BARQUE MUSCOOTA

Dominion, Volume 16, Issue 89, 11 January 1923, Page 3

BARQUE MUSCOOTA

ARRIVAL IN PORT STORY OF THE., COLLISION With her bowsprit askew, but with her rigging otherwise in perfect trim, the four-masted barque Muscoota, which collided with the steamer Ynrra off Wilson’s Promontory, • reached Sydney Hoads in tow after a fast trip up the coast. Tho vessel passed Jervis Bay at 8 o’clock p.m. on Wednesday. December 27, and picked up the tug St. Olaves, north of Point Perpendicular. Pressing on northward with a fair breeze, tho Muscoota did not need the tug and the St. Olaves only got a hue on board a few miles off the Heads for ordinary towing purposes. Regarding the collision tho master of the Muscoota, Captain A. C. Wilvers, was not prepared to make a lengthy statement. “The collision,” he stated briefly, “took place shortly after 9 o’clock on Monday night. After the impact the steamer Yarra. stood by for a couple of hours until it was evident that the Muscoota was not badly damaged, and we then parted company. Our head gear has been carried awa-y and the fore peak is flooded, while our figurehead has been lost.” On being informed that the famous figurehead was on the deck of tho Yarra, Captain Wilvers exclaimed, “I am glad of that; really it was all that was worrying me. We must have that back.”

Crew's Statements. A graphic account of the collision was obtained from some of the crew. “The ship,” related one, ‘left Melbourne on Christmas morning and we were passing through the Bass Strait, nearing the vicinity of Wilson’s Promontory, under full spread, when about an hour before, the collision, we took in our royals. The breeze was not by any means a gale. There was just a- fair breeze, and we were making about eight knots. Most of the crew were beloiv shortly after J o’clock, when the Yarra was firstsighted. It was the mate’s watch and the usual lookout was stationed on the forecastle deck. The Muscoota was close-hauled on the ' pert tack to a northerly wind, and the Yarra appeared to be clear, the way our course was set. Shortly before the crash the steamer seemed to come right across our bows and it was then too late, the collision being imminent.” One of the crew who was forward at the time stated that the impact was severe and that there were two bumps. Tho Muscopta struck the Yarra a glancing blow at the engineroom, and the first striking lifted the former’s bowsprit, and her blow struck immediately afterwards. -the barque then slewed round and some or her port rigging swept tho Yarra. After a space of less than two minutes the vessels were clear and kept I IL..y I le vicinity for about two hours. JVitliout her headsail,” the man continued, “wo were not able to move freely, and for some time we were in danger ot getting on some of tho rocks in the vicinity. The vessel drifted to leeward and we had to negotiate carefully tho Hogan group of rocks. After some time we told the master of the Yarra that we were not damaged, but lie did not tell us ho was seriously hurt. Clearing tho rocks we made out seaward and since then have had fair winds practically right up tho coast. Relatively Small Damage.

Considering the force of the impact and the damage done to the steamer Yarra, tho Muscoota has come out ox the affair with a surprisingly small amount of damage. Her steel. bowsprit, which was knocked aside, is now practically at right angles to. her reel while tho stem of tho vessel is twisted slightly, and at the water line a few plates Lave been dinted . Ihe forecastle deck has been set un a little bv tho force of the collision. and m the roof of the forecastle only a few beams are slightly splintered iho forepeak is separated from Lne mam pariTiof the ship by a bulkhead, and in tho forepeak there Is sported to be about eight feet of water. On hei port side some of the gear has been [raved through • coming into cornet with the rigging or the Yarra <luiin„ the brief time that they were toSC On r iioard the Muscoota is the wife of the mate, Mr. Bod Mackenzie. She is a native of Newcastle, and when tho barque arrived at Melbourne W': 61 ’ she went to the southern capital and boarded the Muscoota to make the trip up the coast. She relates that there was ’no feeling of alarm whei the collision took place, She sat in the chart room aft, and waited until everything was clem.. + i On her decks and in herTioMs the Muscoota carries about 1,010,01 a) t ee of Oregon timber. ' The whole of the chequered career of the Muscoota is attributed by oiw old seafaring hand in. Sydney to a murder which took place on the teasel when, while under the Bntish flag, she bore the original name of Buckingham. The vessel left En ? lal | d ’ c^®t ahi tales, under the. command of Captain Robert Lyell. A few days out the captain while at dinner with Ins wife and chilJ had occasion to remonstrate with the cook. The cook thereupon stabbed Captain Lyell before his wife and disembowelled him. With tie captain in a critical condition, tho barque returned to port, but Captain Lyell died The cook was arrested charged nith murder, and hanged After hei next voyage her owners disposed ot her.