THE BARQUE CARLOTTA.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 15858, 2 September 1913, Page 6

THE BARQUE CARLOTTA.

EARLIER WRECK AT PENCARROW HEAD. Speaking yesterday of tho wreck of the Devon at Pencarrow Head, Mr Belcher stated yesterday to a Daily Times reporter tliat he was on the barque Oarlotta when she .was wrecked in almost the same spot as far back as 1878. The Carlotta was bound from Newcastle to Wellington, and when she was beating up the harbour against a strong nor'-wester, she missed stays and went ashore near the Pencarrow Lighthouse The means of communication with Wellington in those days, said Mr Belcher, were not so good a 6 they now are. and the crew of the vceee! had a very roiig>h time of it for ihe three days and nights they were left on the bcaeli. The supplies of food at the lighthouse had run pretty short, and the people there could accommodate only the captain and his wife; tho other eight men had to make shift as best they could. " Fortunately," continued Mr Belcher, " sheep were sighted on the hills, and a couple of the more active of us were detailed to run them down. Thoso caught were killed and ooolted on tho beach. At night the men slept as best they could under an old sail rescued from the ship." It was a difficult matter for the crew to make a landing, lmt Mr Belcher swam some 300 or 400 yaids to the shore with a line, and by this means the othere were later on dra|ged_ through the surf. The captain and his wife and .one or two others, however, who did not care' about this mode of transport, came ashore in a boat which was-got off from the barque.