WRECKS AT THE CHATHAMS.

New Zealand Times, Volume LXXV, Issue 5118, 10 November 1903, Page 2

WRECKS AT THE CHATHAMS.

A HISTORY OF DISASTERS. Mariners, beware of the Ohathamsl There ore few such out-orf-tho-world places where the rocks and currents and winds are so treacherous, or where so many victims have been claimed from the ranks of those “who go- down to the sea in ships.” Master's of ships leaving New Zealand, and taking the refato towards Capo Horn, will bo wise if they give a wide berth to the Chatham Islands. For the tide around those islands is not an ordinary ocean tide. Tha flood tide splits on the south side and runs on the oast and west shore till it joins again on the north side. The chh tide splits on the north side and runs reverse on the two shores till it joinsagain on tho south side. Thus tha flood tide sots a vessel northwards and the ebb tide southwards, so that any sailing vessel getting into these limits, in foggy weather, ox - in a calxxx, or by night, most surely comes to grief. Tho confirmation last week of tho loss of the Loch Long recalls to mind a great number of mishaps which have ocoun'ed to shipping at tho Chathams. We go back nearly seventy yea re fox- a record of tho wreck of tho brig Gloria, commanded by Captain Richerton, in 1836 in a bay on tho south-east shore of Pitt Island, a hay which was afterwards xxamed Gloria. Three yeans later Captain Richerton lost tho' schooner Whangaroa at tho Chathams, and in the same year tho North Bedford whaler Erie, Captain Wanton Denis, was wrecked, and the French whaler Ocean Bay was burned by the Maoris after sho had been abandoned by the cx-ew iu boats. - Tiie stoi'y of that affair has never been told—and will never bo. In 1841 Captain Bell lost the little Waitangi schooner James, and in. tha following year tho Sydney trading schooner Lookin, junder Captain Finley, was wrecked. The whaler Chelcia, oi 600 tons, Captain Potts, was lost in 1845, and in 1846 a Launceston brigantine, skippered by Captain H. Griffis, while Captain Ferguson’s little fchooner Ocean came to grief irx 18-48. In XBSI tho New Zealand schooner Flora, MoDonald left,for Wellington with a car. go of wheat, and nothing was . ever heard of the vessel or of Captain.. Warren or his crew. The now ship ‘ Antarctic, from North Bedford, was wrecked in 1852 after lying at Waitangi for three weeks. Other wrecks of which we have authentic information are aa under:— Ramlolf.—English trading barque from China via Melbourne. She struck on Tupuangi reef, and beached ixx Taoroa in 1833. Captain and owner, Mr Boiseburgh. Resolution.—New Zealand trader, a ketch rigged cuttex - , in 1855. She left Taurauga under a strong gale from W.S.W., and some months after wav found bottom up by a wlialcr between the Chathams and New Zealand. Captain McOlatcbie. Forty tons register. St. Peter. —North Bedford whaling barque, at Kaxugaroa hax-bour, 1855. Captain Young. Wilfully wrecked by some of the crew in tho absence of tho, captain. Marmora.—Sydney trading bx-igan. tine, at Owenga, 1856. Capt. Scoomcs., One hundred and fifty tons burthen. Helen.—Hobart Town brigantine, is Waikere Bay, on Pitt Island. Captain Clarke, 1875. One hundred and fifty tons hux-then. The most destructive wreck of all. All hfxt one lost, the captain, his wife and daughter included. Tho survivor, one of the crew, wav washed upon ashclve; became to himself after a while, and was able to tell tho awful story. Panama. —A Sydney whaling brigantine, in 1857. She called in at Kainga r xoa, in a very leaky state, but left again, in that condition, against the consent of many. About 150 miles to the north of this island, as many as had reomin on«. boat left her: llttreat were left on her to perish, and those seven or eight' men in the boat came hack safe to Kaingaroa. Captain Griffis, the navigator, the mates, and some others were among, those who came hack. Adelaide Paiked. —Melbourne trading brigantine, wrecked at Taur>cka 1 loading wheat and potatoes there.' Wrecked with a full cargo and money. Nothing saved except the_ hare lives. One man drowned. Captain Wetterrolle. Elisabeth.—French whaling barque, struck on the Matarakau reef. 1338.; Captain Painhlanch. Nothing saved eiespt the lives. . ; Leveret. —Sydney trading brig. Wat wrecked in 1553. Elicser. —Auckland trading schooner*

