THE WOOLLAHRA ON THE ROCKS.

Rangitikei Advocate and Manawatu Argus, Volume XXXII, Issue 8865, 16 July 1907, Page 2

THE WOOLLAHRA ON THE ROCKS.

A Thrilling Story. Captain Stays by the Ship. And is LOStPress Association. Wellington, July 15. Two men named Paraonson aruj McPhee, who were among the first to get ashore, walked to Island Bay from tho scene of tho wreck. Parson son told the story of tlio night’s experiences m an exceptionally concise manner, whilst McPhee dropped in an occasional word. They said tho weather was fine for the run from Wellington yesterday morning and along the coast during the afternoon with a fresh wind blowing. Late at night tho wind_ freshened still more, ft heavy sea was running, and towards midnight a rain storm came along. “ Wo, McPhee and I, wore haying our watch below at the time and don’t know just how it came about, but at midnight wo heard-the cry ‘breakers ahead,’and then the ship struck. She had struck several times when wo reached the deck. Wo swung the lifeboat out ready for lowering so that wo could leave tho ship at short notice, but Capt. Androsan advised us not to leave the ship but to stand by until daylight if w'O could hang out that long. We decided to do so.” Continuing his story Parsonsoii said : “ Tho mizzon mast was carried away at about 1.30 o’clock, this misfortune resulted in the smashing of tho lifeboat and tho crow got the dinghy over tho side ready for escape, then all hands excepting McNaughteu, who was forward, went into the aft cabin of the ship which nt this time was labouring heavily and tho sea was breaking over aft. Tho barque had apparently struck upon a ragged outer reef.” .

The next incident that impressed itself upon the mind of the narrator was the carrying away of the foremast, which occurred at about 4 o’clock. The mast snapped off just above the deck. The barque had been making a list to starboard all the time and as this became more and more accentuated it was decided to take to the boat and get ashore. It was about 5 o’clock that the'dinghy was lowered, as the launch, the only other boat left, was deemed too heavy to swing off and handle under the circumsiances. Just before the men took to the boats the spanker gaff was carred away, and when the boat was successfully lowered _ everybody on board got into her excepting tho captain and two A.B.’s (McNaughteu and King), who stayed on board with tho captain, The latter was urged by the men to abandon the wreck, but he could no be persuaded to do so. He declared that he would stick to the barque to tho last.

The following were the men who got into the dinghy, so far as Parsonson and McPhee could remember the names:—Foote (chief officer), Goff (second mate), Jorgensen,' Mylius, Dickson, Moore, Parsonson, McPhee and'another A 8., the cook, two boys (Joynt and Felton) and the cabin boy. ■ The dinghy, after getting over about 200 yards of water, struck on an inner reef, and the men who could swim landed on the beach, which was about 100 yards away, and those who could not clambered on to the rooks. A line was passed from the scene of the dinghyte wreck to the shore, and all hands got to the beach. About this time the vessel began to break up badly, so the two A.B.’s who stayed on the barque with, the captain decided to make for shore, and undertook the task. King reached the beach in pretty good condition but McNaughton stopped half way. King’s last sight of his shipmate being when McNaughten climbed on to the intercepting reef. Tnis left the captain as the only man on the ship, and he, with McNaughten, was the only person missing. The chief officer having caliedu muster on shore, the crew then (just after five o’clock) spread along the beach and called in stentorian tones for McNaughten but there was no response.

The barque had her back broken, the jibboom had been carried away and she was all but gone when Parsonson and McPhee started on their long and rough walk to town.

Concluding his statement, Parsonson said, “We exhibited lights and flares and fired rockets during the night from the ship. We also soaked a straw mattress with kerosene and set lire to it as a signal, bub wo saw no ship. There was no help from ashore. When we got to the beach some of the men scattered over the country to look for a house but none of us succeeded in finding one. McPhee and I left the party just before daylight and the crew were then in good heart. Ido not think any rescue party can get round with help by way of the beach for during our walk we had on one occasion to wade up to our breasts through water.” The two sailors wore looking none the worse for their rough night’s experience and were making for the Duco to go with the rescue party.

The Mate’s Story. Ship Smashed to Matchwood. The mate and second mate of the Woollahra state that the captain wanted to stick to the ship until daylight, and when the crew left he was in the cabin with three feet of water around him, and seemed heartbroken, As the men unhooked the davit falls of the gig and shoved off the ship was breaking to pieces. They could hear the plates cracking. A seaman named McNaughton kept in the fore part of the ship, but when the crew were leaving one of hia shipmates dragged him off the forecastle and they reached the bulwarks just as the gig broke loose, and jumped for it. NcNaughton was never seen again. As soon as a landing had been effected the mate mustered and found the captain and McNaughton missing.

Some of them went inland a little and discovered the McMenamin homestead where they were treated with hospitality, and being refreshed they commenced to walk around the beach to Island Bay and the city. ( When they left the ship Say pounding on the rocks. The port side buckled up like a carrot, says the mate, she looked as if she had boon sawn in two.

Captain Andresen was 46 years of age. He leaves a widow and four sons. He was fourteen years master of the barque Elizabeth Graham and had been on the Woollabra eighteen months. The tug Duco steamed around Terawhiti this afternoon. On the beach in' a little inlet four miles south-east of the Cape stood [he shell of the barque, the stern almost high and dry. A little distance away was a piece of the stem with the stump of the jibboom pointing southward, This jetsam' was ah that remained of the Woollabra. The wreckage was being pounded by heavy combers and the beach was strewn with wreckage. There was hardly anything more than three feet in length, everything had been smashed to matchwood.