FOUHDEW OF THE DRME.

NZ Truth, Issue 152, 16 May 1908, Page 7

FOUHDEW OF THE DRME.

On June 20, 1822, the schooner Drake struck suddenly on a rock, upon the coast of Newfoundland... m the midst of one of the fearful fogs which are common on those shores. The ship immediately fell Over on her nsMe, and the 'wcves broke over her. iEer captain. Baker, ordered the. masts to be cut away, iai the hope of li;-htenin& her so that she miffiht right herself .; but m vain.

One of the ship's 'boats was wash-/ ed away, another upset directly it\ was let' down into the water, and there only remained the small boat, ■called the gig. The ship was fast g?oing to pieces, and the .only trope was that the crew might reach a small rock, the top of which .protuded above the water, at a distance which the fog „made it difßcnrt to calculate. A seaman uam.^d Leonard seized a rope and jumped into the sea, bnt the current was too straac for him : he was carried away m another direction, and thos<? on board dratrged him m again. Tlien the boatswa..fn. Turner, offered to

MAKE TiW. ATTEMPT m the sip taking a line fastened rqund his waist. The sailors cheered him, though thc7 were all hanain.^ on by ropes to the vessel, with the sea breaking over them, and threatfining each ixio men b to dash the ship to pieces. They watched' Turner anxiously m his boat, as ho made his way to wilLies a few feet of the rock. There ths boat was lilted on the Crest of ,a wave, dashed on. the roc*:, and. shattered. But Turner 1 v/ as safe, and scrambling -up "the. stories lie maruueed to keep a hold of the- rope. 'I'hc instant after another lams wave heaved un the remains of the ship, and threw her i-n closer to. the rock.

Ca ptain Baker abando netl al I hone of sayirts; the Brake, and v-~cd.! the sailors' to afcrilce out for themselves. This ttur"- dirt, -but many of them v/ere so .bsni.:?.p.':ctl with cold t-hiat, after ' reachiuff the j-oclc, they had not suf^eient strength to clirao, and were swept; away again by the biUows. Last of all the captain joined the survivors on the rock, which then seemed not to b© far from the land : but the tide was ri 7:. Nts; and threatening to submerge the y*liole. Then ■once more the boatswain, 1 offered to make an effort to save his compamons, ai\d plunjred m tT-o surf m a RECKLESS ATTEMPT TO REIACH

SHORE. Eventually a loud shout from Mm told of his success, and as he had itakep a line fastened to him, communication was established between them. The only hope of safety lav m working a dangerous .passage along this rope to the mainland. Already the spray was washing the survivors on the rocit, • yet none pressed forward until Baker called. Even t&en they urged the captain to save Mnrself first, to no purpes?, however. In turns then 44 sailors made their way ashore. The forty-fifth looked around, and saw a woman lyine helpless, almost lifeless, near him. She could hardly move, so the sailor took her m one arm an-d\ clung on with the other. But the double weight was too much for the line, whioh broke half way, and both the woman and the satilor were drowned. Captain Baker and three seamen remained, cut off from hope or beltv Seeing this, the ablest men aacons the survivors set off for help, and

procuring a rope, hurried back to the assistance of their shipmates. But long before their return, the tide had risen and submerged the rock, and

HAD DROWNED THE FOUR bw>re the eyes of those who were left on the shore. The others soon met with help from the residents near at hand, and m a few days had well-mgh forgotten their misery.