SHIPPING DISASTERS.

Lyttelton Times, Volume CI, Issue 11888, 11 May 1899, Page 5

SHIPPING DISASTERS.

THE WRECK OP THE LOCH SLOY. A SEAMAN'S ACCOUNT. AN EIGHT DAYS' TRAMP. United Press Association—By Electrio Telegraph—Copyright. ADELAIDE, May 10. The Loch Sloy's crew and passengers together numbered thirty-five. The names of the four survivors are William Mitchell and Duncan MMillan, able seamen; William John Simpson, apprentice; David Kilpatrick, a passenger. Mitchell gives the following account of the disaster: —The Loch Sloy drifted so close to the rocks that they couldl not run out again, and she struck heavily. An enormous sea was running, and he had never seen anything equal to the sight, even round Cape Horn. This was the third time he had been wrecked. Captain Niccol was a splendid Christian. From the time the ship struck he never moved off the deck, but stuck true- to his post. Within ten minutes all hands were washed overboard. Two women passengers, Mrs Leicester and Mrs Cartlidge, climbed the masts, and showed no fear. The masts were washed down in a few minutes. The vessel struck at 5 a.m., and at daylight only the bottom part was left. Kilpatrick and Simpson were unable to swim, but floated ashore on barrels. Mitchell swam ashore with MMillan. All the survivors were thrown on to the rocks with-' in two yards of each other. He saw no sign of other living beings, then or afterwards. Kilpatrick would not leave a water-hole on the way, although his companions implored Mm to stick to them. Mitchell and son were eight days in reaching Cape Barda, and were delirious when found. Both revived wonderfully after getting a bath and some food.

The Loch Sloy carried seven passengers. No complete list of the crew is available, but letters axe lying at the post office, Adelaide, for the following persons:—Captain Niccol, Peter Cleland, T. A. Cleland, Kilpatrick, George Downden, Empson, Robert Smith, Robert Dirnie, G. J. Twidle, J. MMillan, T. H. Leach, R. Mullegan, Hugh M'BrMe (ship's carpenter), J. R. Brown (steward), Archie Martin, R. J. Smith, John Buchanan and George Lanibie.. One of the launch-hands at the' 'Semaphore-station. stages that friends of his named A. Finlayson, M'Kinnon, Neill and A. Robertson were expected by the Loch Sloy. The cargo is valued at £30,400, and is understood to be insured in London offices, where the hull is also insured.

The lighthouse-keeper found the Loch Sloy survivors, seven miles from the lighthouse, in a terribly exhausted condition, their feet cut and bleeding, and with only a few rags of clotiiing. Since the -wreck they had existed on a few limpets and a couple of dead penguins which they found on the beach. A tug has been despatched to the scene.

•The Loch Sloy'a cargo for Adelaide was valued at £9400, and for Melbourne at £2i;000. The search for Kilpatrick, who was left by his companions at a waterhole, will be resumed this morning. It is feared that he will have wandered from the water-hole, and have become lost or demented. He was in delicate health, the trip to the colonies' being for the benefit thereof. MMfflan made his way to May's house and reported the wreck.

Simpson states tEat the crew of the Loch Sloy consisted of ten able seamen, two ordinary seamen, two stewards, four officers, five apprentices, cook, carpenter, sailmaker, and a boy. There were seven passengers. The vessel struck with fearful force, and a. gaping hole was made in the hull. The rocks held the ship as in a vyce, and the water rushed in like a cataract. 'All the passengers asleep at tie time of the disaster. Life-buoys were served out immediately.

Mitchell states that the rock on which the survivors were providentially thrown was the only possible landing-place. The vessel struck half a mile off the shore. The gunpowder which formed part of the cargp caught alight and exploded. Kilpatrick spent three days on a ledge, where he was thrown by the sea, before he was able, with the assistance of his companions, to scale the clff. Kilpatrick was •unable to travel more than thirty yards at a time, and then collapsed. His companions were reluctantly compellled to leave him at a water-hole. •

Simpson says that most of the passengers made the trip in the Loch Sloy on account of their health. The vessel sighted no land on the voyage until the fatal morning. After striking the vessel settled down with a cant seawards. Had she listed the other way it is probable that more'would have been saved. Mitchell gives a grapliic account of his long and difficult swim ashore. He had several narrow escapes from being dashed to pieces by wreckage. WRECK OF AN UNKNOWN SHIP. PERTH, May 10. A telegram states-that a large ship, name and nationality unknown, has been wrecked at Port Cloates, nineteen persons being saved and one drowned. A steamer lias been sent, but no details will be available till her return. The telegram relative to the wreck of the unknown vessel was from Onslow.