George Gibson's Narrative.

Akaroa Mail and Banks Peninsula Advertiser, Volume IX, Issue 868, 7 November 1884, Page 2

George Gibson's Narrative.

The vessel was named the Clyde, a wooden barque of 562 tons register, belonging to Newcastle, and owned by James Cole Eljis of that town. She had arrived at Dunedin about a week ago from Mauritius with a cargo of sugar, and having discharged 300 ton 3 there came on with another 200 tons to Lyttelton. She left Dunedin at 7 a.m. on Wednesday with a fair wind. Those on board were Captain Colmar, his wife, and threo children—a girl of nine, boy of five, and a baby. 'The chief officer was William Currie, a widower, who leaves a family of four children. The second officer and boatswain was a Swede, whose name we are unable to ascertain. The men aboard were David Murray, William McLean, Charles Brown, Smith, Christoffersen, Soloquist, and another, whose name is not known, George Gibson and Herbert Bohle, boys. The cook and steward were both Chinamen, The wind, after leaving Dunedin, was fair up the coast, and George Gibson, the narrator of this, the only one saved, says he bad- the watch, and was at the wheel, from twelve till two, the course given him being N.E. by N. £ N., nothing to leeward, At two he left the wheel, giving the same course to the man who relieved him. At four "the watch went bolo w, and when in his bunk about ten minutes, the mate came to the forecastle and called out to the watch below to be handy. About five minutes after this Gibson heard the man on the lookout call out that there was land on the lee bow. All the watch then went on deck, and the Captain called out at once to 'bout ship. Tho land was quite close, and could be easily seen through the fog, which hung over the hills. The vessel failed to come round, and an effort was* then made to wear her, which also proved unsuccessful. She was, however, just heading off the wind when she struck amidships. The captain then gave orders to get out the boat that was on the main deck, it having been used at Dunodin. The men got the boat over the side, and the captain sent Gibson in to bail her out, and he was assisted by David Murray. The boatswain then got into the boat, and the three children wero passed in safely. As the captain's wife was following the boat's bow caught under the lee rail, which was just level with tho water, and she swamped. There was only a moderate sea running, and all got aboard again except Gibson, who was in the stem of the boat, and who, seeing the mainmast falling, dived and got to the edge of the rocks but was washed back again, got hold of the end of the spanker boom and crawled aboard. When he got aboard he went to th.? fore part of the deckhouse. The water was over the poop, and floating in it he saw tho master alive, but partially stunned and covered with blood. The lee rail was then under water. All hands were then alive, but the two children were floating about on the water near their father. The rest of the people were on the weather rail, above which the sea had not begun to break, and Gibson pulled the two children out of the water and placed them in one of the boats on the skids, that hart been turned over, the lashings having been cast off. The mate, boatswain, and Christoffersen, with Gibson, got into the boat with the two children. Mrs Colmar not being on deck, the narrator supposes she went down below on being pulled out of the boat when it was swamped. The vessel was now settling down fast, and the boat got clear over tho lee rail, but being in amongst a lot of wreckage swamped. The mate and Herbert Bohle got on some timber, and the boatswain and Christoffersen got on the bottom of tlie little boat that was swamped alongside, having a life buoy with them. Gibson got hold of the spanker boom and held on, being outside the wreck. There was a small piece of planking clear, and by its aid lie got on to a spar, and thence on to the top of the deckhouse, that was floating by. He was, however, washed off, but again got on by means of another spar. The deckhouse floated ashore in a bight. The boatswain spoke to Gibson just before he got on the deckhouse. When on the spanker boom he saw the body of the captain floating past, and the little girl also floated by alive. Gibson caught her by the arm, but a great wave forced him to let her go. The ship was now quite broken up, but Gibson thought the boatswain arid Christoffersen had managed to reach shore safely, as he had seen them clear of the wreckage in comparatively smooth water. After reaching the land Gibson lay down for half an hour in a hollow in the rocks up the side of the hill, and then seeing some sheep on tho hill,, found Mr McPhail's house, and told him the sad tale, and the messenger was sent to Duvauchelle's Bay with the message received here. It was daylight when the barque went ashore. George Gibson and Mr McPhail went down to see if anyone could be found on the beach, but there was no one to be seen alive. They discovered the dead body of Herbert Bohle; the I apprentice. About 1 o'clock they saw the s.s. Akaroa, and she sent a boat ashore, and- they went aboard. It was about three quarters of an hour from the time the- vessel struck till .* she broke up, and about half an hour after Gibson got ashore.. He reached Mr McPhail's a"bout 8 a.m. He-.did not go to sleep in the hole of the rock as he was too cold. - The. ship was .under topsails and fore and main course with; jib and spanker. The spanker was lowered when the effort was made to wear ship.

The Trip of the Akaroa. The following is an account of the trip of the Akaroa, kindly furnished by one of those who went.— The s.s. Akaroa left the Wharf at 11 a.m. with the Harbor Master's boat in tow, and Messrs Blacky M. Wight, Busch, and LaCoste, who volunteered to man the boat, and His Worship the Mayor was also aboard: They steamed down to the scene of the accident in about an hour and a half, and on arrival there saw a group of men standing on a reef, whom they thought were the crew of the wrecked vessel. Oh pulling in, however, they were seen to be all residents but one, an apprentice belonging to the wrecked vessel. There wag a good wash on the beach, but watching their chance they got the sailor aboard, who told them that one of the bodies had been washed up, and was to be taken to Akaroa. The body, which was that of a lad of fourteen, on his first voyage to see how he liked the sea, was hauled aboard by means of a line. After putting the lad aboard and the body also, proceeded up Long Bay, but saw no bodies drifting there, but any amount of wreckage. The lad said he thought it was possible that two of the hands mightbe alive, but was sure the rest had been drowned. Coming back in the Akaroa a sharp lookout, was kept, but saw no trace of anyone. The vessel is lying close in .shore in a line with the reef that runs,out from the north point of Horseshoe' Bay, known as Snuffy Nose. The want of a suitable boat was badly felt on this occasion. The Government, or Harbor Master's boat as it is called, is so high sided, and rolled about so in the jobble, going out, that it is a wonder she did not capsize. She also leaks badly, and it is quite tithe one of a more suitable kind was for these emergencies. Coming back, the water in her was nearly upito the thwarts. There can belittle or no hope that the boatswain and the man Christoffersen have been saved, for news was certain to have reached us had'they visited any dwelling house. No doubt, in spite of Gibson's suppositions, they have shared their comrades fate. An inquest will be held on the body of the lad Bohle, but when it is to take place is not yet fixed. The police have gone over to the scene of the wreck in the hope of recovering more of the bodies. No particulars are yet to hand re insurance.