THE ANN GAMBLES.

Auckland Star, Volume LV, Issue 76, 29 March 1924, Page 17

THE ANN GAMBLES.

BLOWN ASHORE AT BLUFF.

BECAME A COMPLETE WKBCK,

(By HEjSTIY BRETT.)

LXXXIII.

A little iron barque, a vessel of 424 tons, the Ann Gambles, built at Worlliingtou in lSii-2, was sent out by the New ZeaUuid Skipping Company, and when just about completing her third run to New Zealatid, disaster overtook her at the Bluff. At the time she was laaen -with general merchandise, including; the much-required plant for the lnvercargill gas works.

The barque made her first voyage to N'elion, arriving there on the 3rd December, IS7I, after a passage of 121 clays. Sin: , sailed from London again on December Bth, 187 li, and arrived <it Lyttelton on April 12th, 1577, the passage occupying 124 days. She was under the coin-

raand of Captain Morgan. The following year she sailed from Gravesend on January 26th. Nothing eventful occurred until she was -within 300 miles of the New Zealand coast, when a furious gale came on, and whilst labouring in the heavy sea the barque lost her fore topgallant mast and foreyard. The crew were occupied two days in clearing away the wreckage and securing the foreyard. She encountered bad weather on sighting the South-west Cape on May 15. It was then blowing a hurricane, with thick weather, and she was close in shore when the land was sighted. Great difficulty nas experienced in clewing the ship ofishore. The crew, however, managed to get the vessel clear, and after weathering the land she was hove-to to wait for an improvement in the weather. Next day, on the 16t!i May, she bore away, and passed the Solanders at noon, with a whole gale behind her. i Struck by a Squall. As she drew up to the Bluff sail was shortened, and the night being bright moonlight and quite clear between the squalls', Captain Morgan determined to make for Bluff Harbour. As she rounded Starling Point the forssail was taken off her and both anchors let go, the foretopsail being still on the barque. Just then, the master averred, n heavy Fr]iiall struck the ship, and before the anchors could "bite" she was driven upon the rock 3at Tewais Point, and. the tide acting on her, she swung broadside on. Pilot Smith, observing the plight the vessel was in. went off at once, and found her hanl and fast on the rocks. Nothing could be done to aid the barque, as when the pilot bonrrled her she was full of water from the aft to the forepenk watertight bulkhead. . The Ann Gambles was manned with fourteen hands, all told, including the master and four apprentices. It was freely stated at the time that to attempt to make Bluff Harbour after nightfall and without a pilot wns a rnsh proceeding. Excepting the brig Carl, the Ann Gambles was the only vcs=el that had come to grief at Bluff'for 13 years. Hull Breaks Up. An inquiry was held and it was not surprising that the captain's certificate was suspended for six months. The ship had a £10,00(1 cargo aboard, and the underwriters decided to sell the wreck where it lav. She was in a perilous position, especially if a southerly gale v.-eri; to spring up* and a big rlTort was made to refloat hor, but without success. On November 21 shf> broke in two. and by the 20th she had succumbed to the elements.

As an explanation of her accident it may be mentioned that an examination showed that the. starboard anchor was brcken at the shank, and the chain of the port anchor had enrried away. showing the terrific strain that had driven hor ashore.

portions of cargo known to have peen aboard. None of the articles picked up appeared to have been in the water any length of time, so hopes were entertained that some of her crew might have escaped in the boats, but nothing further was ever discovered. Among the things lost in tie wrecK of the Assaye wag a part of the valuable library of Sir Walter Buller, also a number of his curios. Some of the latter, however, were recovered, not much damaged by water. ...