THE CASABLANCA.

Auckland Star, Volume XXXVII, Issue 94, 20 April 1906, Page 2

THE CASABLANCA.

a. STDTtarr voyage.

SECOND MATES NAKBOW ESCAPE..

FOUK SEAMEN" INJURED.

The Liverpool barque Casablanca, which was reported in the Golf yesterday morning, was towed into: the harbour last night by the Devonport Ferry Co.'s steamer Durham. The Casablanca left Anckland 54 days- ago foT'the Bluff, and since that she has sailed down the coast to within 60 miles of her destination, which she was unable to reach owing to adverse weather conditions, attempted to make Port Chalmers, Lyttelton and Wellington in succession without success, was then 'driven to the northern-moist point in New Zealand, and ultimately had to bring np at Auckland, her port, of 'departure. Exceptionally heavy gales, which at one time reached hurricane force, mountainous seas interspersed with light baffling winds were tbe cause of the vessel's seemingly aimless wanderings abont the : coast. •

The vessel's troubles, says the mate, Mr Jas. Alexander, who is an Aucklander, hegan on March 8, ten days after leaving Auckland. She was then off Cape Turoagain, when the wind, which was blowing from the 8.W., increased to a gale. Sail was reduced, and we stood to the S-E. The gale increased on the following day, and the vessel was laid to under lower topsails and mizen staysail. About 4 p.nu, while some of'the crew were taking in sail, a tremendous sea broke on boardj which flooded the decks and smashed the boat skids, letting part pf them down on to the deck, and damaged both boats. In the confusion the cry of "Man overboard," was heard. The captain rushed on deck with a life-buoy, and a general rush was made to the side oi" the boat. There tbe second mate, Mr Watson, clad in his oil-skins, -was hanging to a rope which had been thrown to him. He was got on deck as quickly as possible, and it was then discovered that he was injured and unconscious, having apparently struck the railing. | His head and shoulders were badly bruised, and it was some time before he came to. Ho was confined to his bed for five \ weeks, add only resumed duty yesterday. Four sailors were washed about the deckri, and were roo're ot 1e33 injured. T. Curtis, an AJ, bad the sinews of both legs badly strained, besides receiving a number of nasty bruises. He is still off duty. Tbe other two, Buchan and Miller, received comparatively slight injuries, recovering after a week. The gale lasted for 24 hours, the vessel being hove-to all the time. She made very bad weather of it, and the decks were constantly flooded.

A spell of fine weaiher followed, which took ths boat down to the Nuggets, CO miles from the Bluff. This was on the 23r&. The northerly wind was now superseded by a heavy gale from the west, and the vessel h2d to run back for Dunedin. It was dark when she arrived off Cape Sesinders, by which time the wind had dropped light again. Tho wind, however, was changeable, and it was useless to attempt to make the port. The vessel remained it. the ofSng all night. About three o'clock the following morning a gale from the S.S.W. sprang up. This proved to be the worst of the trip. The vessA was hove-to for six hours. Shu was t£*hig and pitch ing heavily, and it was fCftred she would either founder or roll her masts out For the safety of tha ship and all on board the captain dedttcd to run before the gale. She ran to Lyttelton under very small sail, geitiog under the lee of Banks Peninsula on llhc 27th. A tng-boat was signalled for, tut none conic. Tbe vessel hung on u*»il blown off the land to sea again. She Was then run before the gale, wlu-jh Iras now blowiug with hurricane force. Ehe was in danger of foundering, and oil-bags were put out at the bows. Thi oil had a wonderful efifcet on tbe water. The boat was making better weather of it, and tlie decks were fairly dry. Capo Pallisier was • sighted after a ran of twelve hours. The weather was too bad to attempt to make Wellington, so the vessel's head was kept before the wind and sea, it being hoped the gale -would soon blow itself out.

On the 29th, when a little to tho southward of Hawke's Bay, the vessel struck floating wreckage, winch started a plate in the bows, causing a. leak. A good quantity of water found its way into the fore-hold, and the vessel settled down slightly by the head. Tbe water did not find its way to the afterholds, and when the pumps were sounded they showed no water in the hold, this being due to the vessel settling down by the head. The cargo in the fore-hold is saturated.

There was no sign of abatement in the weather until the vessel was off Hawke's Bay. It was even then too bad to turn back. When she was in the latitude of the East Cape on April 2 the gale gave out. It had lasted three and a-half days, blowing at times with all the fierceness of a hurricane. The seas were tremendous, and if the boat had been hot-e-to all the: time there would have been little chance of. her riding out the storm. There were frequent hail and rain squalls.

When the boat got so far north as the East Cape it was decided to come on to Auckland This was three 'weeks ago. Contrary -winds, for the most part light, beset the vessel, which had been taken well out to sea by the gale. She was unable to make Auckland on the run up, and vnts token as far North as the latitude of the North Cape. A favourable slant of wind then came up, and Cape Brett was sighted on the 15th, this being the first land sighted since the vessel was in the vicinity of the East Cape. Then for three days she was becalmed outside the gulf, -which -was made early yesterday morning. The vessel will most likely be docked for examination.