WRECK OF THE TAIAROA

Auckland Star, Volume XVII, Issue 98, 24 April 1886, Page 6

WRECK OF THE TAIAROA

THIRTY-THREE MVES LOST.

One of the most nioluncholy disasters it has ; ever been our painful duty to record occurred on the night of Sunday, the 11th of April, when the Union Company's steamship Taiaroa wor wrecked near the mouth of tlie Claronco River, on the coast of Marlborough. Tho s'.eamer wos bound from Wellington to Lyttelton, when, from somo cause as yet unexplained, she ran ashore on tho beach. Captain Thomson's narrative of tho occurrence ia as follows : —Tho Taiaroa left Wellington on Sunday morning, but on account of tho strong N.W wind, kept _} point in moro than usual until 2 p.m., when she was abreast of Capo Campbell, and the course was altered. Suddenly the wind chopped to the S.E, It was raining heavily, blowing hard, and the sea got up quickly. He was on deck till 6.30, nnd she then appeared to bo a good distance off the land. Tho mate was on the bridge. He told the mate if he thought the vessel was getting closer in, or the weather came on thick so as to lose sight of land, to let him know. About 7 the mate reported that he could see land on the port bow. Witness ran on deck. They were putting the helm hard a-starboard when he got there. He stopped the steamer and went full speed astern. She took ground at the same timo. The chief engineer came up nnd said it was useless going further astern, as sho was making wator, Witness told the second mate to try and run a line to the beach and see if he could not effect a landing. He returned and reported that a landing could not bo I c 3fected. The passengers were thon ordered into boats, it being the captain's intonion to lay by the steamer till daylight. Alltho passengers and crew woro got safely into the boats, and a stout hawser was also got over the stern, towing tho boats on tc that. All tho boats were fast to it except the captain's, nnd thoy lot his boat drop alongside the others. When alongside the first lifeboat, the captain told the first mate to take charge of her. When they came to the last boat the carpenter missed it, and the captain's boat drifted away. The second mate was in charge of the last boat, and came after them to give them a tow. He towed them for an hour, but could make no headway, and they therefore let go. The captain kept the boat olose into tbe shore to prevent being blown to sea. Tried to make Cape Campbell, but could not, and steered for Wairau Bar. which he reached in safety with his crow. All the other boats, aawill be seen by the narrative, were capsized, ar,d the occupants (with three exceptions) drowned. Narratives by Survivors. After the captain's boat had drifted away the other three boats hung on to the line from the stern of the wrecked steamer until nearly midnight. Of all the occupants only three —Messrs Grant, Button, and McQuar•fcera —reached the shore alive. Their narratives give a thrilling description of the terrors cf that dreadful night Sergt. Grant's Straggle for Life. Sergeant Grant, in conversation with a Stab reporter, stated : — With Torpedo Instructor Ward and several members of the Torpedo Corps, Grant, who says be is an old sarlor, was on his way to Dunedin with the object of conveying the torpedo boat from that part to Oamaru to take part in the Easter encampment at that place McQuarter (another survivor), and also a member of the Corp=, occupied the bunk next to Grant. They were Steerage passengers, and Grant says there weie aDOut ten or twelve men in the steerage. Both lay down in their bunks shortly after dusk (both being dressed) and fell asleep. At about half-past seven Grant was avrakened by the vessel striking on the rock?, and he heard McQuarter exclaim, "My God, we are in for a night of it!" Hurrying on deck, ha wont first to the poop deck to endeavour, if poss-ible, to discover the position of the vessel. Severnl nuked the captain where they were, and the latter replied, "A few miles from Kaikoura." By thia time the saas were breaking over the yards, and the word being passed round all handa wont to the saloon, where the steward distributed life-bolts. In tho meantime the mate had beon lowered with a boat's crew to ascertain if it was possiblo to effect a landing. While tho boat was away from tbe ship lights woro burned and a rocket was fired in order to assist the mato in making a survey of the land. In a few minutes, however, tbc'boat returned to tho ship and reported that it was impossible to land anywhere as the land was too high. The captain then ordered everyone