THE WRECKED SCOW

Auckland Star, Volume XXXVIII, Issue 177, 26 July 1907, Page 2

THE WRECKED SCOW

STATEMENT BY THE SOLE

SURVIVOR.

<By Telegraph.—Own Correspondent.)

TAIRUA, Thursday.

Harry Jackson, tne __rvsv_r or the scow Surprise, states: ~'l joined the Surprise on 12th April-last. We left Gisoorne on Thursday week, and had a good run to East Cape. The wind blew away the foresail there. We were about 25 miles off the land at the time. We had a head wind from the Cape, and received a terrible battering about. We were hove to for three days off Bay of Plenty. The captain steered a course for Tairna,. but we arrived off Great Barrier, and he set the course again for Tairua. We arrived off the Slipper about twelve on Friday night, and anchored opposite the homestead. We hung on till Saturday night, when the wind was blowing strong.

The scow started to drag with three anchors out. By the Captain's orders we endeavoured to set the staysail, and eventually set it. ' Immediately afterwards she struck the south end of the Watchman rocks.

The captain then sang out, "Good-bye,'-' and that was the last 1 saw of him, and of the boy, frank Kelly. The scow was bumping very hard when myself, young Alf. Stewart and Edward Johnsen took to the forerigging. We stayed there for a little time, and then came down and went aft. We stayed aft about five minutes alongside the mainmast. Then the ship came stern first off the rocks and capsized. I lost sight of young Alf. and I never saw him again. -Myself and Johnsen stuck to the main rigging, after which the scow drifted midway between the Watchman and the coast.

I asked Johnsen what he would do; would he risk swimming or hanging on. He said he would hang on. I said I would risk swimming, so I took off my oilskin and sea boots and coat. We then shook hands and said good-bye, and I swam away fc the shore. 1 never saw Johnsen again. I am a. good swimmer, but the breakers were very large and rough. I dived under the breakers to avoid the force. One breaker took mc ashore, but others came immediately after and smashed mc on the rocks, and that is how I was so much cut and bruised. About five or half-past, -when I landed, having been in the water 5 or 6 hours, I climbed about half way up the cliffs, and then collapsed from exhaustion.

I stayed there, the whole of Sunday, and at night felt ill and unable to proceed further, but next morning feeling a little better I crawled up over the cliffs and eventually reached Mr. J. McGregor's house, where I received every kindness, and was put to bed and carefully nursed round again.

"My position on Sunday was a terrible one. It was a wild and stormy day. I was stuck halfway up the cliffs with only a small singlet on reaching to my thighs, and was unable to move further. The cliffs 7 were below mc, and high perpendicular hills above.

" I thought I was done for. I lay there "in the storm all Sunday, and in the. night the. .p&is_. in my legs and thigh were so severe and unbearable I wished I was dead.

" The weather appeared better on Monday morning, and having gained a little extra strength i started to crawl along, not knowing exactly where I was. Although I cannot properly remember how I got along, I eventually reached Mr. McGregor's about two o'clock in the afternoon.

•'All I have saved from the wreck is the small singlet and the leather belt, I having had to discard my trousers when swimming. The men's names are (Japt. Gillean, Edward Johnsen (2nd hand), Alfred Stewart, A-8., Frank Kelly (boy), and Harry Jackson, seaman and cook. I believe the master has a grown family in Auckland. 1 know nothing about Johnsen, but believe he has no relations in the colonies. Stewart has a mother in Auckland. Kelly is an orphan from Melbourne.

"I have no relations in New Zealand, except a cousin in Opotiki."

Constable Brown is here investigating, and went around in Onslow this morning to search for bodies.