TRAWLER WRECKED OFF THE ORKNEYS.

Auckland Star, Volume XXXVI, Issue 276, 18 November 1905, Page 13

TRAWLER WRECKED OFF THE ORKNEYS.

DISTRESSING SCENES.

A Kirkwall correspondent gives details of a disaster which occurred on the Orkney coast on October Ist, when tie steam trawler City of Lincoln, of Grinisby, was wrecked on" the Island of Papa Westray. and five men were drowned. The vessel left Grimsby for the Faroe fishing on September 20, and started homeward again on Friday, September 29. at 9 a.m. On Saturday morning, about 3 o'clock, the skipper and second mate came on the watch and torn— a light bearing surra, which was taken for Sule Skerry. When too late, however, the captain discovered that he was in error, and found the light was No—p Head, Westray. When the vessel struck, the whistle was blown for assistance, and the people of Papa Westray made the most strenuous exertions to render aid. It was, of course, impossible to launch —irail boats in the terrible sea which was then running, but they tried to secure a connection between the doomed vessel and the shore by flying kites and by sending out empty casks. The crew meantime were clinging to the rigging, and from time to time the agonised onlookers would see a man torn from his resting place and hurled into the waters. During the morning the mate, steward, and two of the crew were washed off and drowned. At seven o'clock the chief engineer resolved to swim for his life and boldly plunged into the sea. After a terrific struggle he succeeded ia reaching the shore in safety, and then the captain seeing that aH was lost, followed the example of the engineer and made for the shore The natives on the beach were ready to risk everything in an endeavour tp effect a rescue, but the uaforranate man was carried away by the great waves when almost within reach of their helping hands. It is the impression of these on shore that the captain was ultimately struck by a piece of floating wreckage for all of a sudden he threw up his hands and di_ap_eared. The other deck bands, to the number of seven, remaining

on board the vessel, which —— _ no—f breaking up-rapidly, also entrusted themselves to fhe mercy of the waves, and ultimately, with the aid at those on shore, they were landed ia safety. The _—_____» wt_--_re usrsaC are dotnc weOU