THE WRECK OF THE TALISMAN.

Auckland Star, Volume IX, Issue 2714, 3 January 1879, Page 2

THE WRECK OF THE TALISMAN.

FUETHUR PARTICULARS,

Captain Trayte, who arrived with the shipwrecked crew of the schooner Talisman, by the Mazeppa last evening, supplies us with fuller particulars regarding the wreck of that vessel. She was on her homeward cruise at the time of the casualty, and had on board the following cargo :—27 tons peari shell, 28 tons copra, 12 barrels limejuice, 325 barrels oranges, and a quantity of trade, valued altogether at about £3^500. This was partly owned by Messrs L. D« Nathan and Co., and partly by the captain. There were eleven souls on board, consisting of Trayte, captain ; Heslop, mate j and George Elder, steward, and a native crew of four, besides four passengers!, viz., Mrs J. Cruickshank and two children, and Mr. Oxley. The vessel was anchored off the island of Aitutaki on November 16th, when the wind chopped round suddenly to the westward. Before anything could be done to get her under weigh she went ashore, and broke up within 24 hours. Captain Trayte remained on the island 13 days, and during that time saved four and'a half tons of pearl shell and a portion of the wreckage. Proceeded to Earotonga in the Blanche, and after stopping there eight days returned to Aitutaki in order to ascertain if there was a chance of saving any more shell before selling what had been recovered. They did not save anything else from the wreck, and sold the portion ot wreckage; re--covered and shell at Aitutaki, and the remainder at Rarotonga. They then canie^ on to Auckland in the Mazeppa.