STRANDED AT AKITIO BAY.

Auckland Star, Volume XXX, Issue 278, 23 November 1899, Page 8

STRANDED AT AKITIO BAY.

THE CREW SAFE

WELLINGTON, October 31.

The telephonist at Akitio, on the East Coast, north of Castle Point, reports that- the barque Pleiades came ashore at the landing shed at 8 a.m. The crew are all safe. The Pleiades, after'discharging a general cargo from Glasgow, left Port Chalmers on Wednesday morning last for Napier, to load wool and produce for London. She was very wellknown in New Zealand waters, having been trading to the colony for'many years. Her last visit to Auckland was paid about nine years ag-o. She belonged to the fleet of the Shaw, Savill and Albion Co., was a full-rigged ship of 1020 gross and 997 npt tons. She was built of iron in 1869, by A. M. Miller, of Dumbarton, and was 209 ft 6in ling by 33ft beam by 20ft 6in depth of hold. Castle Point, where the Pleiades went ashore, is on the eastern ooast of Wellington province. She was under the charge of Captain Burton. WELLINGTON, November 6. The whole of the officers and crew of the stranded ship Pleiades (with the exception of Captain Burton) were brought to Wellington this morning hy the steamer Himitangi. They arc 20 in number. From their account of the mishap the vessel appears to have had a very narrow escape from total destruction. At daylight on Tuesday she was seen to be dangerously close to the land, but all efforts .to wear her were unavailing, and as she ■was slowly drifting ashore before a heavy gale, Captain Burton decided to run her ashore in order to save life.

The first- mate, from ,the mizzen rigging, directed the steersman to a small piece of sandy beach in Akitio Bay, and at eight a.m. the vessel was ashore in an upright position. It was by the merest bit of luck that the vessel missed the reef which runs out- from Akitio, and. on which the sea was breaking with great fury. Had she struck this she must have gone to pieces in a few minutes, and the probability is that no one would have survived to tell the tale.

Prior to running the ship, ashore, Captain Burton ordered life-belts to be served out, and the lifeboats were also got in readiness, and when she was beached the officers and crew reached dry land in the lifeboat.

The crew recognised that they had got out of a very tight place, and gave three hearty cheers for Captain Burton as soon as they stepped ashore. The men were treated most hospitably at Handysides station, and fortunately they have saved all their personal effects. '

The vessel came through the ordeal practically without damage. All her masts and rigging are intact, and she is making scarcely any water. She is high and dry forward, but the stern is afloat at high water. Owing to the rough nature of the coast-line very little hope is entertained of getting the- vessel off.

The name of the Pleiades' officers are: Chief mate, Haley; second mate, Gilling; apprentices, Wilson, Morrison, Long and Kiely. Captain Burton mustered the crew aft, impressing on them the importance of cool courage in the crisis. The chief officer saw- over the tops of. the mountainous sea a likely spot, and, in accordance with his gestures, the vessel rushed, within a few hundred yards of the dreaded reef, on to Akitio beach, where she now lies, with her bow imbedded in the sand.

The port lifeboat brought all officers and crew ashore in two trips. When assembled on the beach, the crew gave hearty cheers for Captain Burton. Subsequently personal effects and stores were saved.

Captain Bendall, Underwriters' surveyor, reports that the Pleiades is intact, making no water, nor straining. Her -nasts are standing, and the rigging unharmed. The question whether her position 'would justify the expenditure of refloating her 's unsettled. (No tenders were received for floating the Pleiades).