ADRIFT IN THE INDIAN OCEAN

Evening Post, Volume CXX, Issue 6, 6 July 1935, Page 26

ADRIFT IN THE INDIAN OCEAN

(By "Argus.")

AX ADVENTURE OF THE OLD WAIKATO

Among tales of disabled ships and , of heroic rescues that of the old Waikato and the Asloun has few peers. Its retelling serves to remind us of the boon we owe to modern equipment and to the well-planned service of these days. The Waikato, which belonged to the New Zealand Shipping Company, left London for Port, Chalmers on May 4, 1899. Varying reports of the vessel being in distress came • through / from time to time, but due to the lack of wireless in those not-so-distant days nothing definite was known as to her fate until' nearly five months later, when she was sighted in tow of The steamer Asloun, bound for Fremantle. It was not until October 9 of that year, when the crippled liner reached Fremantle, that the. full tale of her adventures became known. After the. vessel left.London, there were several stoppages for repairs to the machinery. At 2 o'clock on the morning of June 5, all hands were aroused by a terrific vibrating motion, and it transpired that the main shaft had parted in the stern tube, about six feet inside the stern gland, in a position in which it could not be repaired while the ship floated. She was then about 150 miles south of Cape Agulpas. A HELPLESS CRIPPLE. For 53 days the helpless steamer drifted, though she was right in the track of shipping bound to and from Australia and New Zealand. At last, on July 28, the barquentine Tacora was sighted. After a 1 line had been put aboard, and had parted, .however, it was realised that the unwieldy burden was too much for the sailing vessel. Another attempt was made in the light weather prevailing, with the result that the Tacora was drawn bodily back, stern first, towards the steamer. Her captain cut the towline, and attempted to get her on the starboard tack, but before she could respond, she crashed into the Waikato. Fortunately little damage was done. Signalling that she could render no more assistance, the Tacora went* on her way. On August 2, the Danish ship

Aarlborg, bound for Lyttelton, hove in sight. A boat was sent aboard her with letters, and returned with some ship's biscuit, 'As the company's Ruahine was expected in the locality on the evening of August 16, it was determined to get- on her track if possible. Provisions were then running low, so the cargo was overhauled in order that the edible part of it might be broached if necessary- All that could be found, however, was tinned herrings, sardines, and cheese. The want of flour was most keenly felt. MORE MISFORTUNES. From August 9 to August 15 the vessel drifted about 160 miles due east in moderate weather. Though t"he vessel carried a full set of s,ails, as was customary in'those days,, they could do little more, even under the most favourable conditions, than, give her steerage-way. On August 16, a blanket of dense fog shut out all sight of the Ruahine, to the intense disappointment of all on board. A further stroke of bad luck occurred on August 22, when, as the vessel was running before a fresh winS, a sudden gust stripped her of all canvas save the foresail. Fortunately this well-found ship carried enough spare canvas to keep herself under control. Good and bad weather alternated until the Banca was sighted. This ship went on arid reported the plight of the steamer at Brisbane. The holds of'the liner were frequently rummaged, but nothing was found but fish, peas, and cocoa, of which everyone by this time was heartily sick. On September 8 the barque Alice bore down on the cripple, and put on board a generous contribution consisting of two barrels of beef, three barrels of flou;* and five spare sails. The Waikato was now so far east that she was as near to Australia as to the Cape. Up to September 15, when she was sighted by the steamer Asloun, she had drifted 4450 miles, during which she had crossed her own track seven times. TAKEN IN TOW. In response to her distress signals, the Asloun came alongside and her captain promised to tow the Waikato to Fremantle, whither the rescuing ship was bound. A line was put aboard, and the long tow (from Lat. 39deg 30 mm S., Long. 34deg 40min E.) commenced. On September 18 the towline parted in heavy weather, and was replaced with great difficulty, the men engaged having several nafrow escapes from being dashed against the disabled vessel's side. At Amsterdam Island, the Asloun was recoale.d with 110 tons by the use of the Waikato's boats. This operation was also attended with great difficulty, . and required the work of all hands, almost without food, right through the night until noon of the following day. Again on September 28 the line parted under its heavy burden. This time the Waikato fell off rapidly before the wind, and huge seas flooded her deck. The Asloun disappeared completely, and, fears for her safety were entertained. It was late the following day before the gallant rescuer was sighted once more. Although she had started her funnel and had sustained other damage, she gamely closed in despite the heavy weather and carried on. THE FINAL STAGES. On October 5 the news became current in New Zealand that signal station officers at Cape Nelson, Victoria, had received a report from the British-

from Calcutta to Melbourne she had sighted the Waikato in tow of the Asloun. The two ships were sighted off Rottnest Island on the evening of October 7. For the last time the towrope parted, and the Government tug Penguin completed the Asloun's work by bringing the Waikato to a safe anchorage.

The liner's rescuer was a steel cargocarrying steamer of 2828 tons, and when she met the disabled Waikato was on her way from London to Sydney, via Western Australia. No passengers were carried by the Waikato. One auxiliary officer left the ship by one of the sailing vessels spoken while she was drifting. At the end of the voyage, all the ship's company were in good health.

Captain Weston, of the Waikato, stated that he had had no anxiety for the vessel's ultimate safety. Captain Barnett, of the Asloun, confessed to having at first some hesitation in taking the cripple in tow _or several reasons. The Waikato was nearly twice the size of his vessel; she had a foul bottom after her long drift, which made the job an even harder one; the nearest port was 2600 miles away, over almost unfrequented waters; and there was a constant danger of the towrope fouling the rescuer's screw, and turning her also into a derelict.