LOSS OF THE JANE OOUGLAS THE CAPTAIN'S STORY.

Evening Post, Volume LXXXIII, Issue 9, 11 January 1912, Page 7

LOSS OF THE JANE OOUGLAS THE CAPTAIN'S STORY.

ROCKS SAID TO BE WRONGLY CHARTED. fBX IKLiaQAPH— -KBESS ASSOCIATION.] NELSON, This Day. The shipwrecked crew of the steamer Jane Douglas reached Nelson by the Pateena this morning. Captain Vendore states that his vessel was beating through the Straits from Wellington to Hokitika in a blustering south-easter. The boisterous weather continued after the steamer' had entered the passage between Stephen and D'Urville Islands, where there are several rocks, and was piled up on Saddle Rock, where the Wainui struck some years ago. The captain declares that Steeple Rock and Saddle Rock are wrongly marked on the chartj the names being transposed. At midnight the vessel was steaming "beneath heavy clouds. AT? hands were on deck. At 12.20 she struck, and sank in five minutes. Despite the black darkness, the crew showed no panic. The captain ordered the lowering of a boat, and the mate took charge, while the captain stayed aboard. The engines were racing furiously, telling of a snapped propeller. Rapidly the hull listed sideways and slid off the rocks. As the water came level with the deck, the captain grasped a lifebelt, but was sucked under for iome depth. He came up half drowned, still 'clinging to the lifebelt, as he was unable to swim a stroke. After some search, the boat found him in rather a bad way. The captain thinks the vessel turned turtle before reaching the bottom. The plight of the shipwrecked crew was hapless. Almost all were onrV "half -clad; some were without boots, others without shirts or coats. < A course was set in tho boat for Port Hardy. A heavy sea soon tired the rowers, who took turns at the oars. It took four hours to struggle to near the land. The men were unable* to get ashore owing to the tide being against them. At 5 a.m., however, they effected a landing. They tramped, mostly shoeless, over rough country to Lord's, homestead, where they received every kindness. Here they stayed till 3 o'clock in the afternoon resting, as" the captain was far from %yell after his immersion. Then they were taken" on to the French Pass in a launch, joining the Pateena, and coming on here.