EXIT WAIKARE

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXII, Issue 7022, 10 January 1910, Page 6

EXIT WAIKARE

FALLS OVER ON HER SIDE. Captain Showman, who accompanied the Moura on her trip to the scene of the wreck of tho AVaikare, arrived at AA 7ellington yesterday as master of the Koonya. lie explained to a "Times" reporter that when the Moura arrived in Dusky Sound at 10.30 a.m. on Thursday, the Waikare was found to have fallen right over on her beam ends. The sido of her hull was visible above water from tho bow to the bridge. The vessel had rolled over outward from the island and lay parallel with the shore, about fifty feet out. All the Waikare's lifeboats were picked up bv the Moura and brousht back to Dunedin. Mr Moln.ty.re, repairs superintendent for tho Union Company at Port Chalmers, remained on Stop Island with six mon to salvasro anything obtainable. It seemed possible on Friday morning, when the Moura loft the scene, that the Waikare might bo washed away into deep water by tho swell at any time. Tho unanimous opinion of the passengers and of shipping men that tho AVaikare would never float again were speedily confirmed. The AVaikare had 500 tons of AVestport coal aboard and a largo quantity of provisions. Sho had no cargo. The remaining members of the AVaikare's crew, as soon as tho passengers had left on the Pioneer, took off as much material as was movablo and valuable. Sympathy with Captain Newton has been expressed from all quarters. He joined the service of tho Union Company twenty-four years ago—in 1886— and was well known by the public.

A romarkablo instanco of how oats born and bred on a ship conceive an attachment for the vessel has been furnished by tho AA'aikaro wreck. Tho seamen, of oourse, took their pets^—five oats and the bosun's canary—ashore with them, but ono of tho animals seemed unhappy. On Thursday morning, when tho men were inspecting the little bit of hull that remained above water, puss got out in a boat,near to her old home, plunged on to the hull, dived through an open port hole, alid. disappeared. She was never seen again.

Mr Halcom.be, of New South AVales, a. gentleman who had learned the arts of the Australian bush, proved an exceedingly' useful castaway. Stop Island, being very wet, was without dry. wood, and the men had difficulty in lighting fires, but the Australian, with a penknife and special knowledge, quickly procured combustion. A water difficulty also troubled the cook, for the island, though so wet, bad no handy accumulations of fresh water. It was, therefore, brought off tho ship aind stored and carried up the hill with tremendous trouble.

There w _ a.s much excitement in camp on Wednesday night following on tho sinking of the Waikare. The men sougbt to gain some sleep, and quietness reigned, but the ship's cats and the island's wekas, mutually irritated by the novelty of tho surroundings, came into collision and fought a royal and noisy battle in the. shelters among the sleepers. The sea/men say the victory la,v with the cats, but as tho latter show scratched noses, and there is an absenoe of defunct wekas, the weight of evidence is in the other direction.

The Moura found one passenger at the Sounds who had deolined to leave by the Pioneer, and who elected to see the adventure out. He was Mr AV. <X Harper, a son of the Hon. Robert Harper, of Melbourne. He is said to nave been one of the most industrious and most self-sacrificing of the castaways, and to have performed some remarkable feats in bustling heavy luggage up the hill. He returned by the Moura on Saturday, and slept for nearly twenty-four bours . after getting aboard. The Magisterial Inquirv into the circumstances connected with the wreck of the Waikare will. commence at Dunedin next Monday. A local Magistrate will preside, assisted by two assessors yet to be appointed.