into th 9 boats. Thia must have been about half-an-hcur after tho vessel struck, and the boats wero taken out astern, and secured by lines over the stern, the intention being to stand by the ship in the boats. This was considered a wiser course than lying at the ship's side, owing to the possible danger of the masts going by tho board, falling over the side, and smashing into the boats. The wind was blowing strongly off the shore, and boats were thus kept at the length of their linos, and consequently in little danger of being stove against the Bide of the vessel. A terrific sea was running, however, and great difficulty was experienced in keeping the boats free of water. Men were kept continually bailing, and some of tbe lady passengers were beginning to grow faint in consequence of the great exposure to the elements. Between 11 and 12 o'clock a heavy sea capsized one of the boats, and the occupants were struggling in the water. Some were pulled aboard the boat, in which were Grant, Hutton, Ward (Instructor), and McQuarter, the survivors. With ladies and others, of whom it is not known how many there were altogether, this boat was now loaded and confusion becoming general was 'also capsized, and Grant was compelled to swim for his life. So far as he can judge, just at this moment the Captain's boat got away, and at, it passed the occupants tried to throw a line to the capsized boat,but it missed, asd was lost in the darkness Another boat Grant believes was borne down to the struggling people in water and stove in against the vessels side. Grant struck out for the Bhore, and seems to have had a great flight for life. The waves he describes as terrific in their force, and he says that he would never have reached ashore alive had it not been.for his life-belt.- He ■ was several times lifted to tbe top of a great wave and dashed on the beach, being taken out again by the return .current; or drawback. It seemed impossible to gain a footing on the rolling boulders, owing to the strength of the return current, which swept down the sloping shingle already referred to with great force. At last, just as he was giving np all hope, he bethought him that he would try lying on his back and trusting to chance instead of trying to help himself. He therefore lay down in that position, with his hands under hia head, in order, if possible, to protect his head from the stones on the ljoach. This stratagem was successful, and upon~ being thrown up by the next wave, Grant managed to ' cling to a large boulder whihit the waves receded. Then, summoning up all his strength, the poor fellow, by a great effort, dragged himself ont of the reach of the waves. He looked about for other survivors, but could find none, and so started to prospect the country. It was, however, go dark that he could not see where he went, and he appears to have wandered aimlessly about for four or five hoars. Before daylight he became almost done up, and sat down several times to rest himself. Com ing to a creek, he was able to satisfy bis thirst. When daylight broke he found himself on the property of Mr Trolove, the owner of Woodbank Station,on the Clarence Stiver. Mr Untton's Statement. Hutton is very reticent about everything (that occurred previously to the capsizing of ■the two boats. The ladies, he says, were in tbe second boat capsized, and perished In their life-belts at the ship's side. In almost eVeryparticular his story agrees with Grants as to tbe capsizing of the boats and the subsequent struggle for life. Fearing that he would have no chance of getting ashore alive if he went straight for the beach, he struck off to tbe right, or in a northerly direction, and swam, ho estimated, three or four hundred yards. He heard a voice ahead of him calling out, but could not distinguish what was said. Hutton is a good swimmer, but was heavily clad in a long overcoat, and he also thinks that he. never conld have reached the shore •live had it not been for his life-belt. After swimming a hundred yards Hutton judged from the sound of the surf that there was here a firmer beach, and ho therefore made straight for the shore. He was considerably knocked about in effecting his landing but at laat,af ter being washed back once or twice be managed to hold on to the stones long •cough to allow the water to, recede, and be men dragged himself ashore. He ""cooeyod" for some time, but as ho received no answer, he, like Grant, began to

