FOUNDERING OF A BARQUE.

New Zealand Mail, Issue 995, 27 March 1891, Page 32

FOUNDERING OF A BARQUE.

By Electric Telegraph —Copyright. THE CREW ARRIVE AT SYDNEY. A PROVIDENTIAL ESCAPE. (PER PRESS ASSOCIATION.) Sydney, March 22. The crew of the barque Don Nicholas arrived here to-day in boats belonging to the vessel. The barque left Newcastle for San Francisco on March 4 with a cargo of 1300 tons of coal, and Captain Gustafson reports that when only five days out heavy storms were experienced, during which the vessel sprung a leak. The pumps were started, but as the crew were unable to cope with the water two of the ship’s boats were lowered and preparations made for leaving the ship. The water increased with such rapidity that the crew were compelled to leave.the barque when about 500 miles off the coast of Australia, and shortly afterwards she disappeared. The boats were very scantily provided with provisions, and owing to au oversight the compass was left behind, but the captain managed to take observations by means of a broken chronometer. Those in the boats consisted of thirteen crew and two passengers, and the ration served out to each man was one soda biscuit and half a pint of water per day. After nine days, during which the occupants of the boats suffered severe privations, they reached Sydney Heads today. The Don Nicholas was a vessel of 975 tons register. .s