WAIKARE GONE

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXII, Issue 7021, 8 January 1910, Page 6

WAIKARE GONE

SANK ON WEDNESDAY NIGHT. WATER SEEN POURING THROUGH GREAT HOLE. IEEBS ASSOCIATION. DUNEDIN, January 7. A representative of the "Otago Daily Times" who visited the scene of the Waikare wreck in the Moura, returned to, Jsl uif to-night. He states that shortly alter 10 p.m. on Wednesday the Waikare turned over to port and sank, her botv resting on a reef opposite Stop Island, her stern being out of sight in deep water. As she heeled over before finally sinking water was seen to bo pouring from a great hole in her bottom, nearly amidshijjs, and this in itself was sufficient to show the great gash made by the lock.

When the Moura reached Dusky Sound at U. 30 on Thursday morning all that was to be seen of the ill-fated Waikare was a small longitudinal slice of deck, as she lay on her side. The ■ ship lay some 50ft off the rooks-

The .Moura met a stiff east wind on the voyage from Dunedin, and, having no cargo, she pitched a great deal, making matters very unpleasant for those on board. At 2 a.in. on Thursday sho, met H.M.S. Pioneer, but the sea was so rough that communication was impossible, and the Moura continued on the voyage to Dusky Sound. On arrival there the reporter learned that the Waikare had come through Acheron Passage from i Breaksea Sound, and swung into the broad channel' between The island and Passage Island, where the chart shows a uniform depth of 136 fathoms, when she suddenly struck. ■;

■ The second officer, Mr Appleyard, says he was on the bridge at the time, and for the moment he was not sure what had occurred. He was not kept long in doubt, for in two minutes the Waikare had a list to starboard, and as he hurried away he 'met the engineer, who told him water was rapidly entering the lengineroom. ALL SORTS OF WEIRD NOISES.

When darkness fell the Waikare was obviously sinking. , being well down by the stern. Towards 10 p.m. the men in camp heard all sorts of weird noises. First there came the sound of the iron hull grinding on the reef, followed by crashes and smashes of crockery and 'furniture tumbling about inside the vessel, and explosions and rumblings of air confined somewhere in the hull.

When the vessel finally turned over on her side and laid her spars and funnel on the reof, strange sounds echoed, around. ; The appearance of the beach was unique. Spread over its entire length was a marvellous collection of articles. Heaps of blankets, rugs, boxes, portmanteaux, boat-fittings, spars, kitchen furniture, broken' umbrellas, ladies* shoes, fruit oases, baits, sides of beef and mutton, and books strewed the rocks in every direction. / SEARCH FOR THE ROCK.

On Thursday soundings were made about the spot where the Waikare struck. For a long time nothing but deep water- was met, but eventually the line went down only a few fathoms and hung there for a moment. The line was then pulled-/and lost its hold. The men immediately went ashore and marked the spot. They were unable to find the-spot ; again, but they are positive they rested the line on what is apapparently a pinnacle rock about the place where the Waikare struck.

The party, consisting of Mr Mclntyre, repairs superintendent; Mr Appleyard, second 'officer; and five men, were left 'behind by the Moura, and they will make a closer investigation into the matter. ■ ■ • •