BARQUE ABANDONED

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXIII, Issue 7866, 31 July 1911, Page 9

BARQUE ABANDONED

CREW TAKE TO BOATS TERRIBLE EXPERIENCES OF THE SURVIVORS. TEN MEN MISSING PEESS ASSOCIATION. AUCKLAND, July 20. News of the abandonment of a barque in the Pacific, and the probable loss of a boat’s crew of ton men, whs brought to Auckland last night. Tho four-masted American barque Puritan, bound from Newcastle to .San Francisco with coal, sprang aleak on June 20th during a heavy gale, about S€o miles from Tahiti. For" some days the crow worked strenuously to keep the water down, but after a series of accidents to the pumping gear they were compelled, on the night of* Juno 27th, to abandon the vessel to the mercy of a furious gale then prevailing. Two boats stocked with water and provisions put oh for Tahiti, the nearest land. Tho boats separated, and of one of them, containing the first mate (Hatfield) and nine men. no news has since been heard. It is thought she has been lost and tho crew drowned. The other boat, containing Captain F. W. Chapman, tho second mate (Collins), and ten men, readied Tahiti on July 14th. Captain Chapman waited at the island to join the steamer for San Francisco. The second mate, one seaman, and the cogk joined the steamer Taluno at Papeete, and arrived at Auckland last night. BAD ’WEATHER MET WITH.

The second mate states that soon after leaving Newcastle the Puritan encountered bad weather. For some days there was a succession of heavy gales. On June 20th the carpenter reported 16 inches of water in the well. For two days the pumps kept the water from rising, but tho gale increasing, and heavy seas breaking aboard ami washing the men away from the pumps, the donkey engine was got to work and managed to cope with tho inflow of.water until June 27th, when an accident occurred to tho machinery of the engine, and the hand-pitmp became blocked.

It was a pitch dark night, and the vessel tossed about the angry seas, the water gaining rapidly. Captain . Chapman therefore decided to abandon the vessel.

Collins, describing the subsequent experiences, said all hands were called < on deck and divided into two crows. The first mate (Hatfield) was placed in charge of one boat, which was stocked with water and food. Kino men were placed under Hatfield’s charge, and . tho boat cast off from the Puritan. A few: minutes later Captain Chapman and the second mate/ with the remaining ten members of the crew, left the derelict vessel in a boat, which was also well stocked with provisions. “The night was very dark." said the captain, “and we soon lost sight of our vessel. §he was in a \bad plight, and carried 3700 tons of coal- I have no doubt she sank soon after we left her. For three days the two boats kept together. On the third night the boats. separated. We never saw* tho first mate’s boat. I think they will never bo heard of again." SCARCITY OF WATER. Everything went w*ell in the captain’s beat for some da3’s, as tho weather had moderated, and the spirits of the crew revived. One day, however, the startling discovery was made that the water keg brought from the vessel was only half filled. Tho quantity of water available for twelve men—for how long a time they •knew not—was only twelve gallons. “We were only allowed a sixth of a pint of water and two biscuits a day," said one of tho crew. “This was our scanty fare for cloven days, at the end of which time wo were delighted to sight land. We eventually reached the small island of Anaa. Here we landed and obtained a plentiful supply of water and cocoanuts. After a pleasant rest, and having replenished our provisions, we got in readiness to proceed to Tahiti. Several of the seamen refused to go in the boat again, deciding, as they had reached land safely, that they would not again venture to sea in the boat. However, the captain, one seaman, tho cook, and myself decided to continue the voyage to ! Tahiti. ]

“When leaving Anaa for Tahiti the boat struck a coral reef, and a plank was stove in. The water rushed in as fast as it was bailed out with a bucket, but wo continued our fight against illluck - After three days we were rewarded by tho sight of Tahiti, and landed near Papeete after being fourteen days at sea in a rowing boat," INTERVIEW WITH THE COOK.

Walter Brown, the codfc, who is/ an American, suffered a good deal from/ the hardships experienced and privations endured, and lost abbnt tiro ' stone in weight during the fourteen days the men were exposed to the elements in the open boat. He spoke glowingly of the courage shown and strenuous work accomplished by all hands when it was discovered that the ship was in danger, and of the the way they bore their sufferings In the subsequent fight for life. Tho barque, he said, was an old vessel, but a good sailing craft, and tho bottom was very rusty. He thought ehe had not been cleaned, and consequently any looseness of rivets would not bo detected. Of that, however, he was not contain, but it was certain that when once tho rivets became loose rough weather such as they -encountered would have accentuated the evil. It was apparent that the iron plates-'wore badly affected.

HOPE FOR THE MISSING BOAT, So far as the missing boat wae concerned, he considered it probable that the men would turn up safely, and that in the meantime they had taken refuge on one of the islands in the neighbourhood. The first mate was an •experienced' and competent navigator, and had instruments with him, and a boat with eight airtight compartments would not sink.

It was well provisioned with food and ■water, and the weather after the boats had separated had been moderately fine, ■with nothing in tbo nature of roughness to cause mishap to the life-boat. EXPERIENCES OF A SEAMAN.

Otto IVackerfufo is a sturdy young German, and his unenviable experience on the abandoned barque and in the open boat has not daunted bis courage nor affected bis desire to look for another ship at tho first opportunity. ‘'Yes, wo bad a pretty bard time of j t f ** be admitted, ''but that is what to expect when we ship before tbo mast I will just forget that and go on as if nothing has happened." He mentioned that be thought they abandoned the ship just at the right time.

HOUGH TIKES FOB ALL HANDS. During the intensely black night the cargo liad been shifting from side to side as tire vessel was tumbled about mercilessly by the tempestuous seas, and no one could sleep. The ship took an ugly list, and any minute it could have been expected that she would sink. As tho seas continued, to wash over her, she must have gone down a few minutes after being abandoned.

“So fierce were the winds,” said the young sailor, “that early cm tho voyage the canvas was tom and scattered as easily as if it wore a flimsy piece of paper, and the men were 1 tampered in their work by the seas washing them off their feet on tho deck.” lie thought that in all probability the missing boat bad sunk.

[Tbo Puritan was a steel four-masted barque of 2351 tons, classed 100 AX at Lloyds. Sbo was built in 18S9 by J. It Ileid and Co., of Port Glasgow*, and owned by Baker. Carver, and Morrell.l