TERRIBLE TALE OF THE SEA

New Zealand Mail, 15 February 1900, Page 47

TERRIBLE TALE OF THE SEA

FIERCE ENCOUNTER, WITH . - SHARES. ... SYDNEY, January 24. ■ A thrilling tale of the sea was brought by the ste/.mer G'hingtu from China tonight. The steamer Hupeh, which sank in mid-ocean, was the vessel concerned. The Hupeh left Pasveroean, in Java, on Bth November, with a crew of sixty men all told; and one passenger, a Mr Reville. She had a cargo of sugar. All went well until the island of Uabra was passed, oh 14th December, and then bad weather set in. The wind increased to a gale and a heavy sea got up. The Hupeh began to roll tremendously, and gradually listed, until, on the 18th, she had a list of 00. degrees, and afterwards the end approached rapidly. The water was rapidly increasing in her hold;, the fires were extinguished, and she was gradually sinking by the stern. The boats had all been smashed up by the seas, which had all the time been washing over her, with the exception of one, which was very much damaged, so rafts were got out, and the crew and officers got down on them and floated oft clear of the steamer. Their experience during that night was terrible. The boatswain reported that another raft, which had been quite close to them at one period of the night, had been capsized, and bad been sunk, whilst the crew had been torn to piece# by sharks, which had rent them limb from limb, fighting madly amongst themselves for the bodies of their writhing victims as they struggled in a sea of oloed,. The sharks were in swarms, a large shoal had in fact been following the Hupeh for several days before the hideous finale. They seemed maddened with the blood, even rushing the rafts, and endeavouring to snatch the occupants from their refuge.

A raft containing the Europeans capsized and the officers were all precipitated into the water. Fortunately for them the raft remained afloat, and the sharks were just at that mom out not in close proximity. ; After a wild scramble they managed to get back again before the sharks, which were instantly attracted bv the splashing, managed to roach them. The last man was just drawn in as - the advance guard rushed the position, making a vicious" snap ak he flashed past.

Their provisions were, of course, washed from the raft and snapped up by the voracious monsters, and the raft seemed to be on the verge of sinking, so its occupants strained every nerve to get back to the ship. Shortly after daylight on the 19th they succeeded in doing so. During the day and night they had been on board the raft they had! been very lightly clad. Many of them had been terribly sunburnt, and their condition was truly pitiable. Captain Pennefaiher endeavoured to make an effort to reach, the island of Lubang, and accordingly stepping the boat’s mast they set sail, the 22nd sighted that island and landed, at a place called Monok.

During the hurricane those on board had been put on very short rations —in. fact, the allowance was about two bisand a. soda water bottle of water per diem for each mari, and as may well be imagined, they were nearly starving when '/they landed. The natives treated tnem very well, giving them food and drink, and finally took them to a place called Look. The head man of this village sent them to Manila, in the schooner Andreas, a vessel belonging to some of the rebels. This schooner entered Manila under a flag of truce, landed the shipwrecked mariners, • and was then permitted to return unmolested. Captain Pennefather and his officers were then given passages to Hongkong.