TO-DAY'S CABLES.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume XLII, Issue XLII, 28 September 1908, Page 3

TO-DAY'S CABLES.

THE VESSEL IDENTIFIED. THE LOCH FINLAS FROM PORT PIRIE. SOME SURVIVORS RESCUED. A TALE OF PERIL AND TRAGEDY. (Received 8.25 a.m.) LAUNCESTON, Monday. It, has been ascertained that the vessel lost at Cape Portland was the Loch b mlas, bound from Port Pirie to Callao. Residents state that at about 9.30 on Saturday morning a barque was seen coming from the direction of Boobyalla Bay. She struck the reef, and within half an hour had disappeared. On Friday a fierce north-west gale raged, with a high sea running. As the vessel was at that time at the bottom she must have been torn out. A close search is being made for the survivors along the coast. Late last night word came that a boat had landed between Cape Naturalist and Eddystpne. A few particulars are available. The crew were all foreigners, and numbered 24. Four boats were launched, but all were stove in. Nine men clung to the wreck, and the captain and mate stood by the ship. The last words of the captain were : "Don't bustle, boys ! Don't hurry !" A boat with four men landed about midnight on Saturday. They tramped to Mr Grove's residence, about eight miles, reaching it at 4.30 in the morning. The survivors state that one of their comrades was seen to cling to a dinghy, and if he wero saved it would be on Fester Island. The second mate was out cf his mind when the vessel struck, singing hymns and snatches of songs. He then jumped overboard, and when last seen he was drifting seaward, with a belt tied round his neck. The rescued men are Scandinavians.