THE S.S. KAKANUI.

Press, Volume XLVIII, Issue 7781, 7 February 1891, Page 6

THE S.S. KAKANUI.

(PBSS3 ASSOCIATION' TB-B-RAMS.)

DUNEDIN, February 6.

Nautical experts here say -that the Kakanui was quite seaworthy for the trip, and the local Lloyd's surveyor is of the -same opinion. The accusation publicly made ae_in«t her owner of avarice is absolutely foundationless, as he received £150 for the trip, which, it is stated, would be exceedingly reasonable. The Mayor has convened a public meeting of citizens tobrganise measures for the relief of the persons afflicted by the loss of the Kakanui. BLUFF, February 6. The Hinemoa sailed at 3.30 p.m. for the Aucklands, Campbell, and Snares Islands to make a further search for the Kakanui.

CAPTAIN FAIRCHILD'S OPINION

On the return of the Hinemoa to the Bluff Captain Fairchild, after giving the reporter of the Southland Times particulars of his visit to the Macquarries, went on to express the opinion that the Kakanui must have been caught in the gale shortly after leaving the island, when the coal having space to shift in, would be an element of danger rather than otherwise, and that she has foundered. Had she merely been disabled she ought to have made some port or other even under sail, and been heard of before tbis ; although, on the other hand, her sails, like those of steamers in general, might not be of much service to her in severe weather. ; Captain Fairchild says that at the Macquarries the barometer frequently falls nine-tenths below the lowest readings here, and that the gales in those latitudes are correspondingly heavier. Shortly after leaving the island on this voyage the Hinemoaencouutered one of great violence, the most severe Captain Fairchild had hadtocontend with, even in these seas, during the past thirteen years. He is of opinion that the Kakanui should never have been sent on such a mission, as, I although he says she was one of the finest little vessels of her kind in the colony, yet, at the same time, she was too small to make a voyage into mid-ocean, and to latitudes where gales of great violence are always occurring. He had remarked to the authorities ox the Marine Department, when he knew that the Kakanui had gone to the Macquarries, " This is another job for the Hinemoa," meaning, of course, that she would have to go after her. He also expresses the opinion that if the Kakanui is knocking about in mid-ocean under sail she would not make for the Bluff, bub for one of the northern ports, such as Dunedin or Lyttelton, as if she had tried to come to the Bluff she would have too many currents and variable winds to contend with. Tbe Hinemoa arrived at the Macquarries last Thursday, at 3 p.m., and remained all Friday, surveying during that time the islands. She left tne Macquarries at 11 a.m. ou Saturday, and fetched the Snare-* on Monday morning. She searched there, and then proceeded to search the islands off Stewart Island, but not a trace of anything appertaining to a ship was discovered. Two vessels were passed at the Snares when the Hinemoa , was going down to tbe Macquarries, but after that no sign of any vessel was seen. Captain Faircnild called in at the Aucklands when coming back, expecting to find the Gratitude there, but he saw nothing of her.

DESCRIPTION OF THE ISLANDS.

Tbe Macquarrie group of islands (says the Otago Daily Times) lie between latitude 5-deg and 56Jeg south and longitude 159deg and 160deg east. At the north end of the group is a bunch of rocks called the Bishop and Clerks, and bunch of ; rocks at the south end is called the Judge 1 and Clerks. - The main island, which is named Macquarrie Island, is about twenty-eight miles long and about five miles wide at the widest part. It is de- ! scribed by one who has been there on several occasions, and who has twice remained for a considerable period on the island, as a "bleak, inhospitable hole," where a fine day very seldom occurs, but where it is raining or snowing or freezing for about nine months out of the year. It is, however,, our informant states, a mistake to suppose that a person can starve on the shore, as the rabbits are very thick and the penguins are innumerable, and one can secure abundance of food of either kind. The penguin meat is quite good, and though not very palatable : contains sufficient nourishment to sustain life for a long period. The great drawback to life on the island is the want of fuel; there is not a scrap of timber to be had—" not a stick," we are told, "as big as a man's finger." The only vegetation the Macquarries is tussock, and even of this the south end of the main island, which is very broken in its formation and is supposed to have been visited by severe earthquakes, is quite bare. From both sides of the island the hills rise sharply out of the water, and there is very little beach. The prevailing winds are west aud southwest, and ou account of their prevaleucy and severity it is rarely possible to effect a landing on the west side. On the east, or leeward, there are four landing places, opposite each of which a wooden hut, capable of accommodating seven or eight men, was built. These places, which were chosen as being the most convenient spots for landing, are at the north head, at a place called * South - east Harbor (though why named is somewhat puzzling, as there is no harbor in tha island), ac Lusitauia Bay, and at the south end. AU the landing has to be effected by boat. Even on the east side the force of the wind is frequently so severe that vessels have been driven to sea. On one occasion the schooner, Jessie Niccoll, of 90 tons, while anchored in Lusitauia Bay, where she was to a certain extent sheltered by the hills from th'e prevailing wind, was blown out to sea; and for a vessel to lose her chains and anchors on the coast is a common occurrence. The same schooner, which is well known throughout the colony as a fast sailor, was overtaken on another occasion, when returning to New Zealand, by a south-west gale, this being a fair wind for her, and she was unable to travel fast enough to keep ahead of the wind, but had to be hove to. The seas that are encountered on the New Zealand coast are, our informant says, nothing as compared with the tremendous seas that are sometimes encountered in the high latitudes of the Auckland and Macquarrie Islands.

The authority to whom we are indebted for the foregoing information (adds our contemporary) has no hopes for the safety of the Kakanui, and is of opinion that it was a mistake to have sent that vessel to the Macquarries, though he says there would be a bare possibility of a whaleboat getting down iv certain weather. His theory is that a heavy gale sprung up after the Kakanui left-the island, and that while she was running before it some of the heavy seas which are frequently met i with in these regions, washed over her, flooding her engine room ahd extinguishj ing- her fires, and, if that were so, she would be rendered helpless and would not likely be able to recover herself as under similar circumstances a sailing vessel might do, but would almost inevitable founder. This view is .entertained iv many quarters, though not always in its entirety. The Kakanui possessed the reputation of being a very smart boat at running before the wind, and ie is conjectured that, as Captain Best would naturally be desirous of returning to New Zealand as speedily as possible, the most was made of the opportunity until it was too late to heave-to. On the other hand, it is contended that as tbe Kakanui had left on her return voyage two days before the gale of the sth January sprang up, she should by that time have got beyond the region of the severe weather which is known to prevail in the neighborhood of j the Macquarries, and thus have escaped it. All this, however, is mere conjecture. ! The ugly fact remains that while the ' little steamer made the passage in eight days from the Bluff down to the Macquarries, calling at Stewart's Island en route, thirty-three days have intervened since the date of _er departure from the Macquarries and the present time, and it Known that two days after her departure a gale of unusual .severity set k in. The inference is irresistible.