WRECK OF THE SURPRISE.

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume XXXIV, Issue 11127, 29 July 1907, Page 4

WRECK OF THE SURPRISE.

FRUITLESS SEARCH FOR THE BODIES. The Tairua correspondent of the Auckland Herald telegraphed on Friday :— The sailor, Harry Jackson, sole survivor of the Surprise, is getting on all right, but he lost everything in the wreck and has no money. The people of Tairua are raising a subscription for him. There is a possibility of some of the bodies coming ashore, and Jackson will stay here for a week so as' to identify them. The steamer Onslow, from Tairua, visited the scene of the wreck of the scow Surprise on Thursday. Constable Brown and party searched the beaches, but could ,find no bodies. They secured a flag, some broken lifebuoys, and a name board. The steamer called at Ohui and took the sailor Harry Jackson to Tairua. He walked on crutches, and is still weak. As showing the fury of the storm, dozens of crayfish and dead fish were thrown up on the beach, also tons of seaweed. Mr Mo- ■ gregor, of Ohui, at whose place Jackson was very kindly treated, states : "I saw tlie scow anchored off the Slipper on Saturday mornings and passed the remark that she must be a stranger, because rihe was .anohored in a bad place. Boats generally anchored in the southerly bay at the Slipper. Jackson was in a very weak and dazedl condition. He was quite black and his hands and arms were benumbed' and rigid from his terrible exposure. His limbs were all scratched, swollen and bruised. 'Some of my family saw him first, and they thought lie was a demented man wandering about. We brought him in. dried and clothed him, -and I got up at daylight on Sunday morning, butcould see no sign of the scow, and thought she might have .gone to Mercury Bay to shelter. I "was at Wharekawa on Monday when my son, came over and stated Chat a", ship was wrecked. • The sailor was at my place on my arriving home. I . found that, the seaman Harry Jackson had come in with only a singlet on him. I rubbed his limbs, and he collapsed altogether in a chair and was unable to move. We put lum to bed, and after circulation had returned, his wounds started to bleed. He has now consider, ably improved, and will be able to get about in a day or two. Immediately after Jackson was cared for I went out with a search party, but owing to the rough sea I was unable to get to the wreck. I accordingly* went out at daylight next morning with nine men, but could only discover the shattered remains of the scow, and tlie search -failed to reveal any bodies. It seems incredible Mint any per- ; son could go through such a terrible or- | deal and stdl be alive.''' j I'lie Star correspondent telegraphed 1 from Tairua on Wednesday :— I visited the scene of the wreck of the Surprise in the steamer Onslow this morning and* searched along the coast and rouna the Watchman rock, on which the scow is supposed to have struck before coming ashore. I could see nothing -except small shattered pieces of wreck in one bold rocky cove, the hull having been broken i to splinters, which went ashore in one I spot." We pulled in an open boat along the beach for a mile, but, although the weather was calm, we were unable to land, owing to a 6light swell, and the rugged nature of the coast. The Surprise went ashore on big, dangerous boulders at the, foot of steep, rugged cliffs, with no beach. It is impossible to get round on foot at high tide, and the place is only passable in calm weather. When tlie gale was at its height, the cliffs must have been dashed with furious waves of mighty force, in' which no boat could liope to live ■for a few minutes. It therefore seems miraculous that Jackson could have escaped olive from such a seething cauldron. ' THE WAHtONINI. The scow Waikonini was Still ashore at Pakiri on Friday, Captain McDermott and the crew of the vessel being engaged in efforts to refloat her. By the steamer Daphne, which leaves Auckland this j morning, some gear, etc., to assist in tlie I work) will be sent to Pakiri.