PERILOUS EXPERIENCE OF A SHIP'S CREW.

Press, Volume LV, Issue 9992, 23 March 1898, Page 5

PERILOUS EXPERIENCE OF A SHIP'S CREW.

SYDNEY, March 16. . Some castaway mariners arrived at Sydney from New. Caledonia by the Ville de la Cidtat to-day. Included amongst them was the crew of the four-masted iron barque ft_SalJg_ol.G/arry, a vessel of 2000 tons. The loading nickel at Haven, and had about a thousand tons of ore on ■board when a hurricane struck the port. The vessel, after resisting for some hours, began to drift towards the shore, one of the anchors having parted at . 6 p.m., and the ship was driven on to the reef an hour later. Her crew had an awful time, the ship was all awash, and the whole Of the ship's company had to take to the rigging for safety, where they remained for several hours, tremendous seas rolling On board and rain falling in torrents. Three of the lifeboats were carried away, and the fourth, which was the only one left, was greatly damaged. All moveables were washed overboard, and everything not made of iron was smashed. . All the doors were broken, and the cabins and saloon were completely wrecked. The gale raged until half-post one that night, when the wind suddenly ceased for a little, then veered round, and began to blow heavily from tho eastward, This heeled the ship over to about 18deg or 20deg to starboard. After the cyclone abated a boat was sent from the ship Indore, and the crew were taken: on board that vessel, where they remained for two days before thoy were taken ashore by the Nickel Company's steamer. When the cirew arrived on shore they found that the hurricane had done extensive damage. Only a few houses were left standing, and the mariners were comgelled to sleep out in the rain. The Falls of arry is a total wreck. The crew were able, after the gale abated, to save most of

their effects.