SCHOONER FROM CANADA

New Zealand Times, Volume L, Issue 11435, 3 February 1923, Page 2

SCHOONER FROM CANADA

AN EXCITING VOYAGE. The Lottie Bennett, a four masted schooner, owned by Bums, Philp and Co., Sydney, flying the Stars and Stripes, arrived at Wanganui ©n Wednesday. The vessel carries about 800,000 feet of Oregon pine, a large portion of it being for the Sash and Door Co., andi the re, mainder of dressed- lumber will be taken on to Suva. The starting point was Victoria, Canada, and the Line was crossed in 21 days, and the whole trip took 71 days, stated one of the crew. After starting every second day was a calm in the tropics, and, added the seaman, you can imagine the time we had hauling these sails up and down in the boiling heat. "It was one of the toughest propositions I ever had to tackle, he added. "On the Friday before reaching port we found ourselves embraced in a storm with heavy seas, and the vessel received a severe buffeting. The weather did not abate, ;ml during the night the spanker mainsail and two jibs were carried away. In all we lost four sails one night and three another. The weather was also very foggy. MATE WASHED OVERBOARD. "The climax came when five of the men ivere working forward and the first mate, Martin Dock, a man of -about 50 years of age, -nas washed overboard and was never seen again. How the rest of us escaped (remarked the seaman) is a miracle. As it was, one man got his leg severely bruised. During the last hours of the journey ther cook also took sick, and one man is now in hospital." After unloading her Wanganui cargo the Lottie Bennett will discharge the remainder of her timber at Suva, and will there take on board a cargo of copra to take back to her home port. ,