think he was the only survivor, and started i to look for a house. He walked about in 1 tho darkness for some hours, found water « and quenched his thirst, and at daylight 1 found himself on Woodbank Station. He i arrived there about half-an-hour bofore ; Grant. i A Thrilling Narrative. A Press Association telegram from Keke- ! rangu gives the following as the statement of the Suvivor MoQuartor :-I am a native \ of Manchester and 32 years of age, and came out to the colony as second mate of the ship Warwick to Port Chalmers two years ago. Was a steorage passenger by the Taiaroa, and was lying in my bunk about halfpast seven, when I felt the ship strike on the ground. I rußhed out on deck, and found everyone making for the saloon for lifebelts. The, captain was on tne bridge, and was cool nnd collected. Some ono asked him where he was, and he said about live miles from Kaikoura. Great confusion took place on deck whilst tbe boats swung down from the davits. I got into a boat on the starboard side, and in the same boat were four women, Ward (the ; Whitehead Torpedo Instructor), Grant, and also a "speeler" with curly hair, who greatly lamented having to leave his performing monkey. The women were all dressed except the youngest, who was a Salvation Army lass, about 25, who had nothing on but her chemise. All four wore life-belts. It was quite light, and wo could see hills, but not the beach A heavy sea capsized the boat after we were attached to the stern of the steamer with lines. Tho women kept up well for a long time, but one after the othor threw up their hands and sunk from exhaustion in tho bitter cold. As 1 swam past one woman attempted to clutch me, but I eluded her, and together with 12 others, I succeeded in getting on to another boat which was floating bottom up. Iho boat righted itself notwithstanding the hoavy sea, and I found all we had was one broken oar. My companions seemed terribly depressed and oxhausted, and whon the boat turned over again five went under and nover camo up, leaving tlio socond mate, five seamen,and myself. Thosofive groanod fearfully and lay in tlie bottom of the boat, one aftor another gurgling in his throat and dying. Tho second mato was very weak also, but helped me to throw the dead men overboard. Their bodies and upturned faces, washing from ono side of the boat to the other, greatly distressed and obstructed us. The second mate said, just as day was breaking, "It's no good; I can't keep up any longer," and by the time the boat grated on the boulders of the beach and went ashore, be also was dead. I managed to crawl out of the boat nnd up the sandy rjreek toward the hills, and was making for a light when a man met me and took me in a trap to Kekerangu station. I consider "he night was not too dark to prevent the captain seeing where he was, and I believe everybody might have been caved, had they swam straight ashore. The captain and officers behaved coolly and well, and the steward sorved out the lifebelts as quickly as possible. I really believe the captain thought he was heading direct to Kaikoura. There were four women, consisting of two passengers and two stewardesses, all being elderly females. All behavod splendidly and made no fuss. I believe all four were drowned close to the steamer itself.'Thirty Three Lives Lost The Waihi, with the captain and those saved in his boat from tho wreck of the Taiaroa, arrived here from Blenhim. Very little additional information has been elicited, but it is known that there were five women on board the 111- ---' fated vessel, These wero : Mrs Fitzgerald, Mrs Jessie Game, Mrs Gibba, saloon passengers from Wellington, a steerage passenger (name unknown), and ihe stewardess, M. A. Browne. So far as can be ascer tamed those on board numbered 47, being 20 passengers and 27 of the crew. The number saved waa 14, thus leaving 33 drowned. , Position of the Wreck. A telegram from Kekerangu states the vessel is within ten yards from the shore at low water, lying stoady, with small seas breaking over her. She lies in seven feet of water forward. Throe men swam aboard this morning, and rescued a monkey and a cat. The vessel appears to havo the bottom stove in, but no holes are visible Washed Ashore. , Nine bodieß wore washed ashore altogether, Some were much disfigured ; the ' , eyes picked out by gulls. Ono had his leg , bitten off by a shark". Several wore exceed- { ingly healthy in appearance, and one (that ,of Mr Jamoß Powell) is identified as that of ■ tho second mate. From tho appearance of i these bodies it is surmised that the three . men were alive when they reached the i shore, but they wero done to death in i tho surf. The fact that upon each of. their