NARRATIVES OF SURVIVORS. [united press association.]

Evening Post, Volume XXI, Issue 101, 2 May 1881, Page 2

NARRATIVES OF SURVIVORS. [united press association.]

John Chatterton said — I was a steerage passenger. I went off in the mate's boat at 10 a.m. on Friday, 29th April, with three passengers, five of the crew, and a lad (a brass cleaner). On nearing tho beach a wave capsized the boat, and all hands had to swim for it. After a desperate struggle all succeeded in reaching the beach but the boy. who was drowned. When the ship struck I wa3 in my bunk, and, hearing tho noise, said, "What's that? We are on a rock." Th»re was an immediate rush on deck, and soon all the passengers wore there. All was quiet and orderly. Directly she struck, the sea broke over her stern and carried away the rndder, the wheel, and the after-gear. We were, I should say, a mile and a-half from the shore, and drifted to within half a mile. She struck at a quarter past five, and a quarter before 6 a.m. the first boat was sent away. The first boat which tried to leave was carried away out of the davits. Soon after I got off the women were carried to the forecastle, and at 2 p.m. the men began to take to the rigging. Lights were burnt through the night, and about 2.53 on Saturday morning I heard a loud shout of "Bring a boat." We could see the outline of the vessel before this, but nothing after. A large quantity of cargo, &c, was washed ashore. One of tho cabin passengers (a man) came ashore about 4 p id. on Saturday, but he died just as they hauled him on the beach. A young girl came ashore on the reef about 11 a.m. on Saturday. She was much disfigured about the face. We on shore could do nothing to assist them. I should think there were about sixty itt 'the fore-cabin and about twenty females in the second ladies' cabin. 1 shipped at Auckland for Melbourne, and have lost everything except what I stood up in. Attei' the boat was upset I was turned over several times. I could not swim all the time, but had to wait for a smooth sea and then strike out After I got on Bhore I Baw several persons clinging to pieces of wreck, but as they got near the beach they fell off, and I saw no more of them. Antonio Micallef said — I am chief cook of the Tararua. At 5 a.m. on Friday Mr. Ellen, the chief steward, came to me and gave me his orders for the day. I dressed and went on deck, and then heard the ship bump and strike. About ten minutes later sho struck again, and the captain told the second officer > to call all hands, which waa done, and he afterwards gave orders to atop the engines. Mr. Munro, the chief engineer, asked me to take care of his little boy. 1 kept the child for about half an hour, and then Mr. Mnnro took it from me. I then went to the saloon and assisted the steward to get out the passengera. There were about five ladies and some children — four of the children belonged to Dr. and Mrs. Campbell, who joined at Christchnrcli. The passengers were then '.Temoved from the poop to the smoking cabin, as the vessel was breaking- up aft Before this the captain had sent the second officer away in the boat to fi&ek a landing place, and had fired two guns and three rockets. The chief officer's boat was then got out and left in charge of Mr. Lindsay and his boat's crew and two passengers. When the tido went down Captain Garrard a?ked me to go below and cook some meat. I did bo, and served out meat, potatoes, and coffee. Mr. Ellen afterward directed me to go to the smoking-room and to tho bridge to get some meat, bread, &c., ready for landing to supply to the

