A BARQUE IN DISTRESS.

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 533, 14 June 1909, Page 9

A BARQUE IN DISTRESS.

TOWED INTO AUCKLAND. (BT TELEOJUrBV-rRESS ASSOCIATION.) ■■■ .' Auckland, June 11. A barque in-distress was sighted off Tiritjri shortly after daylight tlijs morning. She -proved to be tho Kaiuiani,. bound from Newcastle to Honolulu, and was making for Auckland to havo repairs effected to hor rudder, which was brofcon in heavy weather. The barquo was being steered by. a jury nuk der, and signalled tor a tug, and -subsequently the Harbour Board tug, Tβ Awhina. towed her into the 'harboiir, tho vessel anchoring' before 1 o'clock. She Jost the greater part of her rudder in a heavy gale on May 16, when ehp was about 000 miles off East' Cape, Now Zealand. Say* oral sails were also carried away during the storm, which lasted' for three days. After that a week was spent in fixing up' jury tackle for the remnant of the rudder—a' notnblo undertaking, in which an Italian member of the crew played a prominent part. None the losfl romarkablo was tho fine achievement of the master (Captain Colby) in navigating the barque back to Auokland under the circumstances, .■■..;. . ' The'barque has 3 full cargo of coal, which will have to bo discharged to enable a new rudder to be shipped, , ■ A TWILLING INCIDENT. (b* tsWgbapji—si'Bcut. roiiitKnrattqiNT i • Auokland, Juno 12. . A •thrilling story of the narrow escape from death of a seaman belonging to tho American barque' Kajulani, which put into Auokland yesterday- morning, in distress,- and. of the presence of mind of the- captain, is told by a member of tho crow. The barque 'en* countered very heavy weathor for some daya, and shipped Lrogo sca.g, one of which broko tho rudder in throe places. The vessel was at tho mercy of the vavea for threo days, at the end of whioh period tho "sbipper" decided to jury-rig the rudder. Tho performan.ee of this operation wqs highly daugerons, and was rendered doublv so on tho second day by tho fmpearanco of a huge bluo shark, estimated io bo /bvor 12ft. in length. Tho diver, an Italian seaman, who had "gone below" on tho first day, became alarmed at tho presenco of tho monster, and an attempt was made to ca*>tnr,o it with a lino. In tho meantime tho diver made a descent, and succeeded in carrying out life work, but net before ho had a sensational experience, Tho: shark 'suddenly .made his reappearance quite olose to iho diver, aud was apparently about to seize-him, when the oantain, who was keeping a watchful oyo on tno member of Wβ orew, drew hio revolver and firod at tlio shirk at a distance of 18 feot. Tho bnllet found its mark, and the monstor rolled over on its side, and wae scon no more.