%t AVaitangi. in 1350. C nntain Jolin Blair. About fifty tom, register. Terror. Hobart Town whaling torque, wrecked on Okuwa reef in TBSO. Captain McGrath. Franklin, —North Bedford whaling ■/jarque, on Titt island (Blower Tot), in 18159. Captain Richmond. Sebastopol.—London ship, in ballast, bound for Valparaiso. Wrecked on tho Horoinannga beacn in 1 <550. Captain McGrath. Tho same captain of the Ter,ror. Ho had left some wreckage from tho Tenor, which he # would take away, and was again wrecked almost in the ■jaino place. Edwards. —Otago brigantine schooner, It AVaitangi, 1801. Captain Weeks. Seabine. —Otago brigantine schooner. Was wrecked in Kuingaroa harbour in 1803. Captain L'rquhart. Umpire.—North Bedford whaler, 000 ions register., Wrecked at tho entrance of Winuigaroa harbour in 1803. Captain McCiunborth. Sicilia.—Now Zealand trader, topsail «ohooner, about 35 tons burthen, m 1864. Sho left Kaingaroa harbour with produce for Auckland, and nothing was fcoard of her afterwards. Captain John /Blair. Alabama. —North Bedford whaler, at '.Whangaroa. in 1305. Captain Coflin. Wilfully wrecked. __ Catharine.—Hobart Town whaling barque, at Waitangi, 180 G. Captain Lucas. Was got off again and repaired, but having no proper anchors, was wrecked again. Owner’s name was Bussell. Sea Serpent.—New Zealand trading Brigantine schooner. Sho left Pitt Island end of June. 1800, with produce and passengers bound for Wellington. Never hear of again. Captain A_ Blair. AVild ArVave. Trading brigantine jchooncr. Sho was abandoned by her irew between Ocean Bay and Wniparoa. No one knows what became of her. Captain Black. Lizza Scott.—English ship in ballast, bound for Callao. Foggy weather and lido caused her to differ about six miles from free course, and struck on tho To turn reef in 1807. Captain West. Express. —• New Zealand trading schooner laden with wool and cattle from Pitt Island. AVrcckcd in Wangaroa in 1807. Captain Twiss. Florence.—New Zealand fore-and-aft schooner laden with wool and other produce. Sho was cut adrift from her anchorage at Waitangi by tho Hau Han prisoners when they escaped in tho Rifleman in 1808. Sho was repaired and wrecked again. Captain Priest. Ocean Mail.—English ship on her voyagn from New Zealand to London; wrecked on Matarakau reef in 1877. Sho was laden with wool and tallow, etc., to a very high figure. Captain Wardson. Island Lilie. Trading brigantine schooner, wrecked at Toraki in 1883. Captain Came. Sho was wrecked in 1870, under tho nemo of tho Agnes. Sho was repaired again, and traded between tho Chatham® and New Zealand till 1885. Plegaden.—‘Hamburg barque. Sho wan loaded with copra, and on her voyage from tho Fiji islands to Hamburg sho became leaky, and passing by tho Chatham Islands tho ship’s company beached her at Mataraka in 1885 to save their lives. Captain Classen. Omaha.—Now Zealand trading brigantine schooner. Sho traded for many years between Chatham Islands and Now Zealand. She was wrecked at Owonga in August, 1387. Captain Donald. Joasio Headman. —Loudon wool ship on her voyage from New Zealand to London. Foggy weather and tide hovo her about six from her free course in passing this island, and caused her to land on tho Taupeka beach, 23rd December, 1893. She is tho only vessel of all the wrecks which havo occurred at tho Chatham® from which all tho cargo has boon saved. Captain Thomas Burton.