Wreck of a Ship.

Oamaru Mail, Volume XXII, Issue 6871, 22 April 1897, Page 4

Wreck of a Ship.

SAD LOSS OF LIFE. (EY TELEGRAPH. ) Wellington, April 21. Farther particulars of the wreck of the Zaleika show that shortly after 11 o'clock on Friday night land was sighted on the port bow, near Palliser Bay. A strong gale was blowing, and the captain, seeing the vessel was in danger, gave orders to wear ship, and she was in the act of wearing when she struck. A grating sound was heard as if scraping the bottom, and in a few minutes she was hard and fast. A tremendous sea was running into the bay, and the waves dashed over the ship, sweeping everything movable on deck overboard. The officers, men, and apprentices (21 in all), recognised that it was a matter of life and death with them, but no panic occurred. Life belts were served out, and an attempt was made to launch the boats, but the effort was not successful, the boats being knocked about so much that in a few minutes they were unfit for us 3. All then took to the mizzen rigging, the seas at that time breaking up as far as the mizzsn top. After remaining aloft for over an hour the unfortunate fellows, thinking that the vessel would hold together, came to the deck again, and made their way to the forecastle, and remained in it nntil half-past two a.m., protected from the sea and the blinding rain, which had chilled them to the bones. About 2 o'clock the ship began to take a list to starboard, and in half an hour or so she was canted over so much that her rail was under water, allowing the sea to break into the forecastle, and almost wash out the shivering crowd which had taken refuge in it. The whole of the men and boys, with the exception of the captain, who clambered on to the jib-boom, then sought refuge in tho forerigging, and they remained there for about half an hour. About three o'clock the mizzen mast went, and as there was every appearance of the foremast going the crew returned to the deck and joined Captain Bremner on the jib-boom. Shortly after the vessel lurched into the se*, and everyone was launched into the 1 water. Many of the men were able to swim, and at once struck out for the shore, on which the sea was breaking with adeifening roar. Those unable to swim clung to the piec?s of wreckage, but were soon washed away from them, and several of them were drowned. Others who could swim were stunned by cases, which were being tossed about, and were washed ashore dead, battered and bruised almost beyond recognition. Twelve men were drowned, viz: Herbert Graham, first-mate, aged2S: George Petitite, steward, 28; George Wilson, A.8.. 56 ; William Swanson, A.8., 33 : .James Lawson, A.B , 20 : Blake, A.8., 30 ; Jones, A.8., 52; Walter Summers, apprentice, IT * M'Kay, A.8., 20 (shipped at Port Chalmers, where his parents reside); Gellon, A.8., 54; Williams, cook. 27 : and D.ivid Struock, apprentice, IS. All the bodies, with the exception of the three last named, were washed ashore. The only married men drowned were Wilson Tind Gellon. Those who escaped were twelve in number, viz : Captain Bremner, William Lane (second mate), Adolphe Haserke (carpenter), William Lixon, Eugene Malven. Peter Ankerson, and William Knen (A.B.'s), Archibald Billett, and Thomas Karson (apprentice). The wreck occurred in Palliser Bay, about four miles from tho lighthouse. There is a large flat several miles long above the beach, running out from which are numerous rocks that are submerged at high tide. The ship struck stern first, and all that remains above the water Is a piece of the forecastle, the iron plates of which are twisted out of shape. One of the yards is floating by. The beach is strewn for two miles with battered kerosene tins, wooden cases, churns, mangles, axe handles, cases of axes, American lamps, spokes, and a few hundred tins filled with kerosene. The Tntanekai came back to Wellington this afternoon for the purpose of get- j ting coftins, and taking down a clergyman. She brought np the carpenter of the Zaleika, who had several of his ribs broken. This man has been shipwrecked four times. The men who survived are lond in their praise of the pluck displayed by one of the apprentices, Herbert Bellitt (son of Captain Bellitt of the ship Corelli, trading out of Liverpool), who, after being washed back three times, went to the rescue of one of the sailors, and pulled him oat of the water.