THE WRECK OF THE JESSIE NICCOL.

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 1100, 12 April 1911, Page 8

THE WRECK OF THE JESSIE NICCOL.

MACQUARIE ISLAND DISASTER. SURVIVORS' STORY. (By Telegraph.—Press Association.) InvcrcargHl, April 11. The auxiliary schooner lluanni, which left the Bluff on March U for Mocquarie Island after news had been received of tlie wreck in December of iho schooner Jessie Niccolj returned to Invercargill to-day with Mrj Joseph Hatch (lessee of the island) on board. Mr. Hatch stated that the Jessie Niccol survivors reported that after landing a party at the island in very rough weather, the Jessie Niccol slipped her moorings and stood out to tlie southward. The shore party saw her miss stays three times and let go anchor not far from the rocks. The shore party could not launch a boat, init stationed themselves on tho beach as near tho vessel as possible. One man (Johnston) tried to swim out to the rock near the vessel, but got tangled in the kelp, and Bauer had to go to his assistance and help him back. The second mate and three of the crowwere running out a kedgc' anchor, and refused to come ashore when advised by the men on shore, saying that they would wait for a change in the weather, although all hands could have easily got ashore. At !).3O tho vessel bumped on tho rock and smashed her rudder to pieces. Tlie shore party again shouted to tho captain and crew to come ashore, as they could do no good on board. Captain Holmes declined, but at 10 a.m. the ship's boat left with the second mate (Mr. Corp) and three A.B.'s, who stated that the captain, mate, and cook had declined to come. The cook had told Mr. Corp that he would swim ashore later. Ho made the attempt about 10.45, but failed, and bad a hard struggle to regain tho vessel. About 11 a.m. a very heavy sea struck the vessel, and she capsized on her port sidi». The water tanks and spars wero all floating about. Captain Holmes was' seen to emerge from the cabin and mako for the starboard side. Ho caught hold of the rail, but the water tank struck him and ho was seen no more.

The cook was standing on the port water tank when thq vessel listed, and the chief mate was climbing the riming. The cook was washed away in a heavy sea, but the mate withstood the seas for a quarter of an hour. The seas wero breaking over him, and eventually he, too, disappeared. Tho captain's body, which was much bruised about the head and face, was washed ashore shortly after noon, but there was no sign of the others by nighttime. Next morning most of the ship was washed up in pieces, and the beach was strewn with wreckage for about a mile. The, second mate's crew in landing on the previous day had had a hard struggle in the- surf, but they managed to reach shore safely after being washed out of their boat. Captain Holmes was buried on tho 21st and the body of the chief mate (Mr. Patterson) was found on the 22-nd in a mutilated state. The cook's Tcmains did not come ashore for over a month. On tho 28th a vessel was sighted and she proved to be tho Ida. 51. Clarke, of Halifax, and Captain Gilbert, when interrogated, said he did not know where he was bound for, but he offered them provisions and promised to report tho wreck. This afternoon an official inquiry into the circumstances of the wreck was held before Mr. Cruickshanks, .S-M.. raid Captains Barber and M'Lcnn. Formal evidence as to the seaworthiness and equipment of the etc., was taken, and the. Court found that, the Jessie. Niocol was properly found, manned, and equipped, and that the casualty was due to the dangerous nature of tho coast. If the captain had hung on to his moorings, even if thr anchor had dragged, the vessel could have been benched on a good shingly beach Masters of vessels could be instructed to anchor at night a quarter of a mile- outside Nugget P.ock. Tho certificate of the second mate was returned.