THE FIREMAN'S STORY.
AUCKLAND, Juno 16. W. Dunning 1 , fireman, said: — "We wore going full speed when ehe struck. The ship was rolling too heavily to get tho boats out, and it was pitch dark. There were four of us forward — a sailor named Forbes, c passenger of tho same name, another pa&senger named Calverts, and myeelf. Forbes, the passenger, had a life belt. The captain and a pantryboy were hanging on to tho funnel, and when the funnel went over tho captain went with it. Tho screams of the boy were dreadful. Someone cried out ' She's going,' and then qux cart of the ship went down, «urf
we were all in the water. Forbes, iffei passenger, floated about for a little time. Then I heard him say, * Good-bya_ Tnaj done.' I could see the lifeboat a longf way off, because of the head light in her.. I believe sk« was five- miles off, but w« made for the light and) reached hey. Ther^ were 13 on board ; then we picked ujli Symes and » boy, and then Hodgson, who had a lifebelt but could not swim. H<3 was nearly done. We came up with tho raft and took her in tow. There were 12 on her. When daylight came we picked} up Sandy Spot, and about 9.15 pullecl over the surf. There were only men on the raft. We had no clothes, and it was very wet and cold. The chief engineer was on watch when the ship struck. He stood by the engines till, the very last." Dunning added that it was too dangerous, to bring women and children off to tho Rarawa. Mr Baggstrotn, the chief engineer, deserves great praise for the wajj he stood by the women and children. Ha. hurt his back working to save others, ana would not leave, preferring to stay behind till he had seen everyone taken away. Thomas Chambers, A.8., said: — "When, the crash came all mshed on deck. Wa got the boats ready, and swung them out?. The two boats were swung out and the women and children put into one. It got: away safely. While we were getting ona boat away the other went about and gofi smashed. The poop deck was submerged! first, and then the captain's bridge wenfc under. Two others and myself, the captftin( included, were getting off the top of the bridge when a sea caught *s and carried us away. I was thrown on to the side an<l the captain into the middle of the bridge. Then I was carried right away, and partly sucked down by the wateT. I got hold o£ an oar. I did not see any more of the* captain." He further stated that he wasr one of those who got on the raft. There was no great excitement, no panic. Tha. forbearance of all right through, especially, of the women, he sajrs, was most noteworthy. Among the party was an old lady, Mrs Cox, of Rajrian. Chambers also says that 27 persons were saved, but he couldn't tell the names. Similar statements have been made by other members of the crew. Mr C. Ransom, manager for the Northern Company, says :ho others will bo got off without delay. The engagement of the crew terminates with the low of the vessel, bufi the company will be responsible for any of the crew who may need to go to the hospital.
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Bibliographic details
Otago Witness, Issue 2779, 19 June 1907, Page 32
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569THE FIREMAN'S STORY. Otago Witness, Issue 2779, 19 June 1907, Page 32
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