AN UNLUCKY SCOW.

Press, Volume LVIII, Issue 11084, 1 October 1901, Page 5

AN UNLUCKY SCOW.

THE WHAKAPAI CAPSIZED

FOUR MEN DBOWNED

(PBESS ASSOCIATION , TKLEGHAM.} GISBORNE, September 30. The scow Whakap<u was got off the beach at Tokomara afc six yesterday moaning, and stood away to the north bound for Auckland. About ten o'clock she put into Tuparoa flying signals of distress, but observing the Tβ Anau coming down the ' coast, .she stood out again to meet her. A I squall coming on obscured botn vessels. Later news has been received from Awanui that the Whak&p&i capsized between •East Tsland and the mainland. The crew clung to hex for two hours, and were washed off. Four, including Captain Bonner, were j drowned, and' one, whose name at presentis unknown, got ashore safely. The native who brought the inforaicition forgot to, en- j quire his name. He is expected to reach ! Awanui to-morrow morning , . The Maoris are now searching for the bodies. Oaptain Banner was master of tlio Whakapai, well 'known atGisbornd. H6 was for some time second officer of the Union Com-1 pane's Kiaora, and left 'her to engage in | trawling" at this port, subsequently taking I charge of the Wlmkapai By c. strange coincidence his father, .who was the master of the scow Qban, lost his vessel in the PeloruS) Sound a we*k or two ago, and with another son had to cling to tiee capsized vessel for several hours before being rescued. ! There are no Europeans living in ths j vicinity of the scene of the .casualty* aad the ' .bodi«s v Trill probably be' buried. Arh«re they! are found without en inquest being, held, It I is impossible to ascertain the names of the j crew here, for though they spent several weeks at Tnkoniaru, ami became well known, nobody seems to have enquired their names. ' A 'blacksmith nam«d Double joined the : vessel at Tokomaru, with the intention' of working his passage to Auckland, .and is , believed to have been drowned. The passage between. East Island and th© East Cape, where th© scow capsized/ is narrow and dangerous, and it is thought that Captain Bonner had lost control of his vessel and was driven in there. The accident took place within sight of the lighthouse, though the keepers would have been unable to render any assistance. Captain Bonner had only been married five .months. His wife resides at Nelson. The native who brought the news of the Wha&apai wreck to Awanui state? that | there was & very heavy sea And strong current, running between the island and the mainland, the distance across being About three miles. It was apparent something i was wrong with the vessel, but no assists ance could be rendered from the shore.

Sudenly, says the native, the vessel turned complexly over, and then five men were seen to be clinging to the vessel. The natives were nearly distracted, running about and ehoutinjz out, and very keenly feeling ;their helplessness. A big wave came, and-one poor fellow, .alter, a' hard light, was swept off. He waa engulfed in the waves, and was seen no more. Then one by one the other men" were swept from the wreck, and when the five had disappeared it was- thought all had met a'watery grave, but"close watching descried ft dark object, which was then, seen to be a mem clinging to something in the rough water. The current and his own efforts carried him shorewards, tut he eeemed exhausted. Then a native named : Kahere swam out, reaohed the .drowning man, and helped him inwards. . As he got closer the other natives assisted, and the mail was- rescued in an exhausted condition. The name of the survivor was not asked, biit from the description it is almost certain to be James Bertie, .mate bf the scow, Constable Kelly gave -instructions for the aurvivor to come to the Awanui telephone station, btit further information is not" likely to arrive to-night. The swollen.rivers make a jouftney of twenty-four miles necessary, instead of tea miles.'