THE ELVERLAND WRECK.

Auckland Star, Volume XXXVIII, Issue 7, 8 January 1907, Page 3

THE ELVERLAND WRECK.

CREW ARRIVE IX AUCKLAND.

STOKY OP WRECK AND RESCUE.

The crew of the wrecked barquentine Elverland arrived in Auckland at 7.30 o'clock last night, in the Northern Steamship Co.'s steamer Apanui. Their names are:—Captain Savory (master), James Chambers (mate), P. H. Kowe, D. Whilshire, P. Mulcahy, C. King, G. H. Kins, W. Blanford, S. Brees, S. Douglas, W. H. Blackbourne, and W. Farrell.

Some of the men were bootless and hatless, showing that they had saved very little of their belongings. They are staying at the Sailors' Home.

The Blverland was coal laden from Newcastle to Auckland. Last Saturdayweek she was becalmed near the Three Kings, and a heavy fog coming on, assisted by a heavy drift, she vras carried close into the big King. When Captain Savory saw his position he ordered all hands to the boats to tow the vessel into safety. While the Elverlaad .-was thus being towed out she bumped heavily on a reef. The first bump was followed by a second, and it was recognised that the vessel had been hard hit. She struck the reef stern first, and the rudder was carried away with the first impact. Part of the upper works were damaged, but not until they boarded ilie vessel and tried the pumps did the- crew entirely realise the seriousness of their position. The boat was found to be making a lot of water, indicating that considerable damage had been done to the hull. Towing operations were again resumed, and the vessel was got out into deep -water. She was now found to be leaking extensively, and Captain Savory, who svas a part owner, had to abandon her as a hopeless wreck. The crew had scarcely left tl|s ship when she foundered, within a mile of the shore, or " sank Hfae a stone," as one of them puts it. The crew then rowed to the island, where they found a safe landing, but, notwithstanding, they experienced considerable difficulty in getting ashore, and the boats werje damaged by bumping on the rocks.

With night setting in and lie island cloaked in a fog, the prospects for the castaways was anything but cheerful. A cave, which practically gave 310 shelter from the elements, was selected as the best available place to pitch camp, and with the aid of sails they made it as habitable as possible. Of provisions there was a bare sufficiency, but by morning they were in need of drinking water, and there was no stream or spring in the vicinity of the camp. After breakfast the crew proceeded to climb to the highest peak on the island, which is said to bt; about 990 feet above sea level, for the purpose of lighting a fire, in the hope that it would be noticed by a passing vessel. This they soon realised would be of little avail unless the log lifted, which it never did, for it was impossible for any beacon light to penetrate that dense cloud. At the top of the hill a fresh-water spring was found, and once every day during their stay on the island trips were made thither from the camp for water. On Wednesday last, four days after their landing, the weather cleared somewhat, and the captain, with five others, set out for the mainland in the best boat, which by this time was far from seaworthy. They took all the. sails with them, which left the other six, who remained on the island until succour came", without any means of keeping- the rain out of the exposed cave in which they were living. The food supply was limited to a biscuit per day per man,' wliich wrfd supplemented with sea birds and some eggs. On Friday last the -schooner Huia, whkh is searching lor th* Elingamite'e gold, came in sight, and the men were taken on board. The Huia then proceeded to the West Iving, where she was found by the Apanui on Saturday last, and the shipwrecked seamen were then transferred to the steamer to be taken to Auckland.

But the volunteers who were rowing in a sinking craft towards the mainland to bring succour to their fellows also Buffered the greatest privation. Their boat was almost water-logged, and the youth of the party was kept constantly bailing out throughout the whole of the. voyage, which occupied two clays. On Thursday morning a favourable wind sprang up, enabling the sails to be hoisted, which gave relief to the oarsmen, who had been rowing almost without intermission since leaving the island. Thlfe favourable slant did not last very long, and the crew again set doggedly to work, never ceasing in their efforts until the lights of Houhora were sighted about midnight. A little later they anchored in a sheltered spot, and the crew lay down their oars completely exhausted. They slept in the boat until the people were beginning to stir on shore, when they were noticed, and soon a party- came down and rowed them up to the township, where they were hospitably treated by the inhabitants. Some of the men almost prostrate from exhaustion, and when their great trial of endurance was over they discovered how weak they had bec-ome^— "so weak," avers one of them, '"'that we could not have pulled our boat over that short stretch to the township for the life of us."' Ino wonder, when it is. remembered they rowed foi - 40 hours, with very little rest and no sleep. While the perilous journey was undertaken principally to enable the whole of tJie crew to be rescued, the rate at which" fhe provisions Avere reducing was a seriaua factor. A bare eight days' provisions were left on the island, and this, with what was taken in the boat, meant that ithe whole party was provisioned for about six days from Wednesday last, cr until to-morrow. With the weather so feggy as to prevent signalling to a. passing vessel, the position of the m< hi was not an enviable one, and when t-'ae captain announced his intention of ]»roceeding to the mainland in an open boaf, this course was regarded as the best possible solution of trie difficulty.