WRECKERS.

Hawke's Bay Herald, Volume XXII, Issue 7742, 13 May 1887, Page 3

WRECKERS.

Men watched along theshore all Wednes•lay night, and search parties went up and down'the beach at intervals to see if any of the bodies of the drowned men came to land. Others who pass for men from a zoological point of view also prowled along the beaph, watching as carefully as 'did the seekers for the dead,.,, but with far different motives;' These' wretches, actuated by thievish designs which event the terrible catastrophe could not eradicate, wandered hither and thither plundering. One instance will show what unutterable meanness the wreckers were capable of. A party of three or four nien, while looking for bodies, came across a seaman's chest which had been cast ashore by the waves. The lid was smashed, but as the chest was securely lashed it held 'together firmly; It was full of clothing. The searchers pulled it up the beach out of the reach of the spray, and proceeded . further along, on the way finding a small bug containing trinkets and other little articles. This wan taken possession of, and was subsequently handed to tho police. Not seeing any sign of bodies the party returned, and upon reaching the place where the chest had been left it was decided to carry it sliU, further from tl)e sea. It was then discovered that the chest was empty, thieving prowlers having carried off the contents during the short time the Hearchers had been away. Other examples might be given, but enough lias been said to show that we have among us a few scoundrels of the most despicable type. While it is fair to assume that these inhuman wretches are very few in number, we ' regret to add that some of those who visited the scene irf the wreck made themselves drunk by swilling wines and spirits obtained frmji the comes driven ashore// In. souie; instances mi much liquor was imbibed ; that the drinkers Jay down oii the beach helpless from infoxicatiou, ■■ falling; into o ttivinisli slumber which intone or twi

cases lasted till long after daybreak. Some of the drunken rowdies fell prone upon the shinsle long before the rain.cee.sed to fall^ and with their besotted faces tnrried Up to the sky they lay with the water pelting tldwii" upon them, and the wind blowing the spray across their bodies, until sufficiently revived to prowl ahonl lill another Lottie could be foutid and another debauch be commenced. Even at 4 o'clock yesterday afternoon "mon" were lying about the beach helplessly drunk, and others who had only reached the maddened stage were fighting. Earttet in the day others staggered off WSlh wearing apparel picked up, amttnjj the wreckage, bottjes of spirits being rolled up in the clothing. About 3 o'clock yesterday afternoon Detective Grace met a man coming from the direction of tho wreck, having over his shoulder some wet'opparel. Upon being interrogated he failed to give satisfactory replies,' and as Detective Grace espied the capsuled head of a bottle the man was i arrested and conveyed tf> the ioclt-iip. The bottle was fujl of claVek In other cases when the police met men carrying articles they were taken away, and placed in the heaps that were being" watched on behalf of the agents of the vessel^ Drays were kept busily encaged all day in bringing the salvage to Hie Spit, where it was stored.