THE QUEITA DISASTER.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 8756, 19 March 1890, Page 6

THE QUEITA DISASTER.

.(Fuoti Ouft-.O.TOiCorineapoNDENi.); *■' ' ''.''■' ', /''"'' ■Mi!/.BDmtNK,-Marcb4! I*, | i: tliu!most'(Ve.iaful.raliijiiVviu-'feol'bnSalwiitui since the wrixk%f 'the' Titarau'! at 'Waipaj, „' I'oint is rßport'jd.'frbm'Norlherir'Qiie'Dnsla'ni "' The British I^ia'.Compaiij'i steamer Quetti :p. flue, puwtrtulvu^serßoAli'd-'from Brisbane t n , lipudqiij.jWas ,'maklnjl'her' toy' along the coas upar'.'to' ..Capa.'^Vk", whptf.^ho.'strijck on a ' c /unknown rock-.wilh' aj.icli''terrific,effect'.tb.'at / ';'on Ij.1 Bidfiot:,tho'vessol was totU:cut,!aii(l'tbo,'Bbi; ';went■ rfo'ttn iri about 3'minutes. i.There .'wai i .'! full'pdssengir ljst'^wtilcti,; with ;tho' or«w, mad1 . ~uu .a total'i)f'2B2 soul's, aim.Qf th'is'piimjjer mcrj i : ■ than half..were.swafld(\'ed up,in the waves., ,'i'h; :" nuiabLT- saved ,w.is 137', co that a majority:of. 1-lj '' nsyc/yone'ti) a ivute'ry' pravo.'' There.were.cC g. silo^K'passengers.-bui quly six havfc been aaveij \. Of the,. Op..s^erBI(jß:'i)asseliticifa.qnly'nine';ii^ !".. .accounted for.: l'umteen 6ul» of tjie'Eiirpjisai 0' ;crew of 28 sro rascued. Aa'e'rnarkableifoatiidi •Is the laYfee proydl'tion'iof Uscars whose live), c sre'sdved.'. '.Of the totiil </fOH coloured 'crew S: 1 were saved- , .].'.,,'!"'''" "': " ": •'■'•"■ i ;• j-ThsoaUatropbe took place" at about.O p'clocl on Friday night, The weather was iine.lßOOit light, iindthe ship wj,s going.iat» bigfcspeod i| The captai.u and [lie pilot wete oii thtf bi-idge ai I," the time....,T.h? c'»ptai.u.made .•ini.ffo'rt'tp'getthi wopjen-into the. boatv but, before,ho could1 d* ' anything-hb f&uud'tbu ship going down, and hat .to^ump'overbfahrJ-tii'saye fcirastlf. ■■ The ship!: ' stern then rose iv, tbo>-ir',; the vessel gave a lurcl aud slid.down iuto'dtiq'p^wster,. Amorjg the few passsr(jors,resoutd,;ther,o J 'ar<f.piily'"twoli'lA.diep1 i 'lA.diep but a y.(>ung..girl : cb;ld . has .aiso, fiyst't rioush passed through the,ord(-al.-.,'. "",.'.', ,';," i : Tfeo shock of the'eojlisiq'n yvitU the rock; threw thu .people.. iiitp : a,,,stiite of intense panic; au'c tbero,}vaß.nptime to recover. ".Two. boats', wedgot out,.oiui these,.were,tbe.means;,of,savin'j! practically .all the survivor^,.. one ."was "abk t0..d0 .auythiug buS .htriijg' jDutj'forl'b'iiie '.lift-, .wher.e;thcy.had Aba .prtsciiico of ijiiudT.wlier't they ; . were .paralysed by .fear and VJioc'k they ■ simply : >vens ..dywti iwitb-.the vessel..smiekin^ to ,:,tljifir... death.-,. .'l'h% .'.".'. pi the alarm; and . ,thp. ; ,mutant,, doomj.tbdt opeuod -up . bufore.j the,- a'ffrig'hi^d' passenkciJE produced a fearful Kceiifi n but the Atruggle'!was .short, and iu-a,fewKecpuds,hter nofa sign of ihlc .Quetta cou.ld.be.6eiinj:cxcjiptibiitiiig wrepkigi to,which mt-n aud..wpmenilupg iv their d'espaif, ,Th.Q. ; bqat3 ruside several trips to, aa,'adjacent islsad and l.and.ej. 3 their freights'.^n'd a!l"wfci) could bo.found in..the ; v]cifiiby,(if tfio,wre'etwera cee.cqcd.i' A party, tbeagoti^borp to the!mai4land.rand.sent oil a horsamau to l( Somorset with &. message,, ; f.ii(l, ; rc4ici st^aoners were promptly isent-off to. tbo. sp.of. : Djiring : S..