SEA TALE RETOLD

Evening Post, Volume CXVIII, Issue 57, 5 September 1934, Page 10

SEA TALE RETOLD

LASTINGHAM'S LOSS

RESCUER OF SURVIVORS

STILL HALE AO HEARTY

Fifty years ago this morning the ketch Agnes sailed into Wellington bearing the news of the wreck near Jackson's Head, in Cook Strait, of tlio ship Lastinglnim four days previously. Jiighteen of the ship's company had perished, including the master and his i wife, both of whom refused to leave the ship, although the chances of reaching the shore were good. Thirteen survivors rescued by the ketch Agnes (master, Captain M. Jeu.sen) the day before, were on board. Captain Neale. first officer of the Lastinghaiii, told the story of the wreck to a "Post1' representative and a description of the fortunes of the ship's company appeared in that evening's issue. The ketch Agnes returned to sea, but mention of her master, Captain Jensen, was made in glowing terms in a sub-loader in "The Post." Hale and hearty, Captain Jensen is living in retirement in Waitara, Taranaki, after a full life as a sailor begun CO years ago, including an excellent record as master of New Zealand coastal vessels followed by a lengthy term as harbourmaster at Waitara. "Tell you sorao 'skittles'? Well, I'm afraid few of them would be printable! Lifo on shipboard is monotonous on the whole, and there's little I could toll you," said Captain Jensen, when interviewed by a "Post" reporter nearly fifty years after the Cook Strait rescue. But sailors of the old school are- like that. "What about the Lastingham wreck?" he was asked. "Well, there wasn't much in that," said the skipper. A MODEST SKIPPER. The fact is, however, that like most skippers who have retired from the poop, Captain Jensen, within sound and smelling range of the sea, takes an interest in wind and tide, often cocks his eye at the weather and taps the barometer hanging in his hall. It is quite an unusual barometer — fifty years old, and is inscribed as follows: — From the public of Kaiapoi to Captain M. Jensen of the ketch Agues, for gallant conduct in rescuing thirteen survivors of the ship Lastingham, wrecked in Cook Strait, Ist September, 1884. The skipper was persuaded to tell the story again. So he brought forth a diary with yellowed pages and read his record of the event. "Thursday, September 4, 18S4. Weather N.W., strong; left Pelorous Sound for Kaiapoi loaded with timber. When getting towards Jackson's Head I noticed a. signal ■which I took to bo of distress —a blanket on a pole —as it had been blowing a galo for several days wi'.h thick and squa-lly weather. "I went in close to shore and noticed a lot of men on the rocks, waving their hands. When close in I put the boat, out to investigate and found thirteen men belonging to the ship Lasthrgham which had got on the rocks and sunk throe days previously with eighteen lives lost, including the captain and his wifo and five passengers. "Those men we picked up were in a bad way. They had only one piece of salt meat and a tin of oatmeal (washed ashore from the wreck) to eat among them for two and a half days until they got aboard at midday. Our dinner was ready and they soon cleaned up everything and we had to look on, but it was great to sec them satisfying their wants. ' LOG OF THE AGNES. "The wind being westerly, I set course for Wellington breastworks, landed the shipwrecked crew, gave my report to the Customs, got stores on board, and left at 4 p.m. for Kaiapoi. Captain Neale, who was chief officer of the Lastingham, told me when running through the strait for Wellington that they sighted Kapiti Island and he advised the captain to keep on and run through the strait to have plenty of sea room if they could not see Wellington. But the captain did not take his advice, and the ship was hove-to on the starboard tack. During the night they sighted land ahead. They must then have been in close to Port Gore, a bay to the westward of Jackson's Head. Orders were given to wear ship, and in doing so she struck on the rocks. "Those who got on shore dropped off the jibboom. The chief officer went aft to get the captain and his wife to make an attempt to get ashore, but they refused. They were then sitting in the cabin with the water all around them, heavy seas pounding over,the ship's stern. There was absolutely nothing that could be done then, but to jump off the jibboom to the rocks and take a chance, a3 the ship slid off the rocks into deep water a minute or two later." After the inquiry the chief officer, Captain Ncale, signed on .as chief officer of the s.s. Hinemoa, with Captain Fairchild, said Captain Jensen. "He eventually became master of the Hinemoa nnd the Tutanckai, and finished up as harbourmaster at Onehunga. He was one of the finest men and best seamen, and I was very proud to bo on friendly terms with him. Ho went 'West' some years hence. Men like him are hard to replace.'' AN EDITORIAL EULOGY. "Since the loss of tlio Tararua no catastropho has occurred on our coast such as the one we are unhappily compelled to chronicle today," stated "The Post" of fifty years ago in a subleader. "A fine ship, well-manned and ably commanded, has, apparently through no want of skill or courage on the part of the officers or crew, but simply j>y the restless force of the elements, been- driven ashore on the iron-bound coast of Queen Charlotte Sound with the Tosult of eighteen lives being lost. ..."

"We cannot clqso our remarks ou this subject without expressing our admiration of the conduct of Captain Jensen of the Agnes, by whom the survivors of the Lastingham were rescued. He deserved high praise for his conduct in the matter, and, as he merits, will no doubt receive the warm approval of all who read the record of the manner in which he behaved towards his fellow seamen in distress. The Government also, we think, should substantially recognise the merits of his conduct."

The Lastingham was an iron vessel of the first class, 1143 tons, built in 1877. The voyage which she was making would have been her second to Wellington. She was loaded with general cargo consigned to Levin and Company, and was about ninety-six days out wJien wrecked. She was under charter to the Shaw, Savill, and Albion Company, had left London on May 28, and experienced bad weather frequently during the passage. None of the gales, however, was equal in force to that which she met in Cook Strait. Captain Alexander Morrison, the master, was about sixty years of ago, and was considered one of the most experienced masters engaged by the company.

Tlio news of the wreck and of the privation of the survivors quickly .spread throughout Wellington and'occasioned a lively sensation, a wreck of such disastrous nature never having occurred before in Cook Strait. No difficulty was experienced in collecting £32 for the survivors soon after the arrival of the Agnes in Wellington.