WRECK OF A SCHOONER.

New Zealand Herald, Volume L, Issue 15235, 24 February 1913, Page 8

WRECK OF A SCHOONER.

THE TONGAN HURRICANE. FATE OF THE BOREALIS. SWEPT ON TO A REEF. The Island steamer Ahi a, which arrived from the Pacific islands last evening, brought news of the severe hurricane which swept down m the Tongan group on tho morning of February 10. A serious outcome of the hurricane was the total wreck of the American four-masted schooner Borealis, which occurred during the height of tho storm, and brief particulars of which were published on February 19.

With scarcely three minutes' warning, tho J hurricane, which was accompanied by tor- ! rential sheets of rain, burst upon Nukua- , lofa, where the Borealis was moored, at '■ about 3 a.m. on the date named. The vessel had arrived at the island port a few days previously, from Columbia River, ana was discharging a cargo of lumber. Cap- | tain F. Clint-born was aboard, with 10 offiI cers and men. Strenuous efforts were ! made when the storm burst to securely ! moor the vessel, but when it was found | that- this was", impossible, an attempt was j made to take her out of the harbour, and thus into safety. At the Mercy of Wind and Sea. The schooner's moorings were ur.hdhcd, but no sooner had the ropes been loosened than the vessel was lifted by the terrific seas and swept on to the reef which runs parallel with Nukualofa wharf. Her stern struck the reef with tremendous force, and her rudder was driven upwards right through the hull. The gale and sea buffeted the Borealis about for a few minutes, and the crew were able to do nothing but cling to the bulwarks and staunchions. A mountainous sea, impelled by a. furious blast of wind, again lifted the vessel, and stern on, drove her back against the wharf. The force of the impact was sufficient to smash into atoms several feet of the ferro-concrete structure, and the stern of the vessel for some 12ft was broken clean away. At this stage the crew were inclined to give themselves up as lost, but tho captain ordered them to jump. Several of them heard the order, and just as the vessel was being lifted by another big sea, they sprang from the higher parts of the ship on to the wharf. The remaining men were fortunately given another chance to reach safety, for the wind again drove the vessel against the wharf before the sea. had time to take her on to the reef. They managed to scramble on to the wjiarf just in time, as the vessel was being swept past, heading for tho Teef. \ Vessel Burned to the Water's Edge. The ill-fated schooner was then driven cn to the reef, and the captain and his men could only stand on the wharf and watch her being smashed about by the furious gale and seas. Flames were seen at about 4 a.m., issuing from the forecastle, where several oil lamps had been left burning by the crew. These had apparently overturned, and had set fire to the ship. The flames . secured a good hold, and the vessel was ' burned to the water's edge whilst resting ' on a Tugged part of the reef. By daylight practically nothing could be seen of ' the schooner, and she subsequently broke ! Up.

The Borealis was an almost new, -wooden vessel, of 764 tons, and was owned by the Borealis. Company, of San Francisco. She was built in 1302 by the H. D. Bendixen Shipbuilding Company, of Fairhaven, and had been utilised in lumber trade in the Pacific. She was only partly insured.

On the following day the wreck .was sold at auction by Mr. Geo. Scott, and realised £68, Mr. W. Cocker being "the purchaser. The lumber, which had been washed ashort) from the vessel, was also purchased by Mr. Cocker, the price being £505. . ,