BUFFETED BY A GALE.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LVII, Issue 17497, 15 June 1920, Page 4

BUFFETED BY A GALE.

THE E. R. STERLING.

THREE OF CHEW' ■ INJURED,

FAST' TRIP FROM NEWCASTLE.

Bearing traces of a severe buffeting in gales in the Tasman Sea, the well-known six-masted barquentine •E. R. Sterling reached Auckland yesterday from Newcastle, with a cargo of coal.

She left that port on Friday, Jane 4 and immediately ran; into a westerly gale. Late in the afternoon the gala increased in strength, the "wind blew with hurricane force, and a heavy confused sea got up. , The vessel rolled and pitched heavily, with her decki> swept by huge seas." Both watches were kept hard at work attending to and taking in sail. The conditions grew worse as the night wore on, the mainsail, mizzeo, and two top-gallant-sails being blown away. An ex. ceptionally big sea which came aboard shifted the mid-ship deck-homo, which is used as the quarters for the apprentices. The bunks and the contents.: were washed away, and a porcelain bath was shifted from its position. The water found 'tj way into tin* cabin, and did considerable damage to the ship's stores. The washports were wrenched from their hinges and the doors of the donkey-louse were stove in. About 4 30 ajn. next day an appj-entica named John Ibbotson, 17 yea-s of a»e received a broken arm, and was almost washed overboard. E_ was assisting to clew the mizztn—or, rather, the remnante of it-when a sea swept him off his feet and carried him along the deck into the scuppers. . Before he could regain his feet he was swept further aW the deck, being rescued by one of the crew as injuries were attended to by Captain K ft. Sterling. The carpenter (W. Berndge) and the mate (Mr. E. Harris) also received injuries to their legs. The gale moderated on Sunday, and bv Monday, 'one 7, had blown itself out. Despite the stormy passage the ves&i? did the tnp in the fast inne of 10 days!