LETTER FROM THE CAPTAIN,

Captain Dalgarno, writing from Southampton to the owners, says : — I am at last offered another oppoitunity of addressing you again in this life, to let you know the sad and melancholy tidings of the ship Invercauld, which became a total wreck during the night of May 10th, 1564, ou the island of Auckland, off New Zealand, during a heavy cale from the northward and thick weather. In about twenty mumtes after striking, she was in atoms ; so heavy was the pea running — and all rocks where the disaster happened The boys Middleton and Wilson, and four seamen were drowned; the remainder, nineteen of us. getting washed on shore through the wreck, all more or lees hurt — the night being intensely dark and cold. We saved nothing but what we had en our persons ; and before being washed from the wreck, I hove off mv sea boo' 3, so as to enable me, if possible, to reach the shore. After getting ashore amongst the rocks, we called upou each ether, and all crept as close together as we cmld. to keep ourselves warm. The spray from the soa reaching us made it one of the most dismal nights ever anyone suffered, and we were all glad when day broke en the following rooming, when all who were able went toward the wreck to s:e what could be saved. All we found was about two pounds of biscuit and three pounds of pork — the only food we had to divide amongst nineteen ; and after all taking about a mouthful each, we went and collected a few of the most suitable pieces from the wreck to make a sort of hut to cover us from the weather, where we made a fire, the steward having saved a box of matches. Dear Sir, I have seen and suffered more since the disaster happened that I can pen to you at this time ; but if God spares me to reach you I will then give you all particulars. We remained four days at the ■wreck, and having no mure food, nor appearance of getting any more :>t the wreck, ■we proceeded to go on the t>p of the island to see if we could find food or any inhabitants. It was no ea^y matter to reach the top, it being about 2000 feet high, and almost perpendicular. "When we got there we found no inhabitants, and the only feed we found was ■wild roots that grew on the island, of which we ate, find fre3h water. At night we made a covering of boughs, and, lighting a fire, crept as close together as possible. On the following morning we made towards a bay that was on tke east side, ■which occupied some days, the scrub being so heavy to walk amongst. The cook and three seamen died during t Hi* time, and

all of us were getting very weak for want of food and from cold. At length we reached the bay, where we found some limpets on the rocks, of which we ate heartiiy. We also caught two seals, and found them good food ; and had we got plenty of them no doubt all would have lived. After living fhres months upon limpets they irot done, nnd all we had again was' the roots and water, seeing no more seals, j By the end of Awmh! the only survivors were myself, ihp n a-e, and Robert Holding, seaman ; the carpenter, the boys Liddle and LancefMd, being among the last that died, all very much reduced. After we three had lingered for twelve months and ten days we were at last relieved by the Portuguese ship Julian, from Macao, for Callao, with Chinese passengers. She sprung a leak off here, and sent a boat ou shore to see if they could get their ship repaired, when they found us the only inhabitants on the island. They proceeded on their passage to Callao, taking us three alon£ with them. We were treated very kindly, and on the 28th June reached Callao, where we were all treated kindly by the people there. On the same evening I sailed by the mail steamer for England, leaving the mate and the seaman in Callao. On the 6th July I sailed from Panama; on the 13th arrived at St Thomas, and sailed same day for Southampton by the steamship Shannon, meeting with the greatest kindnes3 from all on board the several ships I sailed in.