THE LOSS OF THE TARARUA.

Daily Telegraph (Napier), Issue 3076, 6 May 1881, Page 3

THE LOSS OF THE TARARUA.

A SAD STORY.

(BY TELEGRAPH.)

The Rev. W. W. Fairclough, Wesleyan minister, who is at present at the scene of the late disaster to the Tararua, forwards us the following sad narrative of the wreck by one of the seamen : — Wtndham, May 6.

Frank Denz, a 6earnan, relates: I married in Auckland two years and a half ago. We had one child fifteen months old. I persuaded my wife to visit Melbourne, and the Company let me take her at half price. When she came on board Captain Garrard came forward, and said to her, " I'll give you the other half of the fare, and you can buy a new dress with it." Poor girl she never got it. When we got to Port Chalmers my wife and Mary Kelly went to Dunedin. I warned them carefully to come by the 3 o'clock train. I wish to the Lord I had told them six o'clock. The man who had been at the wheel before me relieved me for a few minutes to get some coffee. I took the coffee, and came back to drink as the ship struck. She was full almost at once. My wife, Mary Kelly, and another women clung to me naked, and the back wash of the sea that broke over carried us right aft. The women all screamed at first, but were soon brave, and believed us when we said there was no danger. They were put in the smoke-house and covered. I put a rug and my jacket on my wife. Mary j Kelly would not go into the house, but helped with the ropes, an J seemed to wish to encouiage the men. But they were not afraid ; they made the same noise as ever. You would have thought to hear them swear, but they could not sink. I was not more afraid than the rest, but the wife kept clinging to me, and that made me weak. The captain was cross and scolded me, but I could not pußh her away at such a time. I wish to God 1 had taken my chum's advice, and put her and the child in the second mate's boat. Then I would not have to look for them on the beach. When the carpenter was ordered out of the boat for him to take charge, he said, " Thank God, I'm safe." Tbe ship was the safest place then. If the wind had not come up she would have been there yet. The men complained of one of the hands in the boat that he was afraid of getting wet, and kept looking for the sea and missing the stroke. The captain had him hoisted out, and he also said, "Praise God, I'm out other." I was ordered to take his place. I was crying, as I could not bear leaving the wife "and child. The captain was not cross then ; he persuaded and held out his arms for the child. I gave her to him, and said, "Now, Captain, you'll look after her, won't you." He said, " Yes, Frank, I will, be sure of that." I tied the baby's hood on. This is it (holding up a little blue hood). I found it on the beach. I held this shewl (holding it up) round the wife, and

lashed it on with two Manilla yarns. See how its torn with washing off. That's all that is left to me now. I would not take £50 for those two things. I had £11 and a watch. I gave them to her to make her feel safe, and so that she would have something if I was drowned. She cried out to the other woman, " Don't be afraid, Frank will save us; he's going in the boat." She thought I could do anything, poor girl. I think I hear her now. Our baat is twenty-four feet long, but it upset end over end and not sideways; that will show you how the sea was. We all got ashore but the boy who cleaned the brass on the ship. # Just before we upset the poor fellow said, " I believe its through me the vessel struck, for I'm very unlucky." I daresay those on board thought it very bard tbat we did not come back, but they saw the fix we were in. I would have gone back to the wife if I had been sure of being lost. Perhaps I would not now, but all that day I would. I never prayed so much in my life before. I prayed for her, and then ran again to the point to see if there was a steamer coming frora the Bluff. I saw, when the steamer broke away, the side of the smoke-house, and the captain had the women forward. He had my little girl in his arms. When the cook came ashore he told me that Mary Kelly was washed off at the same time as himself. He tried his best to save ber, but could not. Dr. Campbell was setting the engineer's leg, and was washed off at the same time Long before dark all the women were drowned, and all the chlidren but my child. The captain was in the rigging holding her, There were about forty men in the rigging. I kept my eye on them. As it grew dark the last thing I saw was the captain holding my little girl. I'm sure he died with her in his arms, but he could not save her." No, it was not to be ;it was not to be;" and, playing with the little blue hood, he sobbed audibly. The above is not colored, but only arranged a little. Dunedin, May 6. The bodies from the Tararua wreck lately washed ashore were decomposed and unrecognisable, and will be buried at once.