*turday., the 6uffertK;,wer.s.brpught away,and ,trealsd,|wit|i every kindness by iho residents....!,.' " !,,.,',',;,': ; • ■ i:. .TUE-CAVTAIK's SXATEWIiNT..•■:.. .-. ,•; | '-'''Gaptaiu. Sjundora. sfcites: that, bn was on- tHe briilgo with tb'o i>i!ot -.vhcu^thsj stnamer.._struci. Ho then rushed-to:.tha'. end of .thavealooh deck nod told th&chiof'officer to'gotJthe boatß;ouf, ■He'rughed forward'again.' aud. found the-shib ■klreaily stttted by.ithti head;: • .fie then returned -aft to try a'.Kl-get tho women iufethe buatF,:bu|t : fouudtho-ahip-cettliug -bo rapidly, thatihe 'juiy. 'hid -tims-to' climb- iuto'.ffc»;rijrgip.g and,throw himself into' the-sc.v'whenther stem: rose cotvi■plutely out of:-the wat<-r,ith» visselthoeled-OTea and weut doWD,'tba>wholo- thingroecupying nat iflcro thsn tbree miftutes from:, tbo tima;af striking;:'Tbaca.r'tairi undresFert bimselfinlh'p ■ water'-and swam about for halfan hour. He.Tv.-Js then picked up <by--a nftboat;; already fulUq'f ■ people,'v7ith tho u-atfer washirij! over the gunwale-?, ■which.wsr&broken.ri All ha;ida but four jumpcil ■out to try arid'bale Uio boat.out/but owiu.'jjtb ■the broken state of'tho gunwales auuHhc vwb of tho sea'" they coul.V not 6uccecc!,so thej g<S into the boat again and proceetled to the nearest land, reaching It at about 1 a. in. Another lifebont hoavily laden had reached'the sarno'place bofoi:;e them.'and.'th'jy sent .her--anny i-at -onceMb search round theEcetfeof-1 tll'J.'wreck.-' Shen,!turned: full, bavjng picked 'up'-ererybody-thiit W36 visible.1 ■ '•»' :'""«;i •': ':■•■:.: :.- ... -i i .-' ■••••' :- -TnK PILOT'S-STATEJrKNT.' ■■■• •■ J ■■ The wreck occurred in tho'passago. botwe'en Gape York and- Mount Adolphui Island. Lying '■nearly in- mid-channel is -a 'dangerous patch of '■reef, liiioWa' ns Midr'ock,'.'w?jieh has :16ft- of water oii it. - Ther3 was irswpicion that it was: ■oil Wkirocb the 'vessel-struck,1 but to1 the pilot's statemcut!this was not so. :He says r-^'^Tha -Qnetta1 was-'going; »fc ordinary spee;l in her course midway between Midrcck aud Moant-Adolphus Island;, The'course was altered, 'and : the'island-marks brought 'astern,- when within two minutesaslight sbcek was felt. T/w engines we.ru- at ouce stopped, nnd orders wero giveh'to sound thel wells, when the carpenter ■sang out from forward thiit the ship was filling fast. Orders -wsre'iimraodiately. given), for-'thii women-Mid children to--go rtft"to "the'three '•libats.- :I :saDg but, ' Ready for ltiworing,! sue! sent the crews to theboabsta;tisns.:ln themottu--time I remainedl on: tbo bridge 'with-tho'thiriS. officer,' ahdI'threw-to thß' passengers the'BpMii Lifebelts used for' 'immigrants--oti'.' tho "Outward •'voyagel,''ohd which' were"kept • id'*a'box 'on th'e-'iiridgo'.' 'After the engines'Siadl 'beeb. stopped iißout :a minute r.ud'a-hs!f 'the'water was up 'to the bridge. ■ ■ The -third ' officer' and I -went over the side, and at'that'-time-'the ship \W.s stani-'!ing:out o( tho water; and the prdpellor and a l?r;j'o part of the keel were visible.' Tho, 'Qiietta'appeared to han? in that''positio'n'fdr. half b miiiUti 1, theri the listed tcvport anddiaapp'ear'ed. 