THE WRECK OF THE GRATITUDE.

New Zealand Times, Volume LXIX, Issue 3675, 27 February 1899, Page 5

THE WRECK OF THE GRATITUDE.

A-SHOEB'AT'.THE MACQU ARIES. ' .SAFETY -OP THE’CREW.

Invercargill, February 26. The Government steamer Tutauekui arrived at tire Bluff. ■ Captain-.. Post reports that he- visited i the, depots at, Auckland; Islands and the' Snares, finding them intact.-- On arrival ' at the Macquarie Islands on the 18th he saw the missing ketch Gratitude ashore on Nugget Point. All hands, with- the .assistance of a shore party, had-landed'safely.. They were brought on toi-the Bluff. Captain Neil MacDonald, master of the Gratitude, reports arriving at the Macquafies*on October'2Bth last.., He landed some menVand-a portion of. the cargo on the 29th. On the 30th a strong wind and heavy sea . prevailed. The cable was’ slipped.and tli'e vessel put out to sea. On November Ist. lie anchored at-,the south end of the ‘ island, .and afterwards proceeded to Nugget Point,',' On the 3rd. and 4th -a heavy pea was running. The wind kept steadily,'increasing’day by day, and seas frequently broke- aboard. At 7’ a.m. on the., 10th the vessel shipped a heavy sea-aifd'another .at. 8 a.m. Life belts were then 'serve\Tto 1 all aboard, for fear of the vessel- foundering at -anchor..,,At 9 a.m. another heavy sea .broke on board, doing .considerable! damage, amp the Vessel drifted swiftly ashore. All the stores and ca'rgpowere’ Bafcly landed. The vessel is high-above ordinary high water, and considerably damaged. The vessel wad? f insured for .£4OO, s and was owned by J. Hatch and "Co.; ■ i,

In a telegram to Mr W. T. Glasgow. Secretary of the Marine Department, Captain Post reports that .all the depots on the islands were intact with the exception of the one on Bounty Island, which -had broken down.A. No ' signs of me or wreckage -were,to be seen, on apy, of the islands. -The .Swedish brigantine Garin with stores and coal for r the Borciiprevinck Antarctic expedition was seen at anchor -in Perseverance Harbour, Campbell, Islands.