WRECK ON THE EAST COAST.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXXIV, Issue 10422, 21 April 1897, Page 5

WRECK ON THE EAST COAST.

AN AUCKLAND VESSEL ASHORE. SUDDEN DEATH ON BOARD. TWO MEN INJURED. CREW RESCUED BY THE ANGLIAN. [BY TELEORAFH, —PRESS ASSOCIATION. 1 Oisborke, Tuesday. The Huddart • Parker steamer Anglian arrived in port from Napier it 8.30 o'clock to-night with the shipwrecked crew of the ecow Pirate, bound from Newcastle to Gieborne. The vessel was wrecked on Portland Island in the gale on Friday morning. Captain Steinbeck reports that the reesel left Newcastle on March 26, and had » long rough trip (cross the Taiman Sea. She struck a heavy gale on Friday, April Oth, when SO miles from Caps Farewell. Running under topsails and bottomreefed mainsail the vessel shipped a sea which stove in the cabin doors, and filled the cabin and forecastle. The galley and a 400-galloh tank were washed overboard and lost. The ship was hore-to, and whilst endeavouring to secure the tank the mate, C. Moiberg, bad his leg jammed, which laid him up for tho remainder of the voyage. The weather moderated the next day, and the Pirate pissing through the Straits and coming north, sighted Napier light on the 14th. Portland Island light was sighted at 8 p.m. on Thursday, but shortly afterwards the light disappeared and they saw nothing of it, The vessel made 20 mile? to the eastward till midnight, when the wind hauled into the east, and the vessel was put on the starboard tack heading to the north north-east, which course, allowing for leeway, ought to have taken her ten miles to windward of Portland Island. At four a.m. the wind commenced to freshen a little, and after fire a.m. a terrific squall came along, which blew the three headsails and the mainsail to ribbons. The vessel was then veered round on to the port tack, Captain Steinbeck's intention being to get her under the Peninsula, and there to ride out the gale and repair sails. Suddenly the land and breakers appeared out of tho fog on the lee, and tho inizzon was at once set, and the vessel kept on heading to tho south-south-east, wliioh course ought to have taken them clear, but when the vessel came opposite to the high bluff the wind suddenly failed, and a couplo of seas washed her among the breakers.

After that nothing could be done but to baaoh the vossel. She struck heavily and all hands took to tho rigging. Just as the crew were going to leave tho vessel one of the A.B's., named Karl Rerner, a native of Germany, suddenly dropped dead on the depk. He was lowered into the boat) and after an inquest was held in the afternoon he was buried on tho island. The conclusion was come to that he died of failure of the heart, There were no outward signs of any bruises. Tho cook (O. Watkinson) got his shoulder dislocated. The crow were received and treated with every kindness by the lighthouse keepers, whd gave all assistance in getting the perishable gear out of the vessel. The Pirate is lying head on to the beach, and is washed up high and dry at low water. Hor spars are still standing. Her back is broken, the sternpost and rudder gone, and stem and sheeting chawed away. The tide is flowing in and out of her. Tho Anglian was signalled nt three o'clock this afternoon by the lighthouse keepers, and a boat was senc ashore, and brought the crew on to Gisborne, where the two injured mou are receiving medical assistance. [The Pirate was built in 1895 by Mr. George Niccol at tho North Shore, and was a strongly constructed vessel. After engaging in the coastal trade for some time tho vessel was placed in the Australian trade, oarrying timber from tho various mills on the Northern coast, and then loading coal at Newcastle back to New Zealand, She was nf the following dimonsions:—Length, 130 2 foot ; breadth, 28 feet; depth, 7o foot; tonnage, 190. She was owned by Messrs. George Niccol and W. Matthews].