TERRIFIC THUMP.

Evening Post, Volume CIII, Issue 129, 3 June 1922, Page 5

TERRIFIC THUMP.

CREW'S NIGHTS OF A1«HJ!8IL

aXTCKLAKD, 2nd June.

A special reporter at Trypheaa telegraphs that the men who have come ashore relate a vivid story of , their experiences during the past thirty-six Hours., , . , , ; .. . „,. .'.,

Heavy weather and torrential..win had been experienced for ten hoarr prior,to the wreck, and it wm impossible to see a shijr* laog*t offi Aa

impression existed that the ship slowed down somewhat, about twenty ininjutes before she struck. £ There was: a terrific thump when the I Wiltshire struck, and she gave four '/distinct jumps' as the impetus forced 'her on the rocks.' The whole comple'.jaerA'ot' the'■.vessel-"was. immediately .gammoned to the boat*,; and a rocket lof distress was sent Lup. The boats v were swung out on tie lee side, arid one and; a-half ■hours, every moment of which intensifiedl ■ the • suspense. - . Large seas were breaking over . the. JVessel, particularly •ft; and "when it became only too ap--parent that any attempt to land q . boat' would result in it being dashed against ■ the cliff by the terrific seas, ■it. was- agreed to await - the break of •,<-.,..>■ ... : . , WAITING FOE DAWN. „'AII hands spent a night of anguish ;in the saloon, and the ship shook from stern to bow as each wave struck her. Every man except the , ship's officers Weak forward at dawn, and at about 7.30 a.m. the Arahura was seen 'in the roadstead, and although she hung about she.was powerless .to.;, render any assistance. The position at this time was extremely precarious, as the ship had listed to the starboard, and the after portion was in deep water.' ' This was the condition of affairs until about 11.30, when with a noise like a thunderclap the ship snapped in two at about No. 4 hatch! Captain -Haywood jumped from the bridge, and the officers swung themselves down from the "forecastle on a rope. : Simultaneously with the excitement of this/incident there a ray of hope in the breasts of the men who had suffered hour. after hour of mental anguish, wondering what the next moment would bring forth. Now they knew, however, that the forward part, relieved of the dead weight behind, would probably remain secure on.the rocks. :, . FIRSTMAN LANDED. ...About-this time settlers had arrived on the"cliffs, and' every manner of effort Avas availed of to get a line . ashore. Rockets proved of no avail in combating .the storm, and were all carried adrift, while floating objects met a similar fate. Eventually,- about 2.30 p.m.; a hatch «over with a line attached floated safely on to shore, and was secured by the ' patient workers there. Long hours ■passed'before an endless line was established, and Wheatley, the first man, was drawn, foot by foot, to the shore. At diitervals ; three of, his companions joined him, andithen operations..were suspended, .for-'-the night. ■- :'- '■'•■ ,",Now..the,mental.anguish of those on hoard was aggravated by physical discomforts. With the exception of a little gtoak there were no other provisions aboard until supplies' were got from ashore. -i - >. .^This.morning an attempt.was made to get the papers from, the" bridge, but a search was-fruitless, and the ship was verily'a'total wrecK" The Wiltshire had altered her^".position-~and~ appearance since the first glimpse was obtained from the fug Te •', Awhina ' yesterday.- ------' Only two of' the" lifeboats remained in ithe davits, the rest having been carried away.,. Three (masts are-still standing, erect forward, in defiance of the tempest, ■which has abated to a moderate gale. The smoke stack, somewhat smaller than the, ordinary, is there, while.., another mast is pitiably^ striving to maintain its position imm'eaiately'!behirid'it. f Ye6terday the.,, submerged portion; .of t.hje» ship- was ■■just discernible, but it hastnow. disappeared. Wreckage is. piling up on the'shore, particularly on Eaitoke beach, where many mail baga have been observed. Cigarettes in. tins o;f fifty have' floated ashore in thousands. „„;„.. I LOST,.,LN, THE..BUSH ...... „:Th* old:'saying1 that'"lt'never rama ■but''it'pours "was illustrated/'lat'the1 expense, of the first ten who got ashore, for they lost their' way in endeavouring to clear the mile of bush leading to Rosalie Bay. After an anxious hour in the bush they got free, and came over th© hilly and heavy bridle tracks to Tryphena, whence they were conveyed to the Katoa.