THE ILL-FATED FIFESHIRE

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLVIII, Issue 14819, 24 October 1911, Page 4

THE ILL-FATED FIFESHIRE

THRILLING STORY.

THREATENED BY SAVAGES.'

[FROM OUR OWN CORRESPONDENT.] . 1$ London, Septembers.Five members of the crew of the s.s, jj! Fifeshire, which was wrecked off Cape - i Guardafui on the night of August 9, ] laTe If arrived at Plymouth, and they tell a i 1 thrilling story of adventure. The File- "rj shire left Albany at the end of July, and, " '-» crossing the Indian Ocean, experienced * the full force of a fierce mensoon, which I swept her out of her course. The party 'J consisted of Edward Arthur second stew" ?i ard), R. Middlemiss (butcher), Alfred Brown (chief cook), Robert Nixon'(steer- K\ age steward), and John Eunier. 'fie '<>'■:•■ last formerly belonged to tie s.s. Rip. 1 ',; pingham Grange. He fell into a hold and 3 spent two months in Rockhampton Hospital with a broken leg, being afterwards sent home on the Fifeshire as a distressedl> British subject. i"1 Mr. Arthur said there were 110 souls on board, including 35 passengers. It 1 was about 10.30 on the night of .the If 9th August when the wreck occurred. Most of the passengers were in bed at the ,11 time. The liner was steaming at practically full speed, and as she hurled herself on. to the rocks there was a harsh* I grating sound, and she trembled from head to stern.

aeaa to stern. The engines were reversed at full speed in the hope of freeing liar from the reef,/'and an anchor was put out astern in an "■ ! effort to haul the ship clear, but all efforts were in vain., ' The Fifeshire L; > struck bow on, but soon she ■ drifted■;§-; broadside to' the rocks. The engine-room ; was kept dry, but m the foiehold ISi: - of water was found after the strandirr. The passengers hurriedly came on deck, ' But the calm demeanour of Captain Cramer and his officers averted a panic, and. said one of the sailors on Saturdav, even the women and children were scarcely excited when assured that there was no immediate danger ; •"■ "'■-' Threatening Savages. Daylight revealed the shore close it hand, and on the beach could be s'.en hundreds of natives, who were gesticuki. ing in • an' alarming manner. ; They \y&sfsm armed with spears, and persistently s\w\ them at trie shipwrecked crew and passengers. . They, -were evidently < "U tsef|||f look-out.for loot, and were distinctly unfriendly. " Some ;of the number drew • their hands across their throats, as an indication of what they -'would like to do If they got at close quarters," said Mr. Arthur. Some of the natives swam off ! to the Fifeshire, but the captain allowed only one on board, and after a brief stay he was sent ashore. -~''" - At breakfast time the chief officer, with five men, was sent away in search 'of - assistance.' On that day there .was <-, change in the /weather,- and a gale sprang'.•'."' : , up. The ship began to bump heavily, ' v and the foremast was carried away. . All day : long savages lined the shore threaten--ing the ship's company, and the "officers of the Fifeshire frequently discharged' , their rifles as a warning to* them'not-to come too close. All. through the next night an anxious watch -was kept,' and : then, on the 11th of August, the Fifeshire had to be abandoned. '• | Lowering the Boats. Four boats ' were lowered, the captaifi'JU". taking in his all - the * women and v child-'-'■'' ren. The third , officer's boat capsized, but was righted, and the occupants wera rescued. All eventually got away fron the wreck, though, through being die masted, the fourth, officer's boat was ali most driven ashore in "the. storm. Third officer Ineson's boat s was the first to be picked up. After 12 hours she fell ' i" with the French liner Adour, which, c:: : hearing of the wreck, searched ' the vicinity and eventually picked up th« captain's boat. When fourth officer p McClinton's was discovered the occupants -~* , wove sitting knee-deep in water, ana.had:''! : '. been baling continuously from the time they left the side of the Fifeshire. For 15 "hours they had been without fresh water, as the sea swept ' in, washing away their supplies. The rescue by the Adour was attended J-*-" by an exciting incident. One of the boats knocked her stern against the linen side, and then had her side smashed in. Some of the occupants were thrown "into the water and were rescued in a very exhausted condition. The missing boat was under the command of Mr. Caulfield, the second officerarid contained five lady passengers, on« male passenger, and four children, also 14 officers and crew, a total of 24 souls.