KETCH PERSEVERANCE WRECKED.

Auckland Star, Volume XXIX, Issue 278, 24 November 1898, Page 8

KETCH PERSEVERANCE WRECKED.

•PARTICULARS OF THE CASUALTY.

By the steamer Kia Ora. which ar-rived-from the East Coast on 30th October, Captain Frost • (master), Mr Porter (pwner), and the crew of the ketch Perseverance returned to 'Auckland, their vessel having been wrecked off Oreti Point &n Monday jiight last. .' " The Perseverance was purchased ■a- few months ago iy Mr Porter, of r \b Mdan-d^-whd - had made ai-i-knge!----m.^pi&"rvn%. a syndicate, to proceed to.tie scene o? ohe wreck of the s.s. ,T .mania, and to carry, r salvage operations. Mr Pascde, of Wellington, was engaged as diver, and with Captain Frost, Mr Porter, and a crew ©f four, left for the Mahia Peninsula .on the afternoon of the 22nd instant. Fine weather, with wind from the south-west,. wa;s experienced unti 1 Monday last, when the vessel was to the eastward of White Island. Herd the wind changed xo the north-east, and as it appeared that the wind and sea would increase xt was decided to beat under Cape Runaway for shelter, an'ltb anchor there until the weather moderated.- The attempt proved unsuccessful, and the wind increased to a heavy gale, accompanied by rain. Orcti Point was parsed at about six p.m., ai-' shortly afterwards the vessel stood about seven miles off the land. She then stood in, and passing the reef which runs out from Oreti Point she struck on a rock en the end o*'the reef about 10.30 p.m. The

jboom coming ' round knocked the steersman over on to the deck, and another hand ran to.'the wheel. As the'vessel''was ■making a lot of water, it was decided to fun her as high.as possible on the reef. The helm was then put h,ar-d over, but immediately afterwards it was found that the chain had broken. However, the vessel drove up, and.Settled down on the reef about.two hundred yards from the shore, there being a good deal of water! in the hold. ' The cook was in the hold, which had been battened down owing to the'rough sea, suffering from mal-de-mer, and when called lie refused, to move. Mr Porter went into the hold through a hole leading from the cabin and dragged him on

to the deck. Mr Pascoe and the cook, neither of whom could swim, were then taken ashore in the dinghy by

one of the handc, who returued in the boat,' and' went, into the cabins to try; and get some clothes, tlie others meantime going ashore, attaching the dinghy to the rhip by a long rope. The mail left on board then hauled the

dinghy iip to the ship again, but about Z.alf way along it struck on a rock, and Mr Porter had to go out through* the surf ,to release it. He pulled it off, and the.last ona got ashore safely about midnight, nothing being saved but what the men stood up in. Tljfi shipwrecked crew made their way to the homestead of Mr Seccombe, where they arrived at about two o'clock on Tuesday morning, and were very hospitably received, being supplied with food and dry clothing. Next morning it was found that the water had broken into the hold and cabin, ~md' washed everything light ashore,, stuff being found for miles along the beach. All the diving and salvage appliances were saved. An examination was made of the ketch,

when it was, found, that she was too

badly damaged to float, her timbers being' started. She was hauled up the beach as far as possible, and everything that could be saved was got ashore. . . The Kia Ora called in at Oreti Point on Friday last, and took the crew and what was saved from the vessel on board, bringing them up to,' Auckland. Mr Porter had no insurance either on the- vessel. or the gear, and is consequently a heavy loser. He does not intend to give up the attempt to salve ;fchje Tasmania's cargo, but will get another vessel shortly. The crew also lose heavily, as they were able to save .very little of their clothing.. .. The Perseverance, was built in Auckland in 187S, She was 41.} feet long, 1.36 feet beam, and-4.7 feet in depth of hold. Her tannage :was 15. _ ,