the anchor, wmich put an end to operations for that day. The following morning I found that the sea had knocked two large holes iu the hull, and one of her masts had snapped in two. When the anchor came home the previous day I must mention that all hands went to their waists in water to try and push the vessel off, but the sea was to»| heavy. The next day I started over, land for the Karamea and Westport, to report the wreck, but being vyithout compass and the sky overcast was lost in the bush for six or seven days, which will account for the delay iu my arrival.