THE WRECK OF THE ELSIE.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXXI, Issue 9581, 4 August 1894, Page 5

THE WRECK OF THE ELSIE.

CUSTOMS' INQUIRY. At the Customhouse yesterday Mr. Alexander Rose, the collector, held on inquiry into the circumstances attending the wreck of the ketch Elsie at Tutukaka on J uiy 26. The master of the vessel, John William Nicholson, deposed that on the afternoon of July 26 the Elsie sailed from Ngunguru for the Thames with a cargo "consisting of 75 tons of coal. ;; The tide was full at the time of sailing, with the wind from the southeast. About) four o'clock in the afternoon the wind increased to a strong breeze, and as there were signs of it still further increasing, it was determined to make for Tutukaka Harbour for shelter, and she arrived there in the evening.' What was considered as a safe anchorage was taken up, and both anchors put out, there being 40 fathoms of chain on the port, and 20 fathoms on the starboard anchor, the latter being increased by a further 15 fathoms before the cables parted. About three o'clock on the morning of the 27th the starboard cable parted, and the 'ketch began to drag across the bay, and in spite of the endoavours of the crew to save .her she went on the rocks. Very much damage was done to the deck <ind bulwarks by her pounding on the rocks, but she held together until the tide began to flow, when she broke _ up, the hull having now utterly broken up. When the starboard cable parted an effort was made to hoist the mainsail so as to endeavour to cant the vessel on the beach, and although successful she canted the wrong way, and the mainsail blowing away, she went on the rocks at Phillip Island. All hands then took refuge in the rigging where they remained until the time of nearly low water, when they got ashore over the rocks, and remained there until taken to the mainland by one of the settlers. There was nothing whatever saved from the wreck, the master and crew losing all their effects. Corroborative evidence was given by Evan Jones and Charles Gardiner, the two seamen on board of the ketch. The evidence taken will be forwarded to the Marine Department at Wellington.