REPORTED LOSS OF AN EMIGRANT SHIP WITH ALL HANDS.

Waikato Times, Volume XXXI, Issue 2516, 25 August 1888, Page 2 (Supplement)

REPORTED LOSS OF AN EMIGRANT SHIP WITH ALL HANDS.

Terrible Scenes. The Plymouth correspondent of the Bristol Tiroes and Mirror, telographs that Messrs Donald Currie and Company's steamship Druinmond Castle, Captain J. Winchester, which arrived at Plymouth on Monday evening, Juno 20th, with the homeward Cape of Good Hope and Natal mails, brought news of a fearful shipwreck off Capo L'Asrulias, a large vessel, supposed to be an emigrant sbip, being lost with nil hands. From what could be gathered from the and officers on board the Drummond Castle, it appears that at 9.30 on the night of Sunday, June 3rd, when the Drummond Castle was off L'Agulias in a most tem| eituous sea snd howling storm, those on board saw a large sailing ship, having painted ports, throwing up signals of dire distress Her foremast was standing with tattered sails, but her mainmast was gone, and only a stump of her mizzenmast was remaining. The Drummond Castle apptoached as near as possible to the distressed vessel, which continued showing blue lights, throwing up rockets, and burning tar barrels as an indication of her dssperate condition. On one occasion the Drummond Castle approached her very closely, considering the state of the weather, and Captain Winchester caused her to be hailed, stating that be would be prepared to take the orew on board if it could possibly be managed. A reply oarne back that all the boats were gone, and the vessel was in a most disabled state, which rendered her quite uncontrollable. Thereupon Captain Winchester intimated that he would stand by until daybreak, with a view of rendering assistance, and preparations were >nade to this end. The distressed

ahip continued showing blue lights and rockets, and the Drummond Castle kept aa near aa possible to her, going l round and round her. The night waa dark, and the sea was running mountains high, so much so that any attempt to launch a boat must have been inevitably attended with further losb of life. Suddenly, at 3.30 on Monday morning, when a huge sea was running, tile lights disappeared under circumstances which leave but little doubt that the unfortunate vessel foundered with all hands on board. The Drummond Castle ut once sailed to and over the place where the vessel was last seen, but nothing more was to be perceived. After oruinnir about until daylight and finding nothih/f, the Drummond Castle continued her voyage, and arrived in Table Biy 13 hours behind her usual time. The name of the distressed vonael could not be ascertained, and up to the present there is nothing to lead to her identification. It is considered by one of the crew of the Drummond Castle that the vessel was a largo

emigrant ship. Sho was running before the wind, and thera appeared to be no one on deck but the captain and two or three men, who were lashed to the wheel. The remainder of the crew anrl passengers appeared to be battened down, /or just as the captain shouted " I have lost my boats," a fearful and heartrending wait rent the air. the ship was then driven before the gale ahead of the Druinmond Castle, but cries wore heard at intervals. She suddenly disappeared at 3.30 a.in , and when the Di'umtnoud Castle steamed to the spot nothing could be seen but one seething mass of foam. It i.< said that one of the oflicers of the Drnminond Castle volunteered to put off to the unfortunate vessel, but Captain Winchester, recognising the almost certainty of failure and further loss of life from such an attempt, declined to allow the proceeding. The weather is described as having been terrific, and auch as to render rescue impossible.