'T tos sucked down"' with her,-and-remehiber riothicf; after that till Ifoundmyself lying'-on'a bit of the boa1; with the wreckage^allronnd'me. One of the lifeboats waa tUrhed : bottom npwftrd clobo to me, and-rgofeonHo her with tho'Mlistancfi'of-'tha third officer."'Then- : wo'righted1 tho' boat and eudeavonred tO'bale h'ir out, but were unable to" do so, sona of- her .'u'pJH-r'plates being: stove in. Wb picked'up-as. iriaiiy'people- as rweU'as'-we could j ■ though", the boat \vas filleflwith water.:" Amongst-'othera we picked uti'four lascsrs and'towed them'ast&uv'' .'■' ;'■'.'■"';""'.' ;A Lipv's'statement. ' -:; ■'•'' . • '''.lli.*s ' Nicklin inalce's the following' 'state--inent,-—" The ladies were smging'and practising fui\a.'cbncert'iri the rinisic'salbqn when the" 3hip struck;/ Mrs Lord and tli'e youngest Bliss liacy and' my 'mqtber'werß'- id their'cabins. " Captain ; ,Whi!>h and Mi?s 'iVangh' were in' the saloon writ--:ibij letters'.' I. believe ,all these rushed on deck wbenVtho'vefVei stru'ek. The rioife caused by :the" yc'ss'e'l striking' spunde'd like'a.bouk.'gqing 'pyeriiokrd, theh, there w!is"'a grating sqund.and ''then! the sme'l' "of ° the water from the1 engine rpopi. I' tan down.'to ray ■ mother, who returnedI'with" »o.: on' tp1 the- deck.; T'theh licavvl 'the ; cspWu '''•; say,''' All' -those' vAb i want 'to'ife'saved go' sfc' 'My 'mqthpr; asked father tV go down V.iid try to■ tielp'^Slrs Lord' up." .''lie went -down, arid we'never" skw;him;| 1 agii'ii'.'"' \Ve:"rusbed:aft,' and' ]dst;haS 'time.-to-j 'gut upon tbe.riiliujg over:ths stern so as to avoid 'the'awning when'the shin' went dWb..' We did nobjiiQip.off.'; Thesbip seemed'-not to sink, but (he water seeine'3 to lUd Rtduiid uj.'/ The vessel'j went down suddenly at the last rnpajent, leaving -200 people all huddled together ia.theVater 'treading iip'oln 'each other. J r WhenHhe'vessel' went .cioitii I lost''ra'cther,' b'nL'l do'not Know haw. I sa'uk'tl'iae 3ud then ttdated'far awhile, as I could swim. I then caught hold bf a Kiting to which tho purser and two or.'throe Javanese were nlsp clinging.' 'Another Javanese :.c;imq'and tried fb 'gftViiu. tb'tlin'fe'mtinff,and .frifWcnea me bo I'hat I jef.po. ? I floafed'n.liitlo ioufpr, au'd Ihcti caiiisbf ;i'ueadsheei>,;tq wh'cu . Loiung until 1 gf).b hold of a p.Uiik.. .1 w^Mune. {.called out to the boats, the people on. whjcij could hear but' hot-sob'me,, ns 'Uib moon, had con" down I tried (p sWiiii auiTpatldle awaj; to the shore, which V boul.O'ptiuuly'scp." Tgot iw-M tho isliorc. but blcau^p too , wi'ak' to woA any knn'cr. I Ihi'ii wai.fetl for.lUjlight, nnd fnl half asle'i'p f('.v.;ril"titi)e!J'while lying upon the lilaii'K.':.'A't dajii(!ht I swam,- tpwiirds;sh.irc, stil IwidingU'c i'l*'k, aid reiched land, in about thrro how»': tifr:p.."Wlkn I'flot into; shallow 'wati-r'ati'liidian cabm boy, who wa^tllo jouly per f -6u'ohthe i-lind, liflped me nshorP, ss rwas too weak to walk. When I first got oli.'tp the plauk.l tofli.pfr mv.shirt; my arm aud neck.are miicli.burut;an'd;,..nb W| fM .very wcah , There was no other'person, ou, thq isjaud. At, about 4'o'clock''ft boat 'qaoie, '" W MoU'mo.to Mr j«rdiues"' pla'eoi'.wh'ereVwo" coul-.l uot bave.'beeu' treated with"fir4ater kiiidpbss. '.We' reached Somerset ab'aut half-past;ir 'onlSsturflay'night, and were tskeiiph board thp'Sleirid En'ftlandon' Suudov afteriijop,;end;;landed" .'fltj, JhvtsS»y LSihismorriiHg/ 1 sati/Dr .PSIaM give his wife n plank before the 'vessel, snrik, and he advised.her. t.o, take oft her