COMPL TE SEARCH BY STEAMERS.

Southland Times, Issue 17092, 14 November 1902, Page 2

COMPL TE SEARCH BY STEAMERS.

NO TRACE OF SURVIVORS. The Clansman arrived off Hohoura Heads last night from the Three Kings, having found no trace of either boat or raft. The Clansman met the Penguin 30 miles east of the Kings on Wednesday morning. After conferring the two vessels zig-zagged to the Three Kings on parallel courses. Then the Clansman wont round the islands from the south and the Penguin from the north Large qu inti ties of wreckage was seen, but no living person was encountered. Off the south-western Kings the schooner Greyhound was spoken, and reported having picked up three dead bodies floating off the rocks, each with a lifebelt round it. Mr Birkett, chief officer, who went aboard the schooner to attempt to identify the corpses, could not definitely do so, but it is bo lieved they were those of a fireman aud two steerage passengers. The former was a young man, apparently about 30, with a slight moustache. One of the others was an old man with a bild head and grey whiskers. I'he third was a young man, apparently about 30, with sandy whiskers and a moustache. It was decided to bury the bodies at sea, the Clansman continuing to circumnavigate the. Kings. The wreckage passed included a capsized dingey boat in which the purser and carpenter left the wreck. The Penguin, which was again spoken, reported that she had found nothing. She then steered away for the Three Kings. Mr Birkett, chief officer, whose boat saw another under sail heading south four hours after leaving the wreck, thinks she possibly may have run down the west coast. ■ She could not hold more than thirty safely. Mr Birkettls boat, which reached Hohoura, was the last to leave the wreck. Someone in the hurry had cut the falls, and. consequently, she could not be launched, but she floated out safely as the steamer sank. He went round picking up survivors. The chief officer it seems took the water from the flying bridge, and was pulled by the captain and second mate on some wreckage on which they had clambered after being washed oft the steamer.

The 37 passengers picked up by the Zealandia have signed the following : —“ We desire to express our appreciation of Captain Attwood’s coolness; we consider he did everything in his power to save the ship and lives of the passengers.” Dr Goldie states that the launching of the boats was an extremely slow progress. It was 20 minutes before the first boat was in the water. When the rocks were plainly visible ahead it was a matter for surprise to those on deck that the steamer did not go astern, though orders were evidently given from, the bridge. The Austrians deny that they rushed the boats. They state that they assisted to place the women and children in the boats, subsequently, when the captain ordered the men to save themselves, the Austrians attempted to get into a boat that was uo-. full, containing ladies, but the sailors prevented them. The captain told the sailors the Austrians’ lives were as good as theirs. The Austrians then got into the boat, and assisted in pulling and baling all the way to the islands.’ Spirits served to other passengers were not offered to them. They contradict the report that one of their number was killed by the blade of_an oar in a scrambio for the boats. '

FURTHER PARTICULARS. Three bodies have been found, one, aged about 25, has fair brown hair and is well built and sft lOin in height; another is 28 to 30, with very fair [sandy whiskers, with a bill on Glebe Bros , Sydney, in the pockets. The third body is sft 6n, aged 60, and fair. Mr Chambers, purser of the Elingamite, gave an interesting account of the disaster. Of his own share —by no means inconsiderable, as other narratives show—Mr Chambers was unwilling to speak. His pluck and coolness right through were shown by the fact that, in addition to seeing to the despatch of three boats, ho saved all the ship’s papers. To do this Mr Chambers had to descend a ladder to aft of the well deck, rush along the alley-way 100 feet, and along past the engine room to his own cabin ainidship.' He risked life every moment he was in the alley-way or cabin At any noment the ship might sink. When he reached the deck again the water was shooting through the hatches.

NARRATIVES OF SURVIVORS. Auckland, Nov. 13. P. Jones says that he left the wreck in the longboat, which carried 45 men, women and children. As they were leaving the boat came into collision with wreckage and a plank was stove in. Four men took off their shirts and stopped the breach as well as possible and the leakage was checked sufficiently to enable the boat to be