faces thore are fresh blood seams ito bear out this theory, aa bodieß bruised or cut after death do not bleed freely. The probability is that the poor Jfellows ; managed to gain the shore, but that in the terrific surf and the howling night they could not gain a footing upon the shifting shingle, and were dashed to death upon the beach. Powell, the second mate, iB very , much cut about the head and face. One had the appearance of h:s having tried to i get his shirt over his head so is to swim i better. The garment was caught and held, however, by the button at the wrist. The shitt may only have been washed over his head by the sea of course, but it had tho appearance of having beon pulled over his head. LIST OF THE VICTIMS. The list ef missing crew and passengers, ,bo far as san be ascertained, is as follows :— Crew. li. B. Monkman, first officer; James , Powell, second officer; K. Spooner, purser ; C. G. Stratford, second engineer; B. Irvine and G. McDonogb, B. Morrison, R. . firemen; Williams, and D. Hill, lamptrimmers ;M. A. Brown, stewardess; F. \ Gellichan, chief cook ; W. Keelin, second [ cook; T. Delaney, G. Why brow, and R. Bathgate, stewards; John Jones, B. Williamson, P. McMillan, James McQonagle j and Peter Hansen, seamen. i Passengers. i Mrs Jesse Game, Mrs Fitzgerald, Mrs ' Gibbs, Messrs Watd (of Torpedo corps), ' Galbraith, R. H. Vallance, Hawkins (booti maker), James Ferguson, Martin, Thomas Ollivier, Smith and Harbord (the last two were men who had been attending Welling- ' ton races). There are known to have been other passengers whose names have not been ascertained. Names of Survivors. Tho following is a full list of the survivors so far as has been ascertained :— Passengers. Gilbert Hutton, Constable McQuarrie, Sergeant Grant, washed ashore ; Thomas Olivier, Robert Henderson, John Harper (Christchurch), in captain's boat. Crow. George Thompson (captain), Samuel Dalrymple (engineer), William Quin (boy), William Tain (fireman), James Webb (carpenter), John Mackay (A.8.), Duncan Campbell (steward), Joseph Fielder (chief steward), in captain's boat. Description of the Steamer. The Taiaroa came out to the order of the Albion Shipping Co, For a time she traded between Port Chalmers and Timaru, under the agency of Mr Keith Ramsay, and was commanded by Captain James Stewart. Early in 1876 she was purchased by the Union S.S. Company, and kept in the same trade under the command of Captain PeterBen. Since then she has been mostly engaged in the coastal trade, but made one voyage to Fiji. She was of 299 tons register, and was built at Glasgow by A. and J. Inglis for Messrs Patrick Henderson and Co., Albion Shipping Company. Her dimensions were :—Length, 189 feet; beam, 23 feet; and depth of hold, 12 feet. She was fitted with high and low pressure sur-face-condensing engines, of H.D. nominal horse power, but capable of being worked up to 500 horse power. Her average speed was between 8$ and 9 knots an hour. The Scene of the Wreck. The ill-fated vessel lies on a ledge of shingle and boulder running out from Clarence Head about a mile and a half, and within a quarter of a mile of the end of the ledge. The spot is marked on the map as " Waipapa Point," but is evidently a mistake, for the residents of the locality say that the spot they know as Waipapa is about four miles south of the scene of the wreck. The shoal or ledge on which the Taiaroa came to grief is on the northern bank of the Clarence River, and is known as "Trolovo's Point," Clarence North Head, and is seventy-five miles from Blenheim. Just at the spot where the vessel struck the shoals run very speedily to the water, thus forming a very steep bank five or six feet in height. This bank and the surrounding beach are covered with very large rolling boulders and shifting shingle, up whioh it would be very difficult for anyone to climb, especially a man exhausted by a protracted battle with the waves. ,Mr Ward was torpedo artificer. He reI eently arrived from England by one of the

direct steamers uncier special engagement to the Government. He brought out his eldost son, agod about sixteen years, and left his wife and other children (six) to follow him. He was a man of about 40 years of age. The Government have resolved to give his wife wife £200, and find suitablo employment for his son. Sergt. Grant of the A.O. was in the torpedo branch of the force, and had served as an officer in the British Navy. He is believed to havo been a single man. Const. Mac Quarters also belonged to tho torpedo corps. Ho is a young man, and not long in the force.