dress., When screamipg.'for a boAt:i h'earjV Mi S9 LacyJ-wh'q.'isked )f it was I," and fold'mo. to. hold qu and.i would ioo3t likely 1)0, 'washed Ashore, b;if I never saw her All through the riißht I'nould hear people calllii" out for.ho.lij, mid t could"also'liea'r boafe. I tbiuk most qf. ilia ladies wsiro'cau.shf by the nwniuil 'wliq'ii aink}ng. Mothc'f could not swim. Mrs tpr<t;..iusli bel'oro retiring to lier ciibin, was wutinßlo-IHT liuihaniV, iipd lind .cut oft a look of h'-r hair ;<nd plaited it to send to him. Upon souKouc aHuiling,,lo : f!iis nufl 'sayiiig 'Anyone would think it was a sweetheart you sendin" your hair to,'"she replied 'that.he was more dear to her than any sweetheart. She then _rpUirued to her ,cpbin., ,1 jdhfin met Miss Prentios1, who asked moto'joih H'er'iu a .stroll on deck, but jusl:- ac, wo fi'ot up stairs the vt'ssel struchV.and 1 never saw Hiss Prent'lcoaVtcrv.-ards.". ] i TJTE r.IST OF SAVKD. .; ■•■. ' Tho c-xnitemwit iv" Uri-ibaiio over, .thu wreck of tho Q.ieUa was h.tenw. o^ tt t _ ctoyida ■ I'ntbtred <.ulßUU!.the,Udoßt,a l .li,plfipu «nd the ' different ne-wspup'T oDiceo ou. Bunday,.eagerly RWiiHiui* ii«»» -of those, saved or lost. It.is .staled.t'bat.,'o),<-liitli uf l.!»! saloon iiaßseugtjrs ■'„, ~,,,M -.has ,uf tlw /.lbiTl-itrcOt Wesleyiui '"'•i.'ho following is the list of thu saloou and cteerage passengers who.were saved: — . ■ |»loon F»e»engers,>-Mißs Nioklin.and Mies

w.>n Lacy, Mr Henry Corser, Mr Clarke, Mr A. H. iic" **entoDi Mr Debney. in „ Slcer&go Pussengers. —Mr Ashford, Mr ,t0 Cameron, Mr Dunn, Mr D. Train, Mr V. ton Murphy, Mr dn.'gory Wratball.-bal.y girl whos.i \T.■■ 4atuor ,^' as, drowned at Maryborough.' ■ i'i,V •■ .... :.™e LIST OK DUOWNBD."' ' iu-r .;.! The following.are the particulars eoncerni •« 'lug the most prominent of those who .were los I; — '"' Mr.AloxanderAycber was manager of the Bark ;i .. of.1 Now feouth Wales at Brisbane,and brother It. ,)-,. .Sir.iThomss Areaer I: Agent-general of QneonEn<l. .lund.r-.Mr Willii'.m BUelsFord. wr.s n wbolee'al-i p, fruiterur.ftud in oM resident of Bri-Wn. Miss i e 'barlow wae an iiiti.-cate friend'of this Aichore' ;,•„ and.waa travelling with them to Europe. Mj ß3 ' r Oooksley was sister-to Mr J. 1?. Odoksley, ijxi mayor of Saudj'ate. Mrs James Ijiprrt and | Mastor Lord wcrg wifo and son of the aceuunj taut of the Insolvency Court. Mr Reuben I . .Niqkliu was.nian&ging director of Butltir Bros., j hardware merchants. Mrs and Mis-i Alice j Nicklin were residents of G'ocrparoo, and vrelli ' "'W^wri' 'itifycicty: Mr 'George Prentice was ffli (V.F veN".kiioW/i. marble mcrchaufc.and. a public ; a : man ,of-JtSandgati;. Hiss Mary Ross was tlia 1 . eldcsb daughter, o": Colonel-Ross, and wes-tra-i f . 'veiling--with theI'Archers.- Mir John Watson i,; was of;,,the" firm of Messrs Ferguson K»d Co. j t : Tbe^two MiVes Wight were dmighters of the }, Rev. George. .Wigbtj.a well-known'literary mm. ' a raws Gertrude Waugh was daughtfr-of Dr 1, Waugh. Captain .V/bi^li resided ai Lutyycfce, ■p nd was connected,with the' Lands department. : a He was a wdj-kiiowii .Briibaiiitu. Mr E J). < v JUawson was formerly tutor to the children of e l Sir< Joshua. Peter BJI, at Jimbcmr station, and $ was on his way home to take holy orders. Mies ■jT libbatt was a niece of Major (,'arringtou. Mr I.", ,'r',P u.ry; .Corser ;w? sjE solicitor, io ..Msryborou/'h d . !»qd a gr&tsuppprter. of. the Liberal party. Mr'j. ~ :o.'