SHIPWRECK AND STARVATION

Evening Star, Issue 15479, 29 April 1914, Page 5

SHIPWRECK AND STARVATION

SAD- STORY RETOLD. THE INVeScAULD, 1864. [Specially Written tor the ‘Star’ by J. W. H. Bannbhman.] The loss of the ship Ihvercauld on the north coast of the Auckland Islands in May, 1854, and the death by starvation of 15 of the survivors, forms one of the saddest stories of the sea extant. Nineteen of tho crew were washed ashore from the wreck, without provisions or comforts of any kind, and had, to subsist upon what fare they could upon a wild, desolate shore. No relief of any kind came. For weeks they lived on roots, and when, with their numbers halved, they reached Port Ross they could only add shellfish to their fare. When succor came a year later starvation had reduced the 19 survivors to a solitary trio, who, by some special act of Providence, were enabled to eke out a semi-starved existence which was beyond the power and endurance of their less fortunate companions. —Driven on the Rocks.—

Invercauld, barque, 888 tons, Captain Dalgarno, left Melbourne on April 28, 1864. for London. She had a complement of 25, and the vessel was well found in every way. She sighted the north-western cliffs of the Auckland® on May 16, with a bracing nor’-wester blowing. The gale was unexpectedly followed by a calm, which placed the vessel at the mercy of the swell and currents —the same circumstances which led to the wreck of the General Grant two years later. Nearer and nearer the Invercauld was drawn, magnet-like, to those terrible rock-bound shores. Then, to cap all, the gale sprang uo afresh, and ruthlessly drove the unfortunate vessel under the cliffs, and the masts went by the board. So violent were the shocks that the Invercauld sank rapidly, and no attempt was made to get out the boats—a hopeless business under the circumstances, with a gale to westward and the cliffs .to the eastward. Their only chance of escape lay in jumping into the water and being swept ashore, and this hazardous feat all hands attempted. Nineteen out of 25 souls, including the captain and mate, reached the shore alive, and thankful indeed for the ersat mercy that any at all survived to tell the fate of their unfortunate vessel. —Scant Comfort.—

Although they escaped with their lives, their ship had completely disappeared, and the only provisions of any kind that came ashore were 21b of broad and 31b of pork—a scanty larder indeed for 19 men on a desolate', barren shore. For five days they waited near the spot in the hope that provisions might drift ashore, but they waited in vain. They were pressed hard to satisfy the gnawing pains of hunger, and all they could find was a kind of root, which, with water, comprised their menu. They performed the last sad rites in burying the six bodies which were washed upon the beach, and they then set about attempting to reach the eastern -and more hospitable portion of the island. —A Terrible Journey.—

Death faced them on the very threshold of their desperate march for life, one of the crew sickening, and he died the day after the remainder set out upon their journey. They clambered up over the cliffs, utilising a cleft wherewith to accomplish their purpose; but they were all terribly exhausted by the time they reached the top. Weak from hunger, several almost gave up there and then, the mate being almost unable to walk. Snow and frost were severe enough handicaps in themselves, and many were without shoes in addition. Slowly they struggled through scrub and bog, their only food being roots. They sighted Port Ross, and this gave them hope, their spirits brightening immensely. Added to this, they were fortunate enough to catch a wild pig —a small one, as they had no means of overtaking any of the bigger porkers which they observed. They lit a big fire and roasted .the pork, thus having their first bite of fresh meat since being cast upon the island. Progress next day was very trying, however, on account of the difficult nature of the country, and another seaman weakened and died. They did not proceed further, deciding to camp without reaching Port Ross. For 21 days they lived in a rude-shelter with nothing but roots to eat and water to drink. —Fatal Separation.—

Seven of the party decided to retrace their steps to the site of the wreck, in the hope that food might have drifted ashore. What became of them, and whether they ever reached the shore, will never he known, because they were never heard of again. Five made for the beach at Port Eoss, which they reached after struggling through thick bush, and they were rejoiced to find plenty of shell fish. In the meantime one of the party at the camp succumbed, and of the 19 survivors only nine now remained. The party at the beach sent back for the four at camp to come down to Port Eoss, which they did, and made a rough lean-to to do duty as a shelter. They clambered about the rocks searching for food, and they stayed six or seven days in that vicinity. —Traces of Civilisation.— Five of the party made for the next bay, and there they found traces of civilisation —evidently the old town of Harwich, which acted as the capital of the old Enderby Settlement of the early “fifties.” Harwich had a population of 300 in those days, but the colony failed through bad seasons, and left the island. The Tnvercauld party found some of the buildings still standing, despite their 12 years’ unoccupation, and they made themselves very comfortable. There was plenty of shellfish, and they eked out an existence, although palpably getting weak on the monotonous diet. One of the five went back for the remaining four who came to old Harwich with him. With a stroke of luck they caught a seal, which they relished immensely, and it was of great service to them for health reasons. This set them thinking, and they constructed a rough raft, with which, three weeks later, they caught another seal. In the interval, however, no less than three of the crew died of starvation, and the sad occurrence reduced the number of survivors to half a dozen. —Another Separation.— The mate (Andrew Smith, a native of Aberdeen) and two members of the crew searched further round the coast, leaving Captain Dalgarno in charge of the remainder. They succeeded in catching a sea! and plenty of fish, upon which they thrived. They’ camped for three weeks upon the point of an island.. It was decided to bring the captain’s party round, and a seaman left for that purpose. He never returned. Meanwhile two of the captain’s party perish sd of starvation. Captain Dalgarno struggled round the bays in a search for the mate’s party, and he fortunately located them. They' were the three sole survivors of the Invercauld. —Waiting, Waiting.— They never had any thought of getting off the island in the manner of the Grafton people and the ill-fated attempt made by some of the General Grant survivors two years later. They simply wandered round the shores after shellfish, often so weak with hunger that they could scarcely walk. Seal meat was the only food which did them any good, and, fortunately, at times it was very plentiful At other times they were three or four weeks without getting any. They managed to knock up a small boat—a woden_ frame covered with sealskins—and in it they searched several of the small island* for seals, but it was only, in fine weather that they could venture out in such a frail craft. Eventually they built a larger wooden craft, and in it they moved • to one of ■ the huger islands, where they were surprised to find rabbits. Their methods of getting rabbits was characteristically primitive, :as they bad no means of shooting or hunting them. They watched the hawks, and when a hawk pounced upon a rabbit they frightened off the hawk and took away the dead bunny. Here the party got on pretty well, having a comfortable hut and plenty to eat. 9 —Sail Ho!— Needless to say, they kept an anxious lookout for whalers or sealers, but without success. On the 10th of May, however, tjtey - were astonished) to see a full-rigged ship enter Port Eoss, and they could souuolf Min* fbedr dt peemed too

good to be true. For 12 months they had been unwilling, starring inhabitants of tho Auckland Islands, and their feelings at the sight of relief can be more readily imagined than described. The visitor E roved to be the Portuguese ship Julian, rom China to Callao, in a leaking condition. She made for the islands in the hope of effecting repairs at the one-time settlement of Harwich. After spending 16 days at Port Roes, the Julian took the three survivors—Captain Dalgarno, Smith (the mate), and Holding (a seaman)—on board, and squared away for South America in, continuation of her voyage. She safely reached Peru, whence Captain Dalgarno and his two subordinates found their way to the Old Country in a British ship. ■