INQUEST ON THE VICTIMS.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume XXXV, Issue 170, 29 July 1901, Page 2

INQUEST ON THE VICTIMS.

lIAWERA. July 27. At the iri'|UL-st yesterday un the bodies from the wreck of (he Lizzie Bell, the captain stated .—-We were abreast of the Two Brothers about 3 p.m., about eight miles off. 1 shaped the ship's course for Stephen's Island, which we made about o p.m., and then shaped the course from Stephen's Island for Cape Farewell, which 1 expected to see about 12 o'clock. I was on the deck the whole time from when we started, the officers taking the usual watches. At about 9 p.m. I sent the second officer aloft to see if he could discern Cape Farewell light. I did so again at about 10 o'clock, and once more soon after, saying he must see it. I noticed the log registered x3 (?) from Stephen's Island. I went down and marked it on the chart, when I heardj some one say there was land on the lee bow. I ran up at once. The helm was put down 1o port, but the ship struck heavily. I lowered the main-top-gallant sail and called all hands on dock. By this time the ship was bumping heavily, throwing ' one oil' one's feet. She was eight mites hoc' -west of Stephen's Island when passing, and T altered the course N.W. by "W. magnetic, and kept that course until the ship struck. The compasses were adjusted at Glasgow beforo the ship left. Tho ship was sailing at 9.J to lu knots at the time of striking and was under topgallant sails. It was on a reef she struck, about one and a half to two miles from the shore There was a fresh HE. wind, aud the night was partially clear, and there was a moderate sea. I had a man on the look-out ; the sec:nd officer was on tho poop at the time she struck. I thought the land called out by the man was cloud. I cannot account for the J ship being out of her course unless some current set in towards the reef. The I ship's crew were all perfectly sober. Mr Barrow, the mate, said that at 6 o'clock the ship was \\) miles N."$V. by Yfmagnetic from Stephen's Island, and the course was not altered up to the time when he turned in. It was set to steer clear of Cape Farewell.

JJjGrlen, the loot-out man, said the second mate camo oB his rou»ds at six bells. Witness told him he thought it was land on the starboard bow. The mate Slid it was not land. About 20 minutes later the ship struck. He could see no breakers uLtil she struck. The jury returned a verdict of death by drowning in the cases of Simons, Lang, and Chappell, and of exhaustion in i the case of Olley, Perry, and Jones. They . , added a rider that a lighthouse should be I erected at the mouth of the Oeo river. I