STORMY PASSAGE FROM THE MAURITIUS.

Auckland Star, Volume XIX, Issue 204, 30 August 1888, Page 5

STORMY PASSAGE FROM THE MAURITIUS.

THE CREW SUBSIST TWELVE

DAYS ON RICE

The brig Oakenbury, Captain Matthews, bound fronr Mauritius to New Zealand, has put into Fremantle disabled. The crew were also suffering from exposure and want of provisions. The brig is* a vessel 232 tons, owned by Captain Matthews, and belonging to Salcombe, England. Captain Matthews has been recently trading between Bombay and Mauritius, bub he sailed from Mauritius on June 27th for New Zealand with a cargo of sugar. Variable weather was experienced up to Saturday, July 21, when a terrible storm came on, the sea and wind being furious all day and night. One sea washed away the bulwarks and various parts of the ship and stove in bhemain hatchway, through which the water poured in great quantities. One^ of the boats was washed clean overboard, a chain plate was broken, a portion of the cook's galley smashed in arid' a winch also damaged. So furious was the hurricane that the vessel h was! hove-to foi1 48 houire, and an attempt was made to remedy the damage. It was too serious, however, and the captßin decided the best thing to do was to make for the nearest pnrd. The sea had made its way into the hold, and this added considerably to the weight of the vessel, which began to draw a foot more water than when leaving Mauritius. The brig was also^leaking, and the crew were obliged to keep to the pumps until land was reached, o.t&erwise in, all probablity the vessel would have filled* and surik; On the following Monday the weather began to moderate, consequently a "course for Fremantle was Steered. Head winds were experienced arid afterwards four days' catm, but ori Wednesday, August Bth, another gale came upon the vessel which* lasted for three days, ■ and during the prevalence of the storm the men were kept at rthe pumpa night and day in order to keep the water under. Nearly a fortnight ago ib was seen that the provisions on board would only last a few more days/ arid if the port was not reached the horrors of starvation would stare the crew in the face. Manfully they stuck together, and although the crew was a mixed one, every man shared alike. The provisions soon became exhausted, and for 12 days the crew lived on nothing but rice. Two days ago the wind changed and they made for port. The cargo is to be sold here, as the vessel is too much disabled to proceed.