DISCOVERY OF THE SIR DONALD. Gisborne, This Day.

Evening Post, Volume XXXIII, Issue 120, 23 May 1887, Page 2

DISCOVERY OF THE SIR DONALD. Gisborne, This Day.

in Napior, which ia already sufficiently saddened by the disaster to the Boojnm livßfc week when endeavouring to succour the illfated Northumberland.

[The Sir Donald was a small composite screw Bteamer, 29 tons net register, built in Auckland is 1874. Dimensions— Lengtbt, 65ft lin ; breadth, 14ft sin ; depth 6ft 7in . She had recently been supplied with new* boilers, and her engines were 14 h.p. The Sir Donald -was owned by J. G. Kinross, of Napier, and ia understood not to have been insured. Her trade .was principally between Gisborne and Napier.] '

On Saturday night it was reported to the Collector of Customs here that a quantity of wreckage had been washed up on the beach at Wainui, three miles from here. The Collector of Customs and Sergeant Bullon proceeded to the beach and found, a quantity of timber, grass seed, sashes, and turnery, apparently for a atairoase ; also a mitzon mast with sail attached, and two boats, one small and one large. The foro part of a vessel is discernible on the rocks, and the opinion is that it is the wreok of the steamer Sir Donald, which left Napier fdr Blackhead on Tuesday night. The wreck posßibly took place on Friday night, as a fearful sea was running then. From the position of the vessel and boat, probably ail hands havo been lost. Latest. CAPTAIN PLUMLEY'S STATEMENT. IN THE BEEAKERS AMID DARKNESS. TERRIBLY NARROW ESCAPES. TWICE WASHED OVERBOARD. THE BOAT CARRIED AWAY. THE GO-AHEAD IN PIECES. THE CATASTROPHE NEAR GISBORNE. THE SIR DONALD'S CREW. ( Our Own Correspondent.) Napier, This Day. The terrible weather experienced along the East Coast np to Saturday morning has added two mor« shipping calamities to the year's list. The'Go- Ahead, from Wellington, ha 3 been totally wrecked at Kidktppen, and one life lost, while a vessel, supposed to be the Sir Donald, has snnk fire miles north of Gisborne, and apparently all lives are lost. The wreckage washed ashore ' leaves little doubt as to the identity of the vessel. News of the wreck of the Go- Ahead reached Napier yesterday afternoon, and was brought by Constable Weathered, who received information from a station-hand at the Grange estate. All the passengers and crew were saved, with the exception of a fireman named Gunning, who was drowned while attempting to swim ashore. The rest made for Gordon's station in the vioinitv of the wreck, where they were treated with the greatest kindness. Captain Plumloy, commander of the vessel, reached Napier yesterday evening, and gives the following-account of the disaster :— We left Wellington on Wednesday evening, calling at Castlepoint on the following morning, and later in the day at Akiteo. We left there about a quarter to five on Thursday evening. The wind was rast south-ea^t, freshening as we went along and veering to the southward. The weather was terribly thick and dirty, and continued so all along the coast, getting worBG, if possible, as wo wont along. We Bighted Cape Turnagain and Black Head, but after that wore never able to distinguish the land at all, everything being totally obscured by the thickness of the weather. At about a quarter to 2 on Friday morning we found ourselveß in the breakers, no land being visible even at that time. The engines were at onoo put full speed astern, bat the vessel struck and remained fast. It was impossible to see the shore, but efforts wero at once made to lower a boat, as the sea was breaking over the vesssel, and it waß feared shewouldbreaknp. Ihad two narrow escapes. The first time a sea washed me clean overboard, but another one washed me back again and I caught hold of the rails. I had a hard fight, and think if it had not been for the thoughts of those at home I should have given up, for I was nearly done. The vessel had a list to land, which made it difficult for me to recover my footing, and I had to hong on with my hands while several seas swept over me. In the intervals I took a fresh grip, so to speak, and at last managed to pull myself right, After that I was again Bwept off, but waß caught and held by some of the crew. While we wore lowering the boat it wa3 pitch dark, and there was nothing to Bee but the wreck under us, and nothing to hear bnt the wind howling. While the boat waß being lowered a terrifio sea oame, and everything was carried away— boat, and davits, and all. It was a dreadful time, and we wero not very hopeful. We had to wait till daylight before we could attempt to lower tho big boat, as she was on the windward Bide of the ship, and before she could be lowered she had to be got across the deck. This was accomplished " somehow." Ihavo no other way to tell how it was done, and I do not believe anyone on board could describe how that boat was got off the davits and across the deck with the sea breaking over all the time. However, we managed to lower her, and all of us got into her except one man, a fireman named Gunning. He would not come in the boat, as he was afraid she would not reach the shore. All of us who went in the boat got ashore safely, although with difficulty. The fireman stayed on the ship till low water, when he started to swim to the shore, but sucoumbed on the way, and went down. The poor fellow must have been done up when he started, for all of those who got on shore wero pretty we exhausted, and he could not nave been muoh better. Two of the men said they recognised i the place, and that it was Gordon's Station. They volunteered to walk to the station to get assistance, and found the homestead and informed tho people of what had happened. Men wero sent_ out in the morning to look for us, but, as it turned out, did not find us. They came round by the beach, but before they got to where we were it was decided that we should strike ont for the station ourselves. We went across the hills, and fortunately fell in with a shepherd, who piloted the whole party to the station, whioh was reached at about 7 a.m. on Saturday morning. We were all treated with the greatest possible kindness, nothing being neglected that could be done. Mr. Robertson did all he could to find out how we could get to town, and as a resnlt it was found that a boat could be taken across the Tuki Toki. I and the engineer (Kelly) were rowed across on Sunday afternoon by three men, who returned with the boat after we got across. We went on to Farndon, when we caught a frozen meat train from Tomoana, ana that bronght us to town. The vessel is a total wreck, lying in the break bottom upwards, and practically all to pieces. We only escaped with our lives. The accident would not have happened had there been a light on the Kidnappers, for although the storm was a terrific one, if I could have known where the hind was everything would have been right. " The Tukituki River being in flood, the constable at Clive was unable to get to the Grange Station yesterday, but was to start the first thing this morning, and arrangements will bo made for bringing the passengers and crew to Napier. Regarding tho wreck near Gisborne, Inspector Bullen last night received a telegram from Gisborne to the effect that wreckage was coming ashore about five miles north of that placo, apparently from a steamer. Cargo, consisting of dressed rimu and grass seed, was also coming ashore, and a broken boat, about 20 feet long, was among the wreckage found. The remainder of the vessel is lying about half a mile from the shore, with about Cix feet of her mast above water. The Bea was too rough for gettingnear the wreck. The news of both wrecks created a great sensation in Napier. The following are the names of those on board the Sir Donald, which left this port for Gisborne on Tuesday :— Captain John Quinlin (married), Walter Simonds, engineer (married), William Knight, seaman (married), and Hans Rasmnssen, cook (single). Messrs. Kinross & Co. are of opinion that there was also an extra hand engaged for the trip, but if that were so they do not know his name. It is supposed the vessel was driven northwards by the terrifio gale on Thursday and Friday, and that the captain steered for Nick's Head for shelter, and struck ono of the long reefs running out of the coast there. Captain Qninlan was known as a brave man, who took an active part in the relief of the Northumberland, and very near-ly lost his vessel in doing so,' Those members of tho crew of the steamer Go- Ahead who are not wanted at the inquiry, which is to be held here, leave by the s.s. Kiwi this evening, and should reaoh Wellington to-morrow night or Wednesday.

