Figurehead From Wreck At Auckland Islands

Press, Volume CX, Issue 32322, 13 June 1970, Page 5

Figurehead From Wreck At Auckland Islands

MUSEUM OF / NATURE

by the Canterbury Museum)

In 1945, the New Zealand Government presented to the Canterbury Museum a lifesized bust of Queen Victoria: the figurehead of the barque, Derry Castle. Today this is displayed in the Hall of Colonial Settlement above the doorway to the Hall of Biology. Visitors to 'the museum frequently ask about its origins.

On March 20, 1887, the iron barque, Derry Castle of 1317 tons, nine days out from Geelong, bound for Falmouth, was wrecked on Enderby Island in the Aucklands group. The weather was very foggy and without warning, the barque ran on to submerged rocks and bumped over them with terrific force. The bow dropped into deep water, the stern resting high on the reef. In a very few. minutes the Derry Castle broke in two and all on board were either washed off or jumped overboard. Only eight exhausted men reached the rocks, the other 15 members of the crew being drowned. When daylight came the survivors found themselves on a wild deserted shore. They commenced to search for shellfish and came upon the bodies of their shipmates. They had no fire, and no food except shellfish. The island was explored and the survivors were cheered by finding on the other side a small closed hut, which, however, contained no food.

Food Depot At this time the New Zealand Government maintained one food depot on the Auckland Islands at Port Ross.

The castaways could see this depot but could not reach it. They found a box of wooden matches, but they failed to light. A fire was later lit by exploding the cap of a revolver cartridge which one of the survivors found in his pocket. The fire was tended with the greatest care until the party eseaped from the island.

A small quantity of wheat obtained when the wreck occurred was dried, crushed into powder, mixed with hot water and eaten. This, with a few shellfish, formed their only food. After being 92 days on the island, hope of deliverance

from their isolation was revived by the discovery of an old axe head buried in the sand. It was quickly realised that here was a tool for making a boat. The men collected all the wreckage they could find, and carried it to the other side of the island, as no boat could be launched from the locality where the Derry Castle had been wrecked.

Primitive Boat

After prolonged labour, a most original boat was constructed. It was nothing more than an oblong box, 6 feet long by 2| feet wide, with the ends turned up like a Norwegian pram. The boat was launched and two of the part}’ set out for Port Ross. The boat passed out of sight, and two days later smoke was seen to rise from the direction of Port Ross. The two men returned in the hoat with provisions and clothing and in a few days the eight survivors were safe at the Port Ross depot. Here they remained till July 19, when the small steamer Awarua put into Port Ross. The shipwrecked party was taken under the protection of Captain Dow of the Awarua and taken to Melbourne.

The loss of the Derry Castle was attributed to faulty charts. The scene of the wreck was subsequently visited by Captain Fairchild of the Government lighthouse steamer Stella. Captain Fairchild found the figurehead of the Derry Castle (now hanging in the Canterbury Museum) marking the graves of those members of the crew who had been buried by the survivors. Before leaving, he collected other relics of the wreck, such as the barque’s main boom and a lifebuoy and brou<-’-t them to New Zealand.—J.H.J.