.Gftrner;httd.beßii .an engraver in the' Courier 0 'office." Ho was -banuuetled on the evo of his des' ' parture by the Amateur" Photographic Aesoeiaj tion. Dr Roland was:. fprmerly: a well-known resideut of Sandhurst,in,'yie.tori.i. , A End case ~n that.of Mrs Jackson and her four children. . A few weeks ago her husband was drowned in . . tb.P Brisbane river. floods, gbp w.»s left pr-nni-t : ess, ahd exp^ssd'awiii to'retiitn to K.nirlruid. j .Lhe puolio, subscribed funds.to .pay her pa:: .-sge, y .andshe and hec children aro all lost. . 1. "../ ",;.■'''.., kkscotng. scuyiVotts.. j Mr John Douglos, the Government R< ; siJent 1 at Thursday Island, when news reached there of r the'wreck, sent ;out tho "steamers-Merrie Kng- , land ami Albatross to rescue.survivors. The '■' i -n Y"\ '^"' M' Lsren -< •,™ ■. ww'i on' board the Albatross, tello the following story of a surprisi ing rescue :—Oaptain'R«id, who never h-ft the 1 bridge for ■aui ) :insttnfj/- i bu l t with-glass in hand i Ecanneil.th6,sea nl/iVdry'difec'tionVsuddenly saw ; Fomethiug not mueh'lirgfr.' than .a' coooanut j floating out to sea, and. ho.at once steamed > toward: ltj.pnd as ho, d.r(!w l noarqr.,he. 6,5,w that !.. i.t was o.person shimming.... Just once a hand '• .™M I'ft?d.up, ; .liut. before tbisa boat was out, ;. p.nd the poor, lady,,,as ( : he-proved .to bo, ■ wan • A 1!}?? 1D- ■ Ona of the aa.lors took of^ his (Iv-uiel ; sb)rt,.aud.wrappe,dber.init,butshe,bad.ia the I ..mcantimo. fainted, aud.'we at on.cc recognised ..her ,to bp .JVlis3,. Blcy, Lscoy, ,IQ, years !. ,ot; age,, the, eldest, daughter of Mr • Dyson , ..Laeey, ol St. Helen's (station, Slatkay, aud she , ; wa^m.nch.,exbausted; but thanks to tbo osrc ; ,otDr Baiter, _tho.is4ast recovering, tliuuch eho 1 .'s very wp^k.and hurufc from exposure. Hiss i. l^acey sstory is that she was writing a letter to .. .her. mother, when the terrible.everit.' happened , bborushsd tp.get.her younger sister, who hnrl jgonp,tp.bed, and.urought her on deck, but they i .went, pver •. .together., : She afterwards was into a boat or raft, where shewps yerv , kindly treatba by the purser, and remained on Uio raft till the. .afternoon, of Saturday, when, .the purser-telk me, she .ciqte.rmuied.to Ewim to ,6h.0re...,5h.0. must.therefore have.been swimming about,, Shu. was. seen .by Captain. Reid at ,_lo,minute3 s^ast..B, this,,ihoruip£.,"Ber rescue is .almost miraculous,, as. she v;as drifling out c?..Wi»y-.'fti>m il .'Moi)nfc Adplphus, Ithnd, and she^..could no,t .possibly have held out ,much..louger. .Perhaps ,her .rescue and her ..marvellous self-recollection are .among the rnpsi; .wonderful of the mfilancholy.iiicidentscouuccted .with' this terribly sad calamity. The current carried her away, and the then resolved to keep afloat, being thus, without any support for over '20, hours before, B.bi; was picked up. The folUviYJnj; i3,the latest statement of those on board the'Quetbi:—Saloon passengers cJ3,» caved G; steerage .passengers ~05,., saved o;.dnck passengers G2,. saved. 43'; white officers and .crew 28, saved 14; colouredcre\y O3,«avoi) SO; gilo^l, ,Sive r d.l; tne.tatal nuaiber oil board 282, saved ,137. ~. ........ . .