THE CATTERTHUN DISASTER.

Daily Telegraph (Napier), Issue 7440, 10 August 1895, Page 3

THE CATTERTHUN DISASTER.

FURTHER PARTICULARS.

SURVIVORS' STATEMENTS

BODIES PICKED UP.

i_B3 _882. ABSO-ATIOK.—COPYEIGHT.j

(Received August 10, 13.15 a.m )

Sydney, This day,

The second mate snys : —Everyone—the oaptain, officers, and men—were perfectly sober. Everything was working smoothly. The captain had not turned in, but was up and down from the bridge to the chart room all night. After the steamer struok the orew and passengers were orderly and quiet. The boats were oleared in eight minutes. The third mate aod the chief steward were told off to assist the passengers, I was waßhed overboard after requeuing the engineer to go to the oaptain. The vessel lies four miles north-»aet of Sugar Point Loaf. Dr Oopoin&n says:—The chief officer, Dr And .rson (of the ship;, Mr Crane and I, had boon sitting smoking in tha chief officer's cabin until about 10 o'clock, when wo all retired. Curiously enough, one of the topics of conversation was the wreck of the Wairarapa. "i ho ohi.f officer had remarked, ".t have quite mado up my mind that whatever death I die I will not be drowned."

Captain 1 _wkes states that the nighf was fairly clear, as he saw the lighthouse when in the water.

Further particulars show that the survivors of the wreck hid a terrible experience in the boat whioh wai the means of saving their lives. When the boat was being lowored she was struok by a sea, and a large hole knoo_<_ in her bows. Aa a oonsequonoo those on board had to keep bailing during the wholo time. They were iv a miserably exhausted condition, and after their immersion in the water their misiry was accentuated by the soas constantly breaking over the boat and drenohing the occupants. A outter was picked up yesterday containing the body a Chinaman with his sknll smashed in.

A tug plckod up the bodies of two others belonging to tho Asiatic orew.