DREADFUL ACCIDENT IN THE HARBOUR.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XVIII, Issue 6064, 25 April 1881, Page 5

DREADFUL ACCIDENT IN THE HARBOUR.

e TWO MEN PJXOWI?ED. e A terrible mishap occurred in the Auck--7 land harbour last night by which two men c lost thcirWes through the upsetting of ar open sailiug boat. Four men, named Henrj Drummond. Daniel O'Sullivan, James Allen, 3 and Joseph Denzey, left at 9 o'clock yesterday morning in the open sailiug boat Witch n on a fishing excursion. They proceeded tc t opposite Glen Orchard, near the mouth oi e the Tamaki, where they proceeded to fish, - and remained until evening, wheu they e started to return home. A pretty fresh 3 S.S.W. breeze was blowing, and they had to \y beat up the harbour. When they were 7 otr "Brick Bay, at half-past 5 o clock, the accident occurred. Brick Bay is on the \ North Shore side, nearly opposite the wharf, 2 and a little to the west of Calliope Point. When passing through this bay, and about j half-a-mile off land, the boat was sailing 1 very close to the wind, and had very little [ way on, but foolishly enough the sheet was ei fcher made fast or had been allowed to becomc f entangled. When at the point indicated a r smart squall came on, and before the sheet ) could be loosed, the boat was upset and sunk, and the four occupants were thrown in the water. Allen and Denzey could swim, but the others unfortunately could not. Allen pushed the bottom board of the boat towards one of them, he doc 3 [ not know which, and directed him to hold t on to it. He did so for a verjr- short time, and then both Drnmmond and O Sullivan sank. The other, two struck out for the ' shore. Before it was reached, Denzey was L so much exhausted that he .was about to give up in despair, but Allen came alongside him and encouragcd him, and finally both got ashore, very much exhausted. As soon as the circumstance was made known, a number of boats put off to the place indicated, in the faint hope of finding either of the two poor fellows floating about, or at the worst, some tracc of the bodies, but ' the search was fruitless. It was then quite dark, and the search could not be pursued. Daniel O'Sullivan, one of the victims of ' the accident, is a young man, a labourer, residing at Parnell. He has not been long married, and we believe has no family. Henry also a young married 1 man, and resided nV Wakefield-street, and was employed at the Union Sash and Door Company's works in Mechanics' Bay. He ■ leaves a wife and three children unprovided for. James Allen, one of those who swam ashore, is a single man, residing in Bathstreet, Parnell, and employed at the Sash and Door Company's works, Joseph Danzey is a young single man, a butcher, residing in Bath-street, Parnell, and in the employ of Mr. Rayn.es, butcher. No doubt a diligent search will be made for the bodies of the drowned men to-day.