THE LATE SHIPPING DISASTERS IN AUSTRALIA.

Waikato Times, Volume XXXVII, Issue 3011, 31 October 1891, Page 5 (Supplement)

THE LATE SHIPPING DISASTERS IN AUSTRALIA.

♦ ■ (Br W.S.)

TnE following interesting reminiseencoi have been handed to us by ono who, personally knowing the lr.to Captain Stevens and also remembering tho ste:im collier Easby, has had old recollections stirred by recent sad events. A pcruxa) of the notes also sooms to throw some light upon the mystery which still surrounds tho collision between tho Easby and Gambier:—

The lato sad disaster to the barque Ellen reminds mo of a. trip I onco had with her ' master, Captaiu Stevons. Ho was then quite a young man and in charge of the brig Drover—a similar vessel, bo far as unseaworthiness is concerned, to the Ellen. It is about sixteen years ago that the Drovei arrived in Auokland with a cargo of coal from Newcastle. She had a terrible passage over, making heavy weather and leaking like a soive. Th.3 crew had to pump night and day to keep her afloat. They all left the vessel in Auckland refusing to chance another trip in her, and although they had shipped for six months, Captain Stevens made no fuse nbout it, probably not •wishing to have any inqury into the vessel's condition. After discharging her coal, the brig took in a ballast of kauri timber and lay out in the fitream waiting for another crew. It wan several weeks before the captain could induce anyone to ship in her, the old " shellbacks " declining any introduction to "Davy Jones" through the agency of the Drover, although tho Captain offered nearly doublo tho usnal r».fe of pny. Eventually Captain Stevens manasred to raise half i>. crow (three men and two boys, mysolf one- of tho latter). Tho mato of the former crew still romiinod on board; but, being laid up with bronchitis, he did not count. The only offiue ho porformed on tho trip over being that of growling and fault-finding, but an he was ill, nobody minded him. The ' captain, therefore, tmd to bo mate also, ! being on deck every watch. He wan a fine fellow, quiet and unassuming, a good "■eaman, and a good gentleman in every way. The Drover aoon gavo us a taste of her qanlity. Wo had a few fino diiye, and began to congratulate oursolves on an easy trip over: but bad weather came on. It was a memorable storm, many vessels being dismantled on the Australian coast. During the gale we wero hove to for over a fortnicht, wirh the whoel lashed, and only a »torm staysail and jib get. Without a doubt, if the Rbip had boon full loidod she would have gone down. As it wan, only continuous pumping kept her afloat, and beinsr short banded we had to work niuhf and day, and Captiin Stevens harder than all, but he didn't foritet to wharf *ioroo good schnapps ho had on board with the men, and thin kept thoir spirit* un. We hud no cook, so the boys had to fill thut office alternately. It wan not verv difficult—salt moat, tea, soup, bi-ciiitn and offeo chiefly. One day durlnsr the ttorm I went down the hold to get Bomi> noal. And was horrified at what I row. E'ich time the vexsel laboured her timbers opened wide, and the clear soa water ru«bed in, and with the next roll they would clone like a vino. I told Captain Steven* about it, hut he made no remark, ovid«ntly being quite aware of the state of things. One fearful night, when the gale was at its height, the Captain stood by with an axe to cut away the musts, but it wasn't necessary. The Drover lived through it, and then wo praised her as much as wo had curaed her daring the storm. The weather cleared after this, and we bore up for Port Stephens, where we rested for a few days. This place was then chiefly inhabited by Chinamen, blacks and a lighthouse-keepor. From tho latter we obtained a supply of frosh meat. We then beat up tho coast, and wero takon in tow by one of the many steam tugs that go out from Newcastle for that purpose. She towed us into what looked like a skeleton foroet, the drizzling rain preventing anything but masts to bo eoen. There wore hundreds of vossela there hailing from all parts of the world amongst them being the Samuel Plimso'.l supposed at that time to be the finest ship afloat, named after a man that sailors are never tired of praising. As we were towed past her, one Bailor remarked, " What would old Plimmy (Plimsoll) think of the Drover?" After the ship had squared up and the sails stowed, the captain and sailors went ashore leaving the two boys in aharge. A few days after, the Drover was unloaded towed up the harbour and beached, to undergo what her owners called » thorough overhaul. But Henderion and Co. were not what could be called liberal moD ; and this reminds me that tho same uame is mentioned as the owner of the Ellen, and the thorough repairs were very slight indeed. She was theu floated off and loaded with coal, bound for Dunedin ; in her owner's opinion she was a new boat and Al at Lloyds. A new crew was shipped, the -ntite this time being a email man, with a big temper, and a big stomach for spirituous liquours. One day, J when coming on board ho fell over the side of the bo»t and I just collared him in time. The tide wae running very swiftly, and being so drunk ho would have been drowned. We got him on board and shoved him down the cabin. About an hour after this an inspector came on board, and, the captain being ashore, we sent him down to the mate, and hearing hign words wo went aft to see wh»t was up Looking down we saw the mate quite naked, and shaping at the inspector, asking him to "come on." The inspector, a tall, big man, was laughing immoderately at the ridiculous spectacle before him. The inspector came again for several days, each time sounding the pumps, and finally we received an intimation that the Drover was unaeaworthy, but that we could proceed to Sydney, discharge cargo, and be docked. We left Newcastle, and with a nice leading wind soon anchored in Sydney Harbour. After a few days lumpers proceeded to transfer our coal to the iron plated screwcollier Ea&by. She looked an ugly customer to run into anytniug, with high formidable bows as sharp as a knife. I can imagine with what cruel farce she would cut into the unfortunate Qambior. An hoar after the Easby had received our coal, she took her passengers on bo*ni and steamed down tho harbour, bound for Port Chalmers. But the steamer was not destined to leave that day. We could never understand how it happened. Some said the steamer had refused to answer her helm. Others, that the captain had cabled " Larboard " instoad of " Port." In any case the Easby was there hard and fast, and our vessel was towed down to take the coal out again. Thin was soon done and the steamer floated off, divers examinod her, and being found all right she reloaded and cleared for Dunedin. The old Drover was placed in the dry docks and thoroughly repaired, and when some time after we sailed down Sydney harbour, she loaded with her new suit of sails, quite smart again. Alter running for a time between Newcastle and Sydney, she was allowed to take to deep sea work again, this time bound

for Aucldaud. Wα had a eniart run over, and my timo being up, I left her in the latter port, and although I often heard about Capt, Stevens I never eaw him again. He was,as I have said, a nice gentleman. A man that all his men admired and respected, and I was very grieved to hear of his aw'nl dnnth,