people. I did so, and as my galley was filling with water I went on deck. About 2 p.m. on Friday the ship was fast breaking up and had driven further in shore. The captain then gave orders to carry the females to the forecastle-head. He carried them himself from the smoking-room, and we took them forward. We afterwards got on the forecastle, and the captain said : " I have done all I can ; I have no boats available ; the tide will be out in another half -hour, and I will try to do the best I can." Immediately he ended speaking, a heavy sea oame and carried away the dingy and cutter. We stood on the forecastle until another heavy sea struck her, and as there was a rush of passengera to the side, the roil carried away, and I and about sixteen others fell overboard. The captain exclaimed, ''Oh, God, what are we to do now?" I picked up a young lady, a Hobart native, and managed to keep her afloat for about five minutes, calling out for a rope, when a big sea struck us, and she was washed from my hold. I saw her no more. I then made for the shore, and encountered a lot of wreckage floating about. I got clear of it with great difficulty, and before I reached tho beaoh I wa3 nearly exhausted, and called out to one of the passengers ashore to help me. He pulled me out and put me on a sleigh, and laid me before a fire, where I was supplied with a drop of brandy. After resting at the fire for half-an-hour, 1 was taken to the farm, supplied with dry clothes, and put to bed. This waa about 5 p.m. on Friday. I saw a lot of people in the riggintr , viz., Mr. Ellen (chief steward), James Warren (second steward), Wm. Smith (pantryman), J. Davidson (the second fore-cabin steward), and the boy Tommy. Jas. Collins, the fore-cabin steward, wa3 drowned. I saw somo firemen on the rigging. The sailors left on board wero George Home and Hugh Poison. The captain mado for tha rigging. Tho engineers wero on the forecastle head. The third engineer, Mr. Alex. Sutherland, had his leg broken in the morning by a Bea. I am anxious to thank the kind people (who were so good to us all) for their generous treatment. G. L. Lawrence said— When tho ship struck I went aft on the bridge, where I found the captain and both officers. The captain was giving orders to lower the boats. The seamen and firemen were steady and obeying orders, but the passengers were confused. Tho starboard boat was stove in. The port boat was then lowered, and the second mate sent away in charge. The captain asked me if I could swim, and if I would go in the boat and see if I could get to land. There were four seamen in the boat. When we were about 500 yards from the ship, and about the same distance from the shore, the mate told me to stand by, and he would give me a chance to go ashore. In a lull of the waves I jumped in, and had to tumble until I was in the surf, which was so heavy that I rolled over many times. I kept my senses, and at last got in on the top of a breaker. |I was cold, co ran about the beach to circulate the blood, and whon warmed a little, I made for a house about half a mile off, and askod them to send a man to telegraph that the Tararua had struck, and required assistance. They sent a man on horseback at once. I returned to the beach as quickly as possible, and was just in time to help ashore three out of the six men who came in the second mate's boat on her second trip. I tried to go on the reef, so as to get a line ashore there to land tho passengers, but it was impossible to do anything. I was washed off, and went back to the beach. The chief mate then tried to come in near enough to oast a line ashore, but his boat swamped. However, eight of the nine that were in her landed safely. The ninth was a little lamp trimmer, who had joined the. ship at Port Chalmers, and he was drowned. After the second mate Btood out to sea we noticed tho people beiug waßhed off the forcastlo head, and the party went down to the beach in twos and threes to see if any assistance could bo given to any who were washed ashore. One passenger (Robins) succeeded in getting hold of the cook, and was put on a sledge and than taken up to the station. We built a fire on Ino beach, and left two men in charge of it while we went up to th<) station for food and dry clothes. We were there about an hour, when we heard cheering from the Btoamer. This we supposed to be an expression of delight ab the poor creatures seeing a steamer standing towards the Bluff. At this time tho forcastle head was clear, the people having all taken to the rigging, where they were burning matches. We saw the burning of matches occasionally till about 11 o'clock. About 25 minutes to 3we heard shrioks from the vessel. We ran on to the beach and heard a voice, supposed to be the captain's, singing out for a boat. That was whal wo made out through tho noise of tho Burf. That was the last we heard of her. At daybreak we saw sho was gono. The Kakanui could not havo got near the Tararua in any case, on account of the surf. We worked about the beach to look for traces of bodies, and at two different times we picked up a young woman about 17 and a young man about 25. The girl's body was left in charge of the mate. A young fellow was seen fighting hia way through the^anrf with a life-buoy, but he lost tha life-Waby, and died just as we pulled him ashore. George Robin, a steerage passenger from Otago to Melbourne, gives the following details—l left the ship by the last trip of the first officer's boat. Jn&t as we reached the beach the boat capsized, ai.d I *nade for the shore. As soon as we landed, wo lit a fire on the beach, and kept it bnruing all night. The passengers were then olinging to the rigging. I picked the cook up out of the water as he swam ashore. Our boat was capsized right on top of us, and when we extricated ourselves I swam ashore. The sea was very rough. Gustave Tellein, another steerage passenger, corroborated what fiobin has stated. When tho ship first struck it seemed but a slight Bhock, but after that she bumped heavily. Tho seoond time she struck a hole wai made in her, and she continued striking until she finally broke up. Captain Garrard was very cool, and gave his orders very collectedly. He (Tellein) thought he did all in his power to save them and the ship. Robin picked up the body of a Ealoon passenger. He was entirely nude, and about thirty years of age. He had reddish brown whisker 3 and moustache. Wm. Hill said — I was a through passenger for England in the steerage with my wife and child. At the time the ship struck I went on deck to look for my wife and child. I found her washing about the deck (the females wore berthed in another compartment of the steerage) with the child in her arms. All was confusion ; the women and children were screaming; the vessel was bumping heavily on the rocks, and a heavy sea was washing over her I told my wife to hold on to a stanchion, and went to sec if there was any means of getting a boat. I found all was contusion. At last the Btarboard boat was got ont, and as she was being lowered from the davits a sea struck her and she was stove in. The men got back to the ship, and after some delay a boat was got out on the port side, and than Captain Garrard succeeded in restoring order. He put the second mate in charge of the boat, and it went round to the starboard (the lee side) and the men who could swim were also placed in her in order that they might carry the intelligence to the land The boat succeeded in getting near the shore, and a man then swam ashore. The boat returned to the ship, and the passengers were anxious to get in. A line was hove from the yard-arm and six passengers were lowered into her. They were cautioned not to go unless they could swim. I saw them afterwards struggling in tho water. I alludo to the passengers. I only saw three of them gain the shore. It was getting light at the time When the boat returned, the captain said he would not risk any more going, and the females were donveyed to tho smoking-room in front-of the bridge. I think it was the captain who said to me, " Get your wife and child into the smoking-room, they will be all .right there." lAc Fea was breakingover the vessel aft. I said to mj wifo;if a chance of getting away to «lld|jt»Bsuicance I would go, as I should nofbettlfovrßd.to remain with her. I took a survey of the shoz&^d, seeing a smooth part near the reef, ,t, w*pt to the captain and called his attention io it, asking if there was not a possibility of -landing «b that part of tfae reef. iHesent away a second boat, in charge of- the carpenter.' I did nut see her -leave the Bhip,i;bnfc when she came back the carpenter eaid ho thought it yna possible to land on the reef. A kedgtfjatftHor was then put in the boat. 1 asked the captain to allow me to go to the reef atuL6Xi_aine it, and said I would hold np my arm* as ii signal if it were safe to bind on. One of th« firemen went with me and the boat's crew. On nearing the reef, in the second mate's boat, we found it was not so smooth as it appeared — it was very rough, and there was a heavy sea rolling over it. The fireman swam from the boat to the surf. It was a very dangerous plan. I returned to the ship and then went back to the reef for the fireman, who swam out to the boat and was taken on board. He was greatly exhausted. We could not get alongside the ship again on account of the high seas, 'lhechiet officer and a boat's crew tri»d to land on the reef, but could not, and they made for the beach. At this time the Hawea made the scene of the disaster, and Mr. Hill's attention being attracted to the wreckage, no farther statement could be procured from him.