THE MISSING TRAWLER ENDEAVOUR

Otago Daily Times, Issue 16293, 28 January 1915, Page 3

THE MISSING TRAWLER ENDEAVOUR

WERRIBEE CALLS AT THE HEADS

NO SIGN OF THE VESSEL.

After being buffeted about for 42 dayfm a bleak, inhospitable latitude of tho MacSuarie, Auckland, and Campbell Islands, 10 Huddart-Parker Company's big collier Werribee arrived oft' the Heads on Tuesday afternoon for tho purpose of sending a sick member of the crew ashoro for medical treatment. It will be remembered that the Werribee and Grantala were despatched from the oommonwealth to search for the missing trawler. Endeavour, which is supposed to have come to grief whilst returning from the Maoquarie Islands, where the vessel landed the relief men for Dr Mawson's expedition. Reports from the islands statea that a violent gale raged for a couplo of days after her departure, and it was surmised that she may have broken her tail shaft or met with some other mishap. There were 22 men on board, including Mr Dannevig (director of fisheries). Mr Power (wireless operator at the Macquaries), and Mr Harrison (biologist). Yesterday Captain Thompson, of tho Werribee, came ashpr® with the sick seaman,and made a hurried visit to Dunediu for instructions. He was accompanied by Captain Bolger. who is. directing tho search on behalf of the Commonwealth Government,, and before he returned to his vessel last evening Captain Thompson very courtouoely supplied a Daily Times reporter witn a few details of the cruise in search of tho missing vessel. He remarked at tho outset that the chief item of news was the long succession of boisterous weather encountered by the searching vessels during practically tho whole of their 42 days' cruise, which extended as far as 53deg South. Gale succeeded gale, culminating in a terrific hurricane last Monday, which continued for nearly two days, during which the Werribee proved her seagoing capabilities in a manner which earned the highest appreciation of all on board. Referring to the effects of tho gale Captain Thompson stated that it would have seriously taxed tho stability of a smaller vessel, but the Werribee managed to make good headway and came through without sustaining any damage. Although no sign was seen of the missing trawler. Captain Thompson says it was through no fault of the searching vessel, which fairly gridironed a large area to the eastward of the Macquaries and westward of the Ancklands and the Snares in accordance with instructions from headquarters. Throughout the long search Captain Thompson observed a steady "set" or curerni' going to the north-east, its general trend being northward, and that factor was to a oertain extent taken into account in determining the coarse taken Dy the Werribee.

Neither Captain Thompson nor Captain Bolger could hold out any definite hope of suocess, but they were determined to mako tho utmost effort' to find the Endeavour on the return of the Werribee from Taiaroa Heads to Hobart, where she is due on February 6. The Werribee resumed her search last evening, and steamed away to the westward of New Zealand in pursuit of her quest in the wide expanse of the Southern Ocean.