STEAMER'S CAPSIZE.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLV, Issue 13723, 13 April 1908, Page 6

STEAMER'S CAPSIZE.

THE BEGA DISASTER. TERRIBLE EXPERIENCE. STORIES OF HEROISM. [FROM OUR OWN CORRESPONDENT.] Sydney, April 8. As the stories of the passengers by the ill-fated Bega come to hand it is made more abundantly clear that if a storm had been raging on the night the steamer sank, or even if a heavy gale had been blowing, there would have been a terrible loss of life. It is asserted that when one of the boats was loaded, and had put off from the sinking ship, it was discovered that the plug had not been puj in at the bottom of the boat, and that the water was pouring in fast. So great was the darkness, and so crowded was the boat, that, it was impossible to remedy the error— the spot where the water was coming in could not be found. Accordingly the passengers had to set to work in earnest baling. Some of the women took off their skirts and blouses arid used them as mops to soak up the water, * whilst others took off their shoes and employed them as dippers. Thus all through the night they kept on bravely baling out as best they could, for if the work had been allowed to relax the water would have gained, and nothing could then have saved the boat. One of the passengers, Miss Pi itchard, had a cork helmet, which made an invaluable dipper. There were oars on board, but no rowlocks, and so the heav-ily-laden craft drifted aimlessly until taken in tow by the other boat, where there were oars and rowlocks also, though none to spare.

At one time, indeed, it seemed that it would be impossible to keep the water under, and after the towline had been made fast the passengers in the second boat called out that they were sinking. Then, it is said, a quarrel arose in the first boat, and the story certainly does not make pleasant'reading. It is that two or three men demanded that the towline should be , cut, so that the disabled boat, in which the women and children were, should be sent adrift. . This dastardly suggestion drove the majority of those in the first boat into furious indignation. One passenger declared that he would knock the first man down who attempted such a cowardly act. Another passenger, Mr. A. Sharpe, who was on his way to Sydney by the Bega <o be married, had a. knife passed to him as he was sitting in the stern of the boa':, and the man who handed it to him ordered him to sever the rope. Sharpe's reply was to fling the knife into the sea.

Four seamen from the steamer Bega behaved splendidly. They took the oars on leaving the vessel, and never ceased rowing the whole 12 hours they were afloat. The adverse currents encountered, which the boats were traversing in the darkness, disheartend them, and made some of the men sullen. Hour after hour of hard strenuous work by the seamen, with the boat heavily weighted, and with the other helpless boat behind, unnerved and irritated some. No progress was being made, by appearances. The dim line of land could be just discerned towards the dawning in the darkness, from the boats, and towards that line they never seemed to get nearer. The journey of five or six miles had occupied from 10 the previous night. At daylight they were still nearly two miles distant. The progress was almost imperceptible, and it was not till 10.30 a.m. that they landed on the beach at Cnttagee. A parcel of gold, containing 5610z, and valued at more than £2000, went down with the Bega. THE CAPTAIN'S STORY. Captain Bishop stated that the Bega cleared Tafchra on the return journey to Sydney from Eden "about seven p.m. on Sunday night. Shortly after the voyage started the ship took an unaccountable list to starboard, and as the voyage progressed the list became accentuated. Efforts to trim the cargo so as to right the vessel were unavailing. Finally the vessel was turned round on her course, back to Tathra, in the hope that the wind blowing at the time would hold her up somewhat, so that perhaps her position could be eased. On being brought round with the wind she trimmed again, but canted again in the same manner, and the water poured in to the front part 'through tiie portholes. The excessive inclination of the ship's decks made the greatest difficulty in getting passengers into the boats ana on to the two rafts, which had been lushed together. Finally the listing became so great that it was impossible to stand on deck. The women and children behaved with magnificent courage. There was an absence of the scenes so familiar at such appalling times. The calm and collected manner in which the captain and officers proceeded about their preparations for abandoning the foundering vessel reassured the women and children. Lifebelts were served out, and fastened securely to each person, the officers being the last to don them. As time was an object the rails enclosing the forward deck had been broken away, and the cattle pushed overboard, to relieve the weight from the forepart of the vessel. The lifeboats were cut away and secured, and the passengers lowered into the boats. JOURNEY FULL OF PERIL. It was a perilous journey. In every detail tiie launching of all but one boat had gone smoothly. From the time the boats were cut away from the davits of the doomed vessel until they shoved 'away not a quarter of a/i hour elapsed. At 10 p.m. the two boatsofficered by Chief-Officer Davis and Mr. Woodruff (a valuator for a Sydney fire insurance company)—and freighted with the women, pulled away for the coastline, and landed their freight at Cuttagee Beach, six miles south of Bermagiii. The party of six passengers and 17 of the crew drifted for nearly 12 hours. The journeying of this party on the raft was 'made more painful by the presence of the body of Mr. D. C. Clark, of Clarkson's Crossing, Cundelo passenger who died from collapse on the deck of the sinking vessel. The raft party convoyed the body of the unfortunate man to their frail refuge, and tied it there with ropes, and the living and the dead drifted thus through the long hours of Sunday night. Captain Bishop, true to tradition, was the last to leave his ship. As the boats pulled away and the raft began its drift, three hearty cheers rang out; One sailor, Dawes, sustained a fearful gash on the lip, but. despite his wound, took an oar manfully and never ceased pulling till the boat landed at Cuttagee. INEXPLICABLE OCCURRENCE. It is officially stated that the cause of the wreck is unknown. One of the crew asserts that the plates came apart below the water-line. Others say the vessel was overloaded, which is denied, as the captain declares that it is untrue, and much larger cargoes have been carried. Rockets and bluelights were burnt in the hope of attracting attention front a vessel which was passing out at sea, but apparently these signals were not observed. All the passengers and crew lost all their possessions.