LOSS OF THE BARQUE AUAZI.

Press, Volume XXII, Issue 2680, 10 March 1874, Page 5 (Supplement)

LOSS OF THE BARQUE AUAZI.

We condense the following account of the loss of this ship from the "New Zealand Herald " of March 2nd and 3rd :—Mr Peter Burley, an old resident in Auckland, and who was a passenger by her, says :—" We passed Tiritiri about 7 p.m. on Saturday night, and instead of making for Rangitito Reef, the captain made for the ,Lake shore. Instead of anchoring under the Reef, he said that he intended working the ship about all night. The captain was on the forecastle, and he reckoned to know all about the harbour, I told him that when vessels could not get a pilot whilst coming in at night, they usually anchored inside the reef. He would not follow this example, but hove the ship to and kept drifting about, remarking that he did not intend to anchor until the morning. I turned in at about ten o'clock, and at about a quarter-past twelve a fellow passenger named Brooks remarked that he believed the pilot was on board, as he heard a strange voice singing out the soundings. This turned out to be incorrect, as it was one of the Bailors that was taking soundings. I heard him call out, " Seven fathoms," and immediately after sang out, "Four fathoms.'' We at once jumped out of our bunks, and went on deck, as we were afraid the vessel would go ashore. The captain was standing at the wheel giving orders. No anchor was let go. The crew were trying to keep her off, but tbe wind was dead on shore. About half-past twelve, as near as I can guess, the ship gave three bumps. She was about eighty yards from the shore. At ten o'clock on Sunday morning myself and another passenger named Wood, lowered ourselves over the side of the vessel into the sea and swam ashore. We had difficulty in doing this, as the captain refused to allow any of us to make for the land. We, however, watched our opportunity and swung ourselves over at a favourable opportunity. Previous to this the captain refused to hoist any signal of distress, or to consent to any of us going ashore, although the passengers went aft in a body and requested him to do so. After the two of us had landed, we walked to the North Shore, and, came ovpr to town on the ferry steamer when we proceeded to Mr A. Heather's residence at Mount Eden, and reported the matter to him.

Another passenger reports that he left the ship shortly after one o'clock yesterday afternoon. To effect this, two of tbe sailors swam ashore with a line, which they made fast to the shore, and were so enabled to haul the boat which they had launched to the shore. The passengers took this opportunity of leaving the vessel, but the captain is stated, without apparent reason, to have ordered them not to leave the ship.

A scene appears to have occurred at this juncture, and one of the crew threatened to lash the captain to a ring-bolt if he persisted in refusing to allow them to leave the ship. The chief officer, Mr Wise, interfered, and persuaded the captain to allow the passengers and crew to depart, and he consented. They came ashore, and have been quartered at the Settlers' houses in the vicinity, including Mr McKay's and Mr Menarey's.. The captain afterwards came ashore. In conversation he appeared unable to account for the vessel going ashore, but stated that [ the second officer, in whoße watch the occurrence happened, waa the worse for liquor. The seaman who was at the wheel at the time boldly stated to our reporter that there were those in charge incapable of performing their duty. There is no doubt that a strict inquiry will be necessary into the circumstances attending the grounding of the vessel:

