A TRYING EXPERIENCE.

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 1185, 21 July 1911, Page 6

A TRYING EXPERIENCE.

The Otaco river steamer Clutha. had an unpleasant oxnorienee on her voyaec round from Port Chalmers to Port Molynoux. There was a smooth passage all the way tlown on Saturday, but on Sunday morning, when entering: the bar against a strong ebb tide, a heavy breaker caught her aft ouarLcr. ami, the current catching her bow," she swung broadside un and lay helpless in the trough of the sea. heavy waves brcal'.iiicr over her. AMcmnts to lirins her buw on were fruitless, for evenheavy wave lifted her rudder out of the water, .-Hid she was hclpkss. Tile (ires were partially extrmniished, though the stokehole was protected, and 'lie men in the onginc-room were up to the waist in water, which also found its way into the wheelhouse. It was thought that between the rollers she was bumping on the bottom, and those on board had come to the conclusion that disaster was the inevitable result. Captain Under was at the wheel, and even he had almost given up hone of seeing a way out of the difficulty, while Mr. James Stewart, the secretary.-of the ltiver Hoard, considered it was "all up." Just when things looked blackest the conditions chanced slightly, no one knows how. and the captain was enabled to get the boat in hand once more and flic came in. It was n. risky experience l (fays the. "Clinhfl- leader"), but overy man uuck to hit post.