RUNS ON TO AKATORE BEACH.

Otago Witness, Issue 2762, 20 February 1907, Page 33

RUNS ON TO AKATORE BEACH.

A TEMPESTUOUS VOYAGE. HEAVY SEAS AND DENSE FOGS. The usual serenity of the Sabbath was Somewhat suddenly disturbed at Milton early 'on the 17th, when the startling news was received that a vessel had gone ashore at Akatcre Beach, some 12 miles distant, on Sunday morning. As is usual in such cases the news spread very rapidly, causing great commotion, and before long a large number of people ■were making their way to the coast by means of bicycles, vehicles, or any other conveyances that could be requisitioned in order to glean for themselves particulars regarding the unfortunate occurrence. Our Milton correspondent lost no time in making his way to the scene, and as the result of his inquiries we leatn that the unfortunate vessel is the Marguerite Mirabaud, a French steel barque of 2293 tons gross and 1732 tons net, which was built at Nantes in 1900, and which is of the following dimensions : — Length, 276 f t; breadth. 40ft; depth, 22ft. According to latest advices the vessel was understood to be lying on an even keel. For the last few days the weather off the coast has been anything but pleasant for mariners, the thick fog which settled down making matters very dangerous for them and rendering accurate navigation almost an impossibility. From the statements made it appears that the Marguerite Mirabaud has been singularly unfortunate, having fceen enveloped in a fog for -no less than nine days, during- which time it was of course impracticable for the master (Captain Tatterin) to take the observations necessary to enable him to ascertain his position, As far as can be learned at present the captain and crew of the vessel had no idea that they were near the New Zealand coast, and it is Btated, incredible though the assertion may seem, that the barque was no l^ss than 1800 miles out of her course, and that the captain was at first under the impression that he must have struck at some point .on the Australian coast. The barque was stranded on the beach, about four miles from the mouth of the Tokomairiro river, about 3 o'clock on Sunday morning, at which time the fog was very dense, in addition to which a heavy Bea was running. She lies about 100 yards out from the 6hore, and as far as we can gather her bow ie pointing directly landwards. The plight of tho9e on board when the vessel struck wae a sorry one, but it is gratifying to be able to record that the captain and the crew, numbering 24 men, managed to get ashore safely. The first mate went ashore on a line, l>ut the others used the boats, and though some of them were thrown out when nearing the land they gained terra firma. in Safety. Until an examination has been made it Will be impossible to speak with any degree of certainty as to the condition of the vessel, but it is feared that she has been somewhat badly knocked about by the heavy seas which prevailed on the coast on Saturday and Sunday. In the meantime it is also impossible to say whether there will be any likelihood of the barque being refloated or whether she may become & wreck. The Marguerite Mirabaud was on a Toyage from La Rochelle, a seaport in France, to Tahiti, and carried a cargo of 1000 tons of coal and 400 tons of general cargo. Ail tho crew are Frenchmen, Jid the first mate is the only one who can 6peak the English language, and he has but a »cry imperfect knowledge of it, the result feeing that it has been somewhat difficult to gather particulars as to the occurrence and the events that led up to it. The unfortunate men were well looked lifter by the residents of Akatore, who fed 'them and provided them with accommodation, and, in fact, did everything possible to Jaake them comiortabl*.