The Go-Ahead loft Wellington on Wednesday night, and arrived at Castlepoint on Thursday morning, leaving again toe same night for Napier. Her passengers consisted of three young men who came np by her from O&maru. The following are the name* of the erew :— J. Plnmley, master; J. Barnes, chief officer ; C. Pope, second officer ; A. Kelly, engineer ; Pc V ere, steward^ Crew— J. Davis, T. itobinson, James Gunning (drowned), B. Nelson, T. Gabrielson, P. Downer, and L. Lyons. The Go-Ahead was owned by Messrs. John B ton and Co., of this city, and traded between Napier and Wellington, calling at the intermediate stations. She also occasionlly made trips South. She was valued at .£BOOO, and was insured with the Union Insurance Company for .£5500, this amount being reduced by re-insurance to .£SOO as follows :— Thames and Mersey, .£500 ; National, .£250 ; New Zealand, .£1000; South British, £1000; Colonial, .£500; Standard, .£500; Victoria, £750; Equitable, £500. The Go- Ahead was an iron screw steamer, built in lana*kshire in 1867, and wag of the following dimensions -.—Length, 117ftbreadth, 20tt 6in ; depth 9ft 2in;"|Her tonnage was 195 tons grams and 129 net, and her engines 45-h.p. It wm be remembered that in 1880 the Go- Ahead w*s lengthened and very much improved, being also supplied with new engines at the sane time. News has also reached here of the wreck of the Sir Donald, a steamer belonging to \h^ port of Napier, which has gone ashore about five miles north of Gisborne, and broken np completely. It ig feared that all lives are lost, The news has caused quite a gloom