THE BARQUE CHASCA.

New Zealand Mail, Issue 752, 30 July 1886, Page 2 (Supplement)

THE BARQUE CHASCA.

(Per s.s. Wairarapa at Auckland.)

(UNITED PBESB ASSOCIATION.) Auckland, July 28. The barque Chasca, from New York to Wellington, arrived at Sydney last Wednesday. Shq,left New York nearly six. months ago, and had an uneventful passage until coming across the Southern Ocean, when she encountered a continuation of had weather, with high seas, but received no damage of importance. Sinclair Head, Cook Straits, was passed on the 30th May, and the vessel lay becalmed off the entrance to Wellington Harbor for three days, being then distant three or four miles. The chief officer states that the Pilot Station and pilot were plainly visible while the barque was off Port Nicholson Heads, but neither tug nor pilot offered to come near them, and, heavy weather coming on, the Chasca was driven away off the land and buffeted about unmercifully. Scarcely had the Chasca made an offing when a hard southerly gale with hail squalls and heavy rain took charge of her for over a week. On Bth June the wind shifted, and left the vessel with Banks Peninsula close on her lee. The wind, fortunately, again shifted, but not before she had sprung her maintopmast, her foretopmast, her lower mainmast badly, and the upper topsail yard, and strained and damaged her rigging and sails in the endeavor to work off tlfe shore. The deck had also been cleared of all movables by the seas, which flooded tha deckhouse and cabin. The hull also opened up at the bows and leaked considerably. She subsequently experienced two heavy gales, which lasted to the 20th ult., and as the vessel was then straining heavily, leaking, and shipping much water, a northerly course was Bteered, and Port Jackson was reached as reported. The barque will have to undergo an overhaul, but the extent of the damage can only be decided by survey. [ln reference to the above Pilot Holmes states that the vessel was first seeu eff the Heads about 7.20 a.m on the 28th May, signalling for a pilot. The pilot boat was launched and set out for the vessel. Shortly after leaving land a strong northerly breeze sprang up, and the Chasca, hoisting her topgallant sails, stood out to sea, and was soon out of sight. She was never seen after this by the Pilot Station people. Altogether, ehe was in sight of the outer pilot station for about four hours. The statement in the telegram that she lay becalmed off the Heads for three days is evidently 'ncorrect. If the vessel had been off tha Heads for that period she would surely have been seen and repotted by the many steamers that entered and left this port during that time. The probability appears that she mistook Palliser Bay for the entrance to Port Nicholson, and one of the stations on the coast for the pilot station.]