WRECK OF THE BRIG SHAMROCK.

Lyttelton Times, Volume XV, Issue 857, 26 January 1861, Page 4

WRECK OF THE BRIG SHAMROCK.

(From the' Wellington Independent.') Captain Dixon, arrived in town last night from Wairarapa, bringing the melancholy intelligence of the total wreck of the brig Shamrock, in Palliser bay on the 9fch inst. The following letters which have been kindly furnished to us will give the particulars of the catastrophe:—: Wairarapa, Jan. 12,1861. Sir, —I beg to forwavd you the particulars of the voyage of the brig Shamrock from Lyttelton, bound to Otago, which was wrecked in Palliser bay on the 9fch inst., and shall feel obliged by your publishing the same for general information. And remain your's &c, Thomas Dixon,

Late Master of the brig Shamrock. January 7.—-Left Lyttelton with a light wind from S.W.; at 4 p.m. hard squalls from S.W., close reefed the main topsail. At 9 p.m. gales. At 12, midnight, a perfect hurricane, the sea running mountains high.

January B.—Wore ship to W.N.W., making very heavy weather. Heavy squalls with sleet at intervals. At 11 a.m. saw the land; the ship making very little way through the water. At I p.m. saw the Kaikoras Peninsula, bearing N.W. At 8 p.m. got close in under, the Peninsula, but finding such, a heavy swell rolling in, was compelled to wear ship aud stand to sea. At 9 p.m. terrific gales, sprung the main yard j set the close reefed mainsail, and handed the main-topsai). At 10*30 p.m. the mainsail was blown clean out of the bolt ropes. Set fore trysail, which stood for about an hour, when it was also blown away. At daylight set storm main trysail, but it was of very little service, ship labouring in the trough of the sea. Fearful seas broke on : board, sweeping the decks. At 8 a.m. run her before the wind, at the rate of 11 and a half miles an hour, under bare.poles, the sea topping fearfully at the time. At 11 a.m. saw Cape Turakirae, tried to haul the vessel on the wind to weather it; bat the sea was that high that it

drove her to leeward at the rate of 3i|™|^ hour. Finding I could not weather the Can« 8 Pw ship and stood to tho eastward. Had tliP W? re of tho foresail aft, and close reefed main- o° n but tho sails did not stand any time. pi n( ]i f ; ship getting embayed in Palliser Bay in./'? ,? noLgo out, I thought it prudent (for the 'pIL? Isaving the lives and property on board) to on!l your to boach her, every effort having been viously used to keep tho vessel oIF shore and 11 her sails having by this time blown away w fortunate enough to run tier on a sandy beach an ll great exertions, under the most trying difficult succeeded in saving the lives of the passengers I crew. After getting on shore we were all troiM with the greatest kindness and attention byM? and Mrs. Russell, who did everything j n v • power to comfort us under the distressing eire '^ stances. I have been to sea for many years i although having weathered many a gale I n remember having witnessed such a, hurricane an tT present one. To show its great strength T J state that the beach in Palliser Bay w«s life ,? strewed with albatrosses, whale birds and pornoi which were lying dead on the beach. '

To the Editor of the 'Wellington Independent' Wangaimona, Palliser Bay, 11th J an 1861 Sib,—l regret to inform you that the brit Shamrock, Captain Dixon, master, bound from Auckland to Otago, was wrecked on Wednesdiv last, at about half-past 2 o'clock in the afternoon in the above bay. »

We sailed from Auckland on the 17th December stayed in Lyttelton eight days, and left that port on Monday last, en route to Otago, in the evening of that day we had a very heavy gale of wind, which never, ceased until we were wrecked as before mentioned on Wednesday the 9th instant. On Tuesday and early on Wednesday morning it blew a hurricane. I was in a typhoon in the China Seas in the month of July, 1859, and the fury o f the wind was so great that the sea became quite smooth • it was the same at times on Tuesday and Wednes.' day, but the sea soon again rose and ran mountains high, every shred of canvass was blown away, and although the Shamrock was as good a ship as ever went to sea of her size, we drifted this far out of our course. I never before saw such high seas. Our situation on Wednesday morning became more and more critical. Off a lea shorefa furious sea running, not able to keep one sail set, and the wind fowling and blowing terribly, our captain, who is a first rate seaman, scarcely left the deck since we left port, did all that could be done, but seeing that we were fast approaching the shore, he took the helm, and calmly gave orders, which'the crew readily obeyed. We shipped several heavy seas, which swept our decks, still our brave and excellent commander contrived to keep at the helm and boldly steered through the heavy surf, which for a mile and a half kept breaking over us, and nothing but a watery grave presented itself. At last we bumped and fortunately stuck in the sand. Then also came the time of trial. We for some time had been clinging to the rigging, but now we had to leave our hold, the spars began to break and blow about, sea after sea pooped and broke over us, and we had to get over the side of the ship and plunge through the surf. There were three, ladies oh board, Mrs. Graham and the two Miss Heaphy's, the whole of whom were by this time very weak. Mrs. Graham was very much bruised; she was the first lady that got out of the vessel, being lowered down by a rope, the others followed quickly, and the captain and myself were the last to leave the ill-fated brig; but thank God we all got through the surf and safe to land.

