TALES OF THE SEA.

Auckland Star, Volume LIX, Issue 215, 11 September 1928, Page 17

TALES OF THE SEA.

VETERAN'S EXPERIENCES.

SURVIVOR OF TWO. WRECKS.

THE MATAI AND THE WAIRARAPA.

An old veteran of the sea on a visit to Auckland was seen walking up Queen Street this morning talking with some of his friends of former days. He was as hale and hearty as ever and looked as if he could weather a few more storms. The wrecks of the Matai and Wairarapa had apparently not daunted him in the least. Nearly 50 years of life on the sea, during which time he had many exciting and interesting experiences, had made him wish for more.

He recalled that he joined the Union Steam Ship Company in 1881. His first ship was the Beautiful Star on the run between Dunedin and Oamaru. In those days it was necessary to land the passengers at Oamaru in surf boats, and when the sea was too rpugh the steamer had to anchor off Oamaru and wait until the sea fell.

A year later the veteran entered upon the island trade on the Arawata trading between Auckland and Fiji. The chip on the way down used to call at Russell to coal. Four years on thjA run and he transferred to the Matai, which was on the Wellington-East Coast-Auckland run. Often great excitement was caused during the landing in surf boats of passengers and cargo on the East Coast. On one occasion a "blind" roller capsized a boat loaded with stores and a piano when about 150 yards from the beach. The piano was later recovered abd was known to play quite well afterwards. Three months after joining her the Matai became a total wreck on the Red Mercury. She struck about mid-day during a heavy fog. One life was lost, that of the purser. Rivalry Between Companies.' The next change was to the intercolonial service on the ill-fated Wairarapa. The rivalry was just beginning between the Union Company and the Huddart Parker, and in consequence of the low fares the ships were crowded on every trip. The Wairarapa and the Tasmania would leave Sydney together and would remain pretty well together until near the coast. The excitement would then become great and there would be some speculation as to which vessel would make port first. Wreck of Wairarapa. On the occasion of the last race between the two ships the Wairarapa steamed out of Sydney Harbour just four ship lengths in front of the Tasmania, The two vessels were in sight of each other all the way. The Wairarapa sighted the North Cape at nine o'clock in the morning during a heavy fog. The light at Cape Maria Van Diemen was not sighted at all. Everybody went to bed early on the evening before it was expected to reach Auckland, so as to be ready for an early landing. Several passengers made inquiries as to when they would be able to get their mail. The captain was on the bridge all the way down the coast, and at three minutes before midnight on October 28; ,1894, the ship struck the Great Barrier, and within a .quarter of an hour had settled down. All the; crew stood by the passengers and gave them every possible assistance. The boats were got away, but under cover of the fog they drifted eastwards to sea and several of them were lost. With daylight it took the first boat, in which was the narrator of the incidents, three hours before it could land at the eastern end of the island. Fishing boats were sent to help in the rescue. Meanwhile in the early hours of the morning a man had swum ashore with a line. His reaching the shore was due more to luck than to anything else. A large number of persons who were clinging to the rigging were got ashore by the line before the vessel finally went down. The passengers were made as comfortable on the island as possible, and the hospitality.of the Maoris was all that could be desired. The veteran and others slept on the floor in potato sacks, which, he said, were nice and warm. Three days after the wreck the Argyle, making its weekly call at the Great Barrier, unknowingly brought relief. Had she not arrived that day it had been decided that members of the crew who had survived should take one of the lifeboats and attempt to reach the mainland.

The Argyle took the survivors back to Auckland. The veteran and others stayed behind on the Barrier to clean up and to bury the bodies which were recovered. Those that were claimed were brought by the Argyle to Auckland. Rotomahana's Rough Passage. The next recollection which flashed upon the old salt was in connection with the Wellington-Lyttelton ferry Rotomahana, which was his next ship. He recalled her roughest trip when she took two days and fifteen hours to cross from Wellington to Lyttelton. The Rotomahana cleared the heads at six o'clock, and when in mid-straits turned back with the intention of returning to Wellington, but, seeing the danger signals up, she again headed outwards and put in to Port Underwood for shelter. The swell was too big, and it was decided to face the gale. During the night the "greyhound" was blown off the Rotomahana's main truck and lost. The sea smashed the skylights and filled the deck cabins. The Talune was passed going on with a fair wind. Not a passenger appeared at table during the trip, but on arrival at Lyttelton the passengers, who were dead-tired, made for the hotels. About ten years ago, the veteran said, he entered the Island trade with Burns, Philp and Co., and remained in it until two years ago, when he retired. He had plenty of excitement in the Islands, much of which was too exciting to relate. As he left them the friends 1 remarked that the veteran looked none the worse for his experiences.