A SHIP ASHORE.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXXI, Issue 9455, 10 March 1894, Page 2 (Supplement)

A SHIP ASHORE.

GALLANT RESCUE OF THE CREW. Title little village of St. Margaret's was throughout the night of Jan. 25 in a state of grout oxcitemonb owing to the stranding of tho full-rigged ship Firth of Cromarty, a new iron vowel of 1400 tons, belonging to Glasgow (Captain Macnight, master). The vessel, wliioli now lies broadside, high up in the centre of St. Margaret's Bay, was bound from London to Glasgow with cement. Hho loft tho Thames a fortnight previously, but when near the Isle of Wight she encountered strong winds, which drove her lib Channel again. It was a thick, hazy flight, the crow stating that the electric lights fit tiie Foreland only looked like a couple of stars a few cable lengths of the shore. Just bofore seven o'clock the ship struck the rocks with her head in-shore, right under the Foreland lights. The cliff Id two or three hundred feet high at this point, and the first intimation .of what had happened was a number of rockets which shot up over the cliff and were seen by the tJOrtstguard, Mr. Chas. Randle, the chief officer of tho coastguard, called out his men ami started with the rocket apparatus. Tho vessel was about half a mile from the bay, and the apparatus was transported over the rocks with great difficulty by the coastguard and a hundred willing hands from tho village. The ship could be dimly noun through the mist with the sea break- - Ing over her. As soon as signals could be made to those on the ship a rocket and line was fired, but it missed the ship. Two others met with a similar fate, bub the fourth passed over the vessel between the main and raizzan rigging, and was secured by those on board. There was a crew of twenty-one hands all told, but ib was the fate of one poor lad, an apprentice named Lubin Beard, belonging to Fife, to lose his life.

A DIFFICULT AND DANGEROUS TASK. The work of getting the men ashore was most dangerous, owing to the rocks and a large amount of surf. All the men were more or less exhausted by the time they reached the shore, and three men and the captain were with difficulty resuscitated. Dr. Braden, with a number of helpers, did splendid service, the men being treated immediately they left the breeches buoy. The captain, with George Duncan, seaman, and Hugh Quinn, another seaman, were so exhausted that they were carried over the rocks on the shoulders of some of the helpers to a little inn half a mile away, which, like many of the other houses in the bay, was opened to the succour of the shipwrecked. It is not known how the lad Beard lost his life, but the crew spoke in very feeling terms of the boy's departure from the ship. It; appears that he was placed in the breeches buoy in the presence of the captain and the rest of the crew. The captain called out to him, "Hold on like grim death, and they will pull you ashore in no time," to which the lad replied, " All right; let go." When the muster-roll was subsequently called, however, the boy wag missing. His body was washed ashore close to Walmer Castle. It is supposed the poor lad became exhausted in the surf, and was washed out of the buoy, a very unusual circumstance. Owing to the heavy breaking sea, the apparatus was worked with great difficulty, and in one case the whip line by which the buoy is hauled gob round the neck of seamen Duncan, who was unable to clear it. When taken out of the buoy he was thought to be dead. Vitality, however, was restored; bub he was so seriously injured as to necessitate removal to the hospital. The coastguardsmen worked most courageously, and entered the surf at great risk of their lives to help the shipwrecked ashore over the dangerous rocks. During the night the vessel drifted right along the shore until she embedded herself in the beach of St. Margaret's Bay, where she now lies. Tugs were engaged next day trying to get her off, bub withouß success.