SAD FATALITY IN THE LOWER HARBOR.

Evening Star, Issue 6700, 7 September 1885, Page 3

SAD FATALITY IN THE LOWER HARBOR.

Yesterday forenoon news reached Port Chalmers that a boat containing eleven Sirsonahad been overturned in the Lower arbor below Acheron Head, and that several persons wero drowned. Mr Macdonnell, the Customs surveyor, at once proceeded down in the Customs launch, taki":j with him Dr De Lautour, and towing a b ;it containing Mr John Jackson and several other persons. Ou reaching the Quarantine Ground the launch steamed alongside the barque Lady Dufferin, and made inquiries as to whether any on board had seen the boat. Mr Macdonnell was informed that a boat containing several persons kad passed the ship under sail, but nothing more had been seen of her. The launch then steamed round Acheron Head into the little bay adjoining it, where she anchored. Mr Macdonnell and Dr De Lautour on reaching the shore ascertained the following facts : Between nine and ten in the morning Captain Ferguson, the local agent of the Union Steam Ship Company, accompanied by his six children, and Mr and Mrs Arthur Jackson with their two daughters, left the railway pier in a waterman's skiff for the purpose of paying a visit to Mrs Jackson, sen., the grandmother of the whole of the children. The boat proceeded down the harbor under sail, but after rounding Acheron Head the weather became extremely squally, the wind veering from N.W. to S. W., blowing fresh. When within a few yards of the shore the sail was frapped round the mast prior to the mast being unshipped, when, a sudden gust of wind struck the boat, and before the mast could be unshipped she overturned, precipitating the whole of the occupants into the water. The children were placed on the boat's bottom, but she again rolled over, causing five of them to be drowned. Several of the fishermen living in the bay, seeing the accident, put off without loss of time, and succeeded in saving Maggie and Agnes Ferguson, Mrs Jackson and her daughter Catherine, Captain Ferguson, and Mr Jackson, and picking up the bodies of John and Mary Ferguson. But the bodies of James and Alexander Ferguson, with that of Christina Jackson, were not then recovered. As soon as the unfortunate people, who were greatly exhausted, were got on shore, they were taken to the house of Mr A. Pirani, a fisherman,.where they were treated with the utmost attention. Mr John Jackson returned in the skiff to Port Chahners for the purpose of procuring the necessary changes of. clothing for the; survivors, who were afterwards conveyed to their homes. Too much praise cannot bo given to Mr Macdonnell for the prompt manner .in which he acted. The conduct of Messrs Pirani, Solomon, and Wright is also beyond praise, as, in addition to throwing open their houses to the sufferers, they proceeded in their boats, with the aid of the police, with their nets, and swept the bay in order to recover the missing bodies. At 8 p.m. tbey recovered the bodies of James and Alexander Ferguson. The four bodies were brought up the harbor. Search was again instituted this morning, and whilst dragging Mr Lewis noticed the body of Christina Jackson lower down the bay about six yards from the shore, and it was brought up to the Port in the police boat. We are glad to hear that Mr and Mrs Jackson, with their, daughter, Catherine, and the children, Maggie and Agnes Ferguson, are doing well. Captain Ferguson, who was greatly exhausted and quite prostrate at the loss of his four children, is, we are sorry to say, still in a very weak condition. Great sympathy is expressed for him throughout Port Chalmers, as he has but very recently lost his wife.