The captain's statement entirely differs in, many particulars from that of the men. We have previously mentioned that Captain Burgess, the chief pilot, put off to pilot the vessel immediately on her appearing in the offing on Saturday evening. He has kindly supplied our reporter with the following particulars:—Left the North Shore at 6.30 p.m. on Saturday evening in the pilot boat, to look out for the sail in sight which was; then signalled jußt before sundown. The signal was - altered - to' a barque, and I then knew she had- rounded to, as the signalman could not have made her out unless she had done so. I kept on a straight course fully expecting to meet her,, as I thought her captain would come straight; on. I arrived at Tiritiri lighthouse about 11; p.m., and sent Mr W. Burgess and, one of the men ashore to see if the lighthouse-keeper, knew anything of her whereabouts. The. keeper stated that he went on duty about 7 o'clock, and he then saw the barque pass Tiritiri about that time with all courses set.' She hauled to the wind, as if about to heaveto under the lighthouse, but afterwards made right for.the. other shore near the Wade. He then saw her round-to again, as if to anchor, which the keeper concluded she had done. Upon receiving this information I at once put off again, and skirted along the shore! looking for the barque, but could see nothing of her. I then went over to the eastern shore, thinking that the barque had anchored under Motutapn, but could not see anything of her. Came back to the North Shore, and landed at 3.30 a.m. yesterday. About noon I received information that the barque wag ashore in M'Kay's Bay, between Long Bay and the Lake. I at once proceeded to the; spot on horseback, and got on board by wading through the surf. She was on the beach: which is a sandy one. The captain had all sail set, trying to forge her oft. I advised the captain to stow all small sail, and interrogated him as to what time he went on shore f He informed mc that it was about 4 a.m. On questioning the officers, they stated it was about midnight. The vessel lies on a sandy beach with rocks each side of ber. The anchors are good ones. The passengers were _all and nave..gone. to_the_Bfittlera' houses. Captain Burgess further stated that in his opinion there was no fear of the vessef breaking up, unless heavy easterly weather sets in. Alter rendering such assistance as lay in bis power, he came up to town and reported the matter to tbe Harbour Board authorities and to the agents of the vessel.

j According to arrangements made on MonI day evening with Captain Bnrgess, who re- [ mained on board the barque Anazi that night, Bignals were hoisted at the flagstaff, I North Shore, at 7 o'clock this morning, to ] the effect that the barque was afloat. Steam I was at once got upon board the p.a. Golden Crown, and shortly after 9 o'clock she started for the scene of the wreck. She arrived there at 10.30, having on board Captain Clayton (representing the New Zealand Insurance Company) and Mr Lodder (manager of the A.S.P. Company.) It was found that Captain Burgess commenced operations for the floating of the Anazi at 4 o'clock yesterday morning. The crew, assisted by Mr Coombes and the six. men left with him, manning the windlass, at about 6 o'clock the barque began to move, and as the tide rose the work of heaving [ her off to her anchors became more easy;. Fortunately tbe tide was an unusually high one. At 7 o'clock the Anazi had been, sueI cessfully got from her old position on the | beach, and was then riding safely at her two anchors, some 300 yards off the shore. The signal " barque afloat" was then hoisted j on board and it was observed to be answered from the signal station at the North Shore. Captain Burgess now stopped further operations, awaiting the arrival of a steamer to take vessel in tow. Unfortunately, about 9 o'clock, on the ebb tide making down, the barque took the ground with her heel, and she gradually heeled over, lying on her starboard bilge. The signal " Barque aground" was then hoisted, and answered from the signalstation. This was about noon. 1 Just previous to this, a piece of the false keel (some ten feet in length) of the Anazi was found on the beach. It had been broken away from the after part of the vessel, and is supposedto have been done whilst she 7 lay on the beach the previous night. : 'At half-past ten o'clock the p.s. Golden Grown 'arrive— A tow line was passed to the barque by Captain Farquhar, and an attempt was made to tow the vessel off, but it was found that she had too firm a hold of the_ground,and it was therefore decided to lay by until the afternoon's tide. The signal " steamer wait till next tide " waa hoisted, but it was evidently not noticed from the North Head, as the

signal was not repeated from there. The Golden Crown afWr'«Wng --op the attempt to tow the barque off lifted the Anazi's port anchor and carried it but iurthcr, giving her a scope of 60 fathoms of additional chain. She also tripped her starboard anchor. A bout four o'clock in tho nf ternoon the men on board the barque commepced to heave on the anchors, and the »esael floating, she was very soon hove short. The tow-line was now passed from the Golden Crown to the barque, and at 5 o'clock she got under weigh. At this time the signal "barque in tow" was run up at the signal staMon. At 6 o'clock the Golden Crown, with the barque in tow, reached the powder ground. There the Anari anchored, having most for innately escaped from her perilous position with comparatively slight damage.