THE JOHN KNOX AND THE CITY OF NEWCASTLE.

Press, Volume XX, Issue 2996, 10 December 1872, Page 2

THE JOHN KNOX AND THE CITY OF NEWCASTLE.

The " Sydney Morning Herald" of the 23rd November has the following:—"The barque John Knox arrived yesterday, bringing five passengers and three seamen belonging to the City of Newcastle, who were picked up at sea, and Captain Jenkins furnished the following particulars with respect to the circumstances attending the rescue of the unfortunate people: — 'The John Knox left Port Cooper on the 13th instant with a strong fair wind. On the 14th instant at 6.3 p.m., a boat was descried full of people, one mile on the port beam, the vessel then being eight miles from Stephen's Island, in Cook Straits, and going 10} knots. Everything was at once let go by the run, and tbe ship rounded to so aa to bring the boat on the weather beam; a very heavy sea running. On the boat reaching the ship, a line was hove and passed to leeward, and with considerable difficulty all on her were got safely on board. They proved to be four ladies and a little boy and three seamen who had been wrecked on the barque City of Newcastle, from Wellington on the 11th inst, bound to Sydney, which went on shore on the 13th inst. in Cook's Straits, but the spot the survivors did not know, and the only information obtainable from them respecting the accident was that the ship struck at 3.30 am. against what appeared to be a bold bluff cliff. The boat in which they were saved (only 14 feet long) was got out, and the passengers placed in her, as also the three men who were ordered by the captain to pull round a point which he indicated, but they were unable to do so, and got forced by the wind away to sea, and were drifting about for sixteen hours, when providentially sighted and picked up. There was neither water r.or provisions in the boat, and no shelter for the females, and in the midst of * ga'e with the seas continually breaking over thi-in. AH that could be done to attend to their wants was promptly carried out by Captain Jenkins and bis passengers. l>ry clothing was provided as they had saved nothing from the wreck., and the necessary stimulants supplied ; and doubtless, had the John Knox passed them an hour later all would have perished that night. The following are the names of those fayed in the boat:—Mrs Jones sod son, Mis Fox. Mre Pilcher, Miss Cameron, passengers ; A. Smith, J. Palmer. }\ Thorn:***, firaraeu.* " Iv the same issue the " Herald" pnb'_ acs the following letter :—

(TO THE EDITOB OF THE HERALD.) Slß.— Kixtwtng that the columns of your valuable paper are always open to a good ran.™, I will thapk you to insert the following :—The barque John Knox, B. Jenkini, commander, left Port Lyttelton, Jfew £e»» Ja*& on Ots JSifc, injtant, lot $fi_fj,

with a strong fair wind. There were several passengers _on board. The wind continued for some time, thus carrying her on beautifully throughi Cook Straits. When ten miles past Stephen's Island, at about 7 o'clock p.m., on the 14th instant, a small boat full of people was seen by the mate on watch drifting out to sea, in spite of the efforts of the people.in her to keep her in shore. The sea was very rough at th« time, and it was only at short intervals that the boat could be seen., With praiseworthy haste our noble captain hove his ship to, although going ten knots an hour, aid with the aid of his brave men and passengers, sureee<!e:l iv getting all on board the ship safely, though not without risk of lives on their part. The boat had been sixteen hours on the rough sea, and it is needless to say the poor creatures, through nothi..<r to eat or drink throughout the whole of that time, were found in a very precaiious state; and had not aid been giveu all would certainly have been lost before many hours had passed. Having got them on board, the work just begun, and it is with the greatest •pleasure I have to mention that Mrs Jenkins (hs well us Captain) was untiring in her effort:- to relieve the sufferings of the distressed—consisting of four women, three men, and one child. My reason for writing to you is to publicly express the gratitude of all on board to Captain Jenkins aud his wife for theirgreat kindness shown at a time of _eed. The boat containing the distressed belonged to the ship City of Newcastle, which was wrecked in the Straits that morning. By inserting the above, you will greatly oblige, H. A. Davis, (On behalf of self and passengers per John Knox).