CITY OF AGRA.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXXIV, Issue 10407, 3 April 1897, Page 2 (Supplement)

CITY OF AGRA.

STRIKING RESCUE STOhY OF THE WRECK. HOW THE CAPTAIN ANT) NINE MEN WERE SAVED. CAPfAi9 Dtibbiso, of the screw steaiflef Onega, wliicli vessel saved several of the survivors of the steamer City of Agra, wrecked on February 3, six miles east of Villaho Light, Spain, furnishes a graphic description df the rescue by letter dated Gibraltar, February 6. The captain says that the pilot had scarcely left the Onega on January 2S when it came on to blow from the north-west, and after they had passed Scilly the wind freshened to a smart gale. On February 1 they made the Spanish coast between (Jape Villano and Sisargas Light, and the steamer making little progress, it was decided to stay under the land during the night, there being some little shelter from Cape Villano. The next morning at daylight it was blowing a hurricane, and the steamer anchored in Lage Bay. At daylight on February 3, the weather havinginoderated, they steamed out of tho bay, and when about three miles to the westward there was evidenco of a serious disaster, as wreckage Was floating about. The chief officer called attention to an object about two milej on the steamer's port side. Tho Onega steamed towards it, and despatched the port pinnace in charge of the second officer with two seamen. The object proved to be a lifeboat, bottom up, on which were huddlod together, scantily clothed, and some of them nearly dead with cramp, eight Lascars. RESOCE OP THE CAPTAIN.

These were brought on board the steamer, and by careful tending wero brought round. Two of the men spoke English fairly well, and stated that they formed part of the crew of the City ot Agra, which had stranded about eight hours before, namely, about midnight on February 2. Having ascertained from them that there were on board the steamer about 73 persons, Europeans and Lascars, men were sent aloft with glasses to look out for any that might be on the water. An object being reported on the starboard bow, the Onega steamed towards it, and pickod up another Lascar, who was floating on a long wooden case. Then she steamed through the wreckage, hoping to discover further survivors, but had nearly given up hope when attention was called to a voice calling faintly " Steamer, ahoy I" A man was discovered, with a lifebelt on, clinging co a door, but so exhausted that it was with some difficulty he was got on board. This man was Captain Frame, of tho City of Agra. It was feared that ho had already succumbed, but with the assistance afforded by four men rubbing him for over an hour he was brought round. It \va«, howovor, not until five hours nltor that he recovered consciousness. Whon tnlten out he had been over ten hours in tho water. The Onega continued searching among tho wreckage for four hours, when she steamed out to sea, and proceeded on her voyage. The Onega pnt into Gibraltar on February 6 to land the shipwrecked men.