THE HISTORIC ANCHORS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLIV, Issue 13451, 30 May 1907, Page 6

THE HISTORIC ANCHORS.

V ARE THEY THE DUN BAR'S t- ' Some doubt has arisen in the minds of many old colonists as to whether the two'anchors located near Jacob's Ladder, Sydney, really belong to the passenger ship Dunbar, MW nearly 50 years ago, or to the barque Daniel Webster, which was in distress in the vicinity of the South Head about threo years before the Dunbar .disaster. Mr. ' Frederick Betts, of Bowna,' writes that the ' Daniel Webster, with Bishop Selwyn, Mrs. Seiwyn, and a crew of South Sea natives on board, was bound from New Zealand to Sydney in the year 1355, and that, every- ' thing went well" until the vessel picked up : the Sydney light just before dark. There ' was very little wind, but the sea was rough, and owing to misty rain squalls Captain McFarlane was unaware of his close prox--1 imity to flic cliffs. He went below to partake" of tea. but shortly aftcrwardr w« called on deck, the Sydney light having been lost to view. - Captain McFarlane then discovered ids*; tlw Daniel Webster was richt under the cliffs, and all hands were called to endeavour to save the ship. The sails were cle*ed. and both anchors were cast, and hew we'll. In swinging round on her anew' chain the Daniel Webstei was so close W the cliffs that a biscuit could have been ithrown ashore. The night was extremely , dark, and heavy rain continued, the Bishop and passengers remaining on deck praying and singing until daybreak; by which tune the storm had passed away..: The wtaa was then from the land, and sails were «* . and boat* lowered. Eventually the Daniel ■. (Webster succeeded in safely clearing •Mi"-,;: | dangerous locality, but Mr. Betts its "k| iopinion that the* two anchors, and chain;[were left there, ' .