WRECKAGE ON THE COAST.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 10240, 24 December 1894, Page 3

WRECKAGE ON THE COAST.

A quantity of wreckage, consisting of American pine beards, the topmast of a large ship, the topgallant yard, piece of a spsnker boom, and part of the capstan, has been washed ashore at Preservation Inlet. The report furnished by the Preservation Inlet correspomien!; of the Southland Times is aa follo«n:—"for some two months past wreckage has been washing ashore at Tauara Beach, near Gulch's and Cavern Head, in the inlet. This wreckage consists chiefly of American pine boards, and waa firat noticed by F. Purser and party when prospecting. Since then Mr A. Gillies has come across, on the same beach, the topmast of a large ship; also topgallant yard and a piece of a spanker boom

of the same description of timber, and a part of a capstan split in two. From the appearaucs of tile board* they had not bsen long in the water when first seen, ai they were quite clean aud not ooaked with watar, nor were there any barnacles upon them. Therefore it is coucluded that a ship ino.y have btieu lost, perhaps with all hands, to the south-wept of this inlet, a few days prior to the first discovery of the wreckage. Unfortunately the otrong N.W. gules which hr\ve lately prevailed with a heavy sea will likely h*vo carried most of the wreckage to sea again." A lug was despatched from the Bluff to search for the wreckage, but failed to discover any trice of it.