MARINE CASUALTIES.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 13985, 19 August 1907, Page 3 (Supplement)

MARINE CASUALTIES.

'GALES IN THE SOUTH SEAS.

AN UNPLEASANT EXCURSION: AUCKLAND,, August i. The ship .Drumhiuif; from San Fraheisfid to.Algba Bay, put iiito i'apeetc, early in July. Tho vessel, was laden with timber, and went on a reef near the island ofllangarewa. during n" gale of wind with heavy fain squalls. At the iirrio a. cast of the lead .showed four. fathoms of .water all found the ship. ...After gettjiig off the vessel struck again. The crew set to work jettiadhing the deck load and about 15,0(JOft out of tlib hold. ,T\vo anchors We're got out astern; arid with the aid of the donkey engine on deck efforts were made to get the ship off, but without, avail. A hurricane from the sOut.h-west, then came on; and the vessel canie off in, IS fathoms: The ancllqrs were,, slipped, and the ship made., for the South-west end of Mangareiva; The crew refused to proceed until tho ship was isiitveyed, arid 4 cburso was. shaped, for Papeete, 100 riiiles distant. On arrival & diver wtts 6eht down to examine the sliip'g bottoifl; Repairs were effected, and the vessel iesunied her voyage on July 9. The. Norwegian schoonef Alice; botliid from Millden Island to Weiliilgtoii,. laden with guana, put into RaratStign-oii itufto 2? in (li6tfesa. The vejso'l sailed from Maldeii Island Oh June 4, arid oh the feOUi was caught in iv heavy north-west gale, abotit iriklwily between the Kerma'decs arid ltaratdiigit; At midnight the gate incfeascu 1 to li cyclone, the schooner fuiihing before it. All the s'ails wefo blown away, and the Vessel v?as under ,bare polos until fiboh next day. The decks . wbro. cbfitiillialij flooded, and the port piiihp broko down. Tho schooner was leaking badly, and baling with buckets hail to bo resorted to to keep her clfear. Next day the gale moderated, and it was decided to run for llaratoriga: 500 miles distant. A survey .of the vessel was made, and it was decided to discharge part of the cargo and have the topsides and deck rceaulkcd. The vessel was to sail about July 26.

Two and ih-g John Motley Smith,—who arrived from the Eastern Pdcifio Islands by the steamer Hauroto to-'dajj had an .cxperjjiico while in the Society Group which they sh'ould remember tor some time. Tho couple left Audklanrl a few months ago oh a holiday trip. While awaiting the arrival of the Hauroto at Papeete they consented to) joiii a launch party an ah oftursion to tile Island of Moirrea, 10 miles idistaht. Besides Mr and Mrs Shlitli there' were also bfi the launch Dr SchulfiOj Gerinnh Vice-consul at Tahiti, ting «f the French officials; anil several natives. The shaft bf the <3figihe Broke when the launch was some distance" from land. The sails were hoisted, but the party failed to itiakc the land, and the beat drifted. At times the weather was calm, but at othere there was » hard gale raging, accompanied by considerable rain and sea. No provisions were oh. boardj and the party suffered greatly from hunger. After being, tossed about in the sea for 30 hours the launch drifted to one of the nativfe settlements, where the members of the party wero hospitably received. Owing to the heavy gale raging in the Strait it was three days later before the party could get back to Papeete.