PERILS OF THE SEA. A TERRIBLE EXPERIENCE

Grey River Argus, 27 July 1907, Page 2

PERILS OF THE SEA. A TERRIBLE EXPERIENCE

• AUCKLAND, July 25. Jackson, the sole survivor of the wreck of the Surprise, .said she started to drag her anchor on Friday night, and struck the. souPh end of Watchman Rocks. The scow was bumping, very hard when he, Stewart, and Johansen, .took to the fore rigging. It then came down and the vessel slid off the rocks and capsized. He^hcver saw Stewart again. He and Joliansen stuck to the main rigging and upon the scow drifting midway to the coast Jackson swam ashore. He is a good Siwimmer but the breakers treated him roughly and smashed him on the rocks; . ;He had been in the water five or six hours and after climbing half, way up the cliffs collapsed from exhaustion. He stayed there all Sunday, a wild stormy day, clad only in a small singlet, and he thought he was done for. At night the pain became very severe and -almost unbearable. - When the weather became better he crawled along and eventuallyreached Mr J. McGregor's hpusfi, where he was. put to bed and nursed. A : Tairua message states that thp steamer Onslow visited the scene of the wreck of 'the scow Surprise again yesterday. Constable Brown .and, party searched the beaches but could not find any bodies. They secured a flag, some broken life buoys and a name board. The .steamer called at Ohui, and brought Harry J^kson, the sole survivor, to Tairua. He. is still weak. As showing- the fury of the storm dozens of crayfish and dead fish were thrown up.on the beach ; also tons of seaweed. The ship's dead dog was lying on the Pawanui beach.