We were all in a very deplorable state, our -clothes torn; and, of course, wet, the ladies in particular had nearly all their clothes torn off, and they must have perished had we not fortunately met Mr. Robert Russell, of Wangaiunona, WairaIrapa, who, hearing of the wreck, instantly came to render assistance. He carried Mrs. Graham to his house, his men and some of the crew assisted the Miss Heaphys. On arriving at his very hospitable residence, we were introduced to Mrs. R. Russell and Mrs. Russell, senior. These ladies had prepared for our reception and they did everything that.lay in their power to make us comfortable, giving us a change of clothes, &c. Mr. John Russell also did all that he could do for us. Truly this very kind family were neighbours to us. Early the following morning the captain, crew, ■end Mr. Russell went to the wreck. By this time the brig had broken up, the cargo scattered and gone. We had on board nearly 100,000 feet of boards and scantling. Scarcely one whole board was left. It was wonderful to see how everything had been torn to pieces and broken up, and scattered for miles along the beach. I fortunately recovered one box, with the contents, of course, much damaged and wetted; nearly everything else was lost. It is wonderful to think how we ever escaped as we did. Thank God, the whole of our party are now in a way of recovery, and hope in a few days to reach Wellington. The passengers by the Shamrock were Mr. Goodfellow, Mr. and Mrs. Graham, of Auckland, and two Miss Heaphys, of Lyttelton. I am, sir, yours, &c, George Gbaham.

Stobes fob New Zealand.—Under the presidency of Sir Richard Airey, Quartermaster-general, an influential Board of officers has been sitting for the last three weeks at the War Office, for the purpose of considering the nature of stores to be sent to New Zealand, best adapted for equipping the soldiers to enable them to cope with a brave and wily enemy in the dense bush of that country. It is stated that the men are to be formed in camps of reserve in the neighbourhood of hostilities; and that strong detachments will be organized in a peculiar manner to clear the bush thoroughly of our assailants. These men will lay aside tunic and shako, and mount a rough blue thick flannel jersey, fatigue cap and buffs, leather gaiters and boots to lace outside, will complete their figting costume; while each man will carry a hatchet, a tomahawk, a strong jack knife, a tin pot, his cloak rolled, a new oil skin haversack, with provisions ready cooked inside, and a tin pot to boil his tea in bivouac. The hatchet will chop down boughs and ferns ia abundance, which with his cloak will make him a bed which a prince might envy, as happily the scrub is wonderfully free of insects and other parasitical abominations. With his knife he will tripod a few skewers over the fire, and hang his pot thereon with stew, or soup, or tea; and the oilskin will keep his provisions free from wet and mould. What would not some of our newly-fledged volunteers give to try a maiden campaigu under such circumstances ? The more so as our fellows are to fight with a full stomaoh—an Englishman's delight this has always been, as in future it will be his privilege. The ration is increased to 1 lb. ot meat, H lb. of biscuit, 1 gill of rum, coffee, tea, sugar, salt, pepper, vinegar, and mustard, the whole of which are to be served out free to the men so long as they are in presence of an enemy; that is, so long as the/country is under martini law; nor is any deduction whatever to be mado for his fighting kit. Coolies will follow up with provisions and ammunition; so that the men, unincumbered, will _be able to make descents on the enemy; a»" civilised man will stoop to fight the savage in h's own way, and conquer, God willing, in so doing. The commissioners have, on hearing the evidence of officers of the 58th, and other regiments, recommended that large supplies of rookets, hand-mortars and sheila, should be sent out with these stores. Nor" have medical comforts been omitted in their catalogue of stores, as well aa many hundreds or dozens of porter, ale, and soda water. Armstrong