SINKING OF THE HIPPOLAS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLVI, Issue 14225, 23 November 1909, Page 6

SINKING OF THE HIPPOLAS.

THE CAPTAIN'S STORY.

AN UNLIGHTED BEACON. ; : [BY TELEGRAM.—-rItESS ASSOCIATION.] '.■■■'■■...' • . Picton, Monday. Tire master (Captain Thomas N orris) of the barque Hippolae, which was found waterlogged near the French Pass by the 6.6. Takapuna, on Saturday afternoon, and subsequently foundered while being towed to Picton, interviewed, said :—" The barque left Timaru for Haveloek on November 17. Nearing Cape Campbell a north-west gale hampered progress, and she took four days to reach Cloudy Bay. We anchored, and reported to headquarters. We started again on Thursday, but put back owing to stress of weather. On Friday we loft the bay at eight o'clock p.m., and got off the Brothers at 1.30 a.m. on Saturday.

" After passing Cook's Rock we looked anxiously for the guiding beacon, Jackson's light. The weather was thick, and seeing no light caused uneasiness. At 2.25 a.m. the man on the look-out cried, " Hard up," and the helm responded, " but the barque did hot pay off quickly enough, and struck Walker's Rock heavily. The ship was "under easy sail at the time. "I called all hands on deck and ordered the boats to be got in readiness. I then went down below and found water making

freely in the bow. I made for Guards Bank, and came to anchor in 10 fathoms of water. There was then 6ft of water in the hold. I burned flare lights and

rocket distress signals from the time of striking till I anchored. The crew wero anxious to leave the vessel, as she had a big list to starboard, and all went ashore at Titirangi in boats. We were not picked up till the following morning. The crew are being well cared for privately at Picton. The ship's papers, some provisions, and personal effects were taken ashore." The officers and crew of the Hippolas are: —.- :■■■ ■': «/••

Master: T.,Norris. First mate : Ashley Thorpe. Second mate : E. Cox. ' A.B.'s: H. Badham, G. Whitton, C. Albertson, Thimburn, T. Fagan, S. Fletcher, 0. McGregor. • Cook : A. Leigh. AN OFFICER'S BAD LUCK. JUST TIME TO CUT THE TOW-ROPE. [BY TELEGRAPH.—SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT.} .<■ Wellington, Monday. Mr. J. Frew, chief officer of the Takapuna, gave an interesting detail of his brief sojourn aboard 1 - the Hippolas. He took with him the third officer, boatswain, three sailors, three firemen, and two stew-

ards. ; When they reached the Hippolas she was held by two anchors. They promptly hauled one aboard, slipped the other : cable, set her canvas, and sailed her clear Of the rocks to a position where, the Takapuna could take her in tow. " When we first took, charge of her," said Mr. Frew, "the water was within 3ft of the deck, and just before she went down it had made another 2ft.'' The only articles aboard were a few papers and a ease: of whisky. All the clothes, even the blankets, had been taken away by the crew when they deserted the ship.

"It was my first command," explained Mr. Frew, " and I would have liked to make port with her, but my luck was out. But for a little rough water off Jackson's Head we might have got to Picton. We lost some time there, and it was a case of calculating every minute after that. She went'; very suddenly, and barefy gave us time to hack the rope and get clear. Luckily, however, she ' took a list before disappearing. '■:.-- Had she gone stern first I reckon it would have been necessary to swim." . . A TREACHEROUS ROCK. Walker's Rock, where the Hippolas struck, is a flat, black rock off the outer end of Cape ; Jackson, at the entrance to Queen Charlotte "Sound. J Jackson's Head is another rock between Cape Jackson and Walker's Rock, and there is 60ft of water, in the : passage between the rocks, but mariners are warned that it is advisable to keep outside Walker's Rock, because the tides run strongly and irregularly, and make the passage dangerous. • Vessels plying between Nelson and Picton alter r their course in the neighbourhood of Walker's Rock, and, a white fixed light was erected oh Jackson's Head, to assist, mariners in negotiating the band. This light, after being out for nine days, was relighted on Saturday, but in the meantime, as already reported, the s.s. ' Takapuna had an exciting experience there only a few days ago.

PREVIOUS WRECKS AND MISHAPS.

Walker's Jackson's Head, and the near vicinity, have rather a bad record in the matter of interference with shipping. On July 30, > 1873, the steamer Rangitoto, Nelson. to Wellington bound, was totally lost. The schooner Ruby hit Walker's Rock, and went down, on April 23, 1879. In 1881, on May 7, the ketch Forest Queen struck a rock in the inner passage. On August 22, 1883, the Annabell, a brig, stranded 100 yds from the rock, in the inner parage; no damage resulted in this instance. In November (the 16th) of the same year the Mahinapua grazed the rock; while a big boat, the i L'Atingham, on the voyage from London to Wellington, was lost in the same water on September 1, 1884, with heavy loss of life. On May 28, 1891, the Ohau grazed the "rock, a similar mishap befalling the Rotorua on September 28, 1893, and the Hesketh on February 9, 1895. Six years later, on November 29, the Kotuku went closer, striking the rock. The Takapuna adds to the record by grazing the obstacle on the 18th inst.