LOSS OF THE CARNARVON CASTLE.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 13837, 26 February 1907, Page 5

LOSS OF THE CARNARVON CASTLE.

DESPERATE FIGHT WITH THE VLAMiH. ■ THE VOYAGE IX THE BOATS. 'TERRIBLE PRIVATIONS. Prtss Aasociation-By Talegraph-CopyrishL FRKMANTLH, February 25. _ Further particulars regarding the burning of the Carnarvon Castle show that the vessel was bound from Liverpool to Melbourne full of general cargo, and when in hit. 42 8., long. 104 K., a fire was discovered in the amidships hold. Anderson, the cook, who fust discovered tho fire, states that the captain ordered the covering to be taken off the main hatch and the cargo jettisoned, /he deck between tho main hatch and the galley was lorn up in two places, and water poured in by means of buckets and pumps. The fiie seemed to come fruni (Jiu lower 'tween decks. All hands fought, the flames until 10 o'clock (hat night, but the fire gained so rapidly that, tho whole 'tween deel; between tho hows and the mainmast was <me. mass of llamc-e. The heal, was so terrible that all hands were driven to the after deck, all mom or less severely

burned. The captain then told them it. was hopeless to nttempL Io save the ship, mid ordered the main lifeboats to be got. ready for .sea. In each boat were placed jar.s of water totalling 25 gallons for Anderson's and 30 gallons for the captain's. Tho boats stood by the ship all night. The vessel was wrapped in dames from stem to stern and from deck to truek, About midnight the mainmast fell against tho mizzen, and carried the. mizzeii top-

gallant ovorboard. Y,y dnyliglit tho ship was smouldering, and clouds of steam were rising from her red-hot sides.

Continuing his account of the disaster, Anderson said: "When it, was found impossible to board her again, the captain gave orders to shape a. course E. and by N. by half N., and make Iho best speed for Lenwin, about 1100 miles off. Vm\\ boat was 22ft long, sft beam, and lugger rigged. Our boat made considerably more headway than the captain's for the first six (lays, and we had to put back several timer, to keep company. The weather was moderate, with a stiff blow from the Jf.K. On- the night of the seventh day a strong breeze sprang up from the northward, and in the mowing we could see nothing of the captain's boat.

■- "We were put on rations of 21b of meat and meal among 11 men and two condensed milk tins of water per man per day. After separating from the captain we encountered a strong S.W. gale, and hove to for 40 hours. With great difficulty the boat was kept from swamping. The ■wind continued the next two days from tho , .same quarter, but not so hard, so we were able to make a fairly good run. On tho night of the eleventh day the S.W. wind strengthened to a gale. All the bread was spoiled by tho seas, and., we had- to heave to.

"Starvation was then facing us, as the water was running short, each man having only half a milk-tin a day. We had now only ineat to eat and biscuits sodden with salt water. Then we began to drink tho salt water, lieriii was taken ill, but recovered. I used to drink eight or ten mouthfuls of salt water every 24 hours, and owing to taking only email quantities, was Jiono the worse.

"Tho weather was moderate until three days before we reached Fremantle, when there was a stiff S.S.W. wind. Just before wo got this breeze we were becalmed for a day, a shark swimming around the boat for three hours. We sighted the smoke of two steamers, but they did not see us.

"At 4 o'clock on Sunday morning wo rounded Hottnest Island, and started to run across to Fremantle. We were entirely exhausted, and as we climbed 011 the wharf we fell down. !Wu had suffered terrible privations through hunger and thirst and loss of sleep, and being continually wet through. None of us "closed our eyes for the last three days and

nights.' In the gale on the eleventh day out we several times thought we were lost, and almost gave up hope." The boat which readied Cape Naturalist contained-16 men and the captain, who experienced terrible sufferings. Owen and HJL'gs died from exposure, and the caplain and a. boy were very ill. PERTH, February 25. (Received Feb. 26, at 1.12 a.m.) The Government steamer ivill go to Cape Naturalist to brin? the captain and crew of tlio Carnarvon Castle to 'Fremantlo, the men being too weak to travel by road. A message from Caijp Koturalist states that another .apprentice died to-day as the result- of exposure. A member of the mate's boat states that all worked splendidly and coolly during the trying voyage to Australia. Occasiqnally one of their numlwr would lose heart, and the rest would do their best to cheer him iil»- They had their last sip of water a few hours before tliev sighted land.