CARE OF CASTAWAYS.

Auckland Star, Volume XVIII, Issue 258, 2 November 1887, Page 8

CARE OF CASTAWAYS.

PROVISIONS FOR SHIPWRECKED MARINERS ON OUTLYING ISLANDS.

Capt. Fairchild, of the New Zealand Marine Department, who was in Auckland onMonday,gave a representative of the STAB some interesting information regarding the dep6ts of provisions at the Auckland, Antipodes, and other islands provided by

the Government for shipwrecked mariners. The conversation naturally commenced wi th a reference to the castaway crew of the Derry Castle, recently rescued by the sealing vessel Awarua after being cast away last March on the Auckland Islands. "Yes," said Captain Fairehild, "the Derry Castle was wrecked just four days too early—l mean that if she had been cast away four days later her crew would have been saved by one of the Government vessels, which was down there inspecting the depots. Keporter: The poor fellows seem to have undergone great hardships. Captain Jairchild : Yes ; the climate of the Auckland Island, is not exactly what you would call a hospitable one. I can't understand, however, why the castaways were so long getting at the provision depdt. True, it was not on the island on which they were wrecked, but there was only a narrow strait a couple of chains wide separating them from the depOt. There is a weatherboard house on the island on which they were wrecked,

and if you and I had been there don't you think we would have soon made . a raft of the timber or of seal bladders and paddled across? Reporter: How many depots are there at the Auckland Islands ?

Captain Fairehild : There are two now. Formerly there were five, but we abolished three. There are depots at Antipodes Islands, and also at Bounty Island and Campbell Island. At each there are 40 tins of biscuits, tea, sugar, boots, trousers, and so on. They are all packed in zinc tins. The next time I godownl mean to take some carrot and cabbage seed, also a few sheep to see if they will breed. Thereisplenty of grass on the Auckland Islands, and though the winter is cold, the snow is not perpetual. There is a good deal of damp moss, and perhaps the sheep may get foot-rot. However, it's worth tiying. If cheep.were found to thrive well, no doubt we would soon have sheep farmers going down there. Reporter: Is there much extent of country, then ?

Captain Fairchild : Why, the principal island is thirty miles long. Two shipwrecked crews were on the same island for eighteen months, and neither knew of the other. I refer to the crows of the Grafton, who were- cast away there for 18 months, and an English ship the name of which I do not remember. The crew of the English ship were saved by a Portuguese vessel and taken to Callao without the crew of the Grafton knowing anything about it. Reporter: How did the Grafton people escape ? Captain Fairchild : Oh ! they fixed up one of the boats at last, and taking pot luck reached New Zealand safely. The Auckland Islands are only 200 miles from Stewart Island, but about 1,200 from Auckland. Campbell Island is 750 miles from Wellington and the Kermedecs 600 from Auckland. Reporter: How many instances do you recollect of vessels being cast away on these islands ? Captain Fairchild: Well, leb me see. During the past 25 years there have been one, two, three, four. Yes. There was the General Grant, the crew of which was cast away for 20 months, theGrafton's crew for 18 months, the crew of that English ship that I was telling you about just now for about the same time, and the Deny Castle. . . , Reporter: Do you think one trip a year enough to make to theseislands ? Captain Fairchild : I think they should be visited twice a year at least, but , it requires a good sea boafc to do ifc. The last , time I was down there in theHineinoa it , was just touch-and-go. Our Government, pome two or three years ago, asked the Vie- ' tqrian Government to join with them, but I they do not seem to ccc ifc. t Reporter: Well, fchauks, skipper, and h, good-bye. .■...: ,H Goodbye.