Page 6 Advertisements Column 1

New Zealander, Volume XX, Issue 2080, 2 April 1864, Page 6

The Wreck of xhe ochconeb Prtde.— The following particulars relative to the wreck of the schooner Pryde, wrecked on the bar of the Kaduka, on the West Coast, appears in the Walcatip Mail, of the 2nd inst. : —For a whole week the schooner lay off and on before she could get a chance of attempting the bar. The vessel wasunfortuna'ely wrecked on herreturn passage after her mission had been executed, and her loss was entirely owing to the inhospitality of the shore, and not, as will be seen, from'any want of judgment in any of the parlies concerned. Just as ihe schooner on her return neared the bar the wind that, had prevailed died away, and despite the efforts of “ sweeps ” pulled as powerfully as possible —in the face of shipwreck and its concomitant danger—the vessel struck a sunken rock. This did not, however render the vessel unseaworthy, and had the crew been able to get enough headway on, all would hnvebeen well. The current, and the ebb caused by the- breakers put her, however, into difficulties, and upon the snapping of the rudder chains, caused by these breakers the schooner became at once unmanageable and drifted slowly but' surely upon 'he rapre visible rocks. On one of these she soon struck, and immediately commenced to fill. A. part of the crew, unable to swim, rushed into the dingy, and nearly caused it to upset by overcrowding ; Others who were able to swim, did so, and though the escape was very narrow, all reached a resting place, though thoroughly exhausted. No lives, were lost for which wc have to thank a most merciful Providence. Amogst those of the crew who had especially distinguished, themselves were Mr. Sullivan, late of Dr. Hector’s party, and Mr. Drumice, and the last was a universal favbriteof the party. Theformer dived into the cabin and saved his diary of five months, •; From this place they .walked over to Messrs. Von Tunzleman’s station, and ..from . thenye to Queenstown. The party had endure 1 great hardships, ladng without any adequate supply of clothing or provision ß ; and have lost all 1 1. y had with them. Mr. Sullivan only liarely sue- , eeed.ed in rescuing his narrative of five months' t*ploration, and Us vicissitudes, 1