SAVED FROM THE SEA.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 276, 14 August 1908, Page 10

SAVED FROM THE SEA.

THE BARQUE JOSEFA.

A PERILOUS VOYAGE. Newcastle, August 6. The German barquo Josefa, in command of Captain'-Willeinborgj was towed into Port Hunter this morning. After her experiences off the coast during a gale she presented a most woebegone appearance, and the wonder is that she was able to survive the terrific buffeting she was subjected to. She lies at a buoy, dismasted and dismantled, but nevertheless safe, witli hor captain and crow of fourteen men aboard worn out and exhausted. The ship gives corroboration to tho story told by the captain. The Josefa untila few days ago was a trim, well built" threemasted barque, but to-day she is a floating wreck. Her deck has been stripped of almost everything from stem to stern, and only two solitary poles, with a single yarn across, remain as mute testimony to tho violence of the storm From a broken bowsprit hang the ends of tangled cordage, and along the. sides of the hull the iron railing has been twisted like so.,much wire.. Only the capstan head is to bo seen on the forecastle deck, and tho well of tho ship is filled with a mass of damaged running gear. The poop deck is destitute of fittings, and even the steering wheel has been wrenched off its pivot. The mizzenmast has gone completely. Under the-hatch-way, too, the same evidence of damage is discernible. Tho ballast, consisting of Chilian gravel, is piled high up on the starboard side, and a miniaturo sea washes to and fro within. j Captain Willemborg stated that ho left Callao in ballast for Newcastle, and after passing Lord Howe Island met with a, succession of gales.- On Monday' last, .' when about-160 miles off the Australian coast, he-saw that the weather was likely'to be very 'dirty, so :ho shortened sail and mado things snug. As the wind' increased in fury a tcrrific sea came up from the south, and tho barque was thrown oil her beam ends; To make matters worse; .tho ■ shinglo' ballast shifted, and tho ship took a dangerous; list to starboard and became unmanageable... The rail was under water,. and so great was the of tho list that - the crew had much difficulty in retaining their hold on tho deck, and were in momentary |diihfeer i ;.lgfj,.beipg, carried overboard <by "the enormous volumes of water that at times swept over the boat. While the gale was at its height the masts were swaying about in an alarming manner, and as somo portions of the foremasts and mainmasts were damaged and likely to imperil the lives of those aboard, they were cut away. This .steadied the barquo, somewhat, and the crew , were then sent below to,trim the ballast'. On Tuesday,morning a tremendous sea. was still running, and-it was decided-to make 'towards land. Tho crow constructed a sea anchor out of some sails, and this was .thrown overboard with about 120 fathoms of line, and served to; keep tho' barque's head to! the sea. At 10 o'clock that night she was only two' miles' off. shore, about five miles' south-east of Sugarloaf Point. The "captain then dropped both anchors, one with .150 fathoms of cable and the • other with 60 fathoms of line. Fortunately .tho' anchors held. . ' • '■

While lying at anchor off Fiona beach tho vessel was almost in the breakers, and a tremendous swell was coming in, causing tho barque ,to roll to such an extent' that the, mizzeumast was carried away completely, and the running gear had to be cut to clear tho ship. The jibboom was also wrenched out of its socket, and the deck fittings parted company with the vessel. Signals of distress were made, and these were observed from the lighthouse on Sugarloaf. About 10' o'clock yesterday morning a boat from 'a passing steamer, which tho captain thought was tho Aramac, came alongside tho Josefa, and offered to take all hands off. The captain said he would stand by his ship, but ho gave tho crew permission to leave if they so desired. They, however, preferred to hold on. At 4.30 p.m. tho tug Champion arrived, and no time was lost,in getting a line aboard. The crew were so exhausted with shovelling tho shifting balast that they could not. haul in the anchors, so the cables wero slipped rnd the low to Newcastle commenced.

Tho captain spoke in terms of praise of his crew. Every man, he. declared, did his'best in most trying circumstances, and it was gratifying to him to know that not one of his hands had been injured or lost and that he.was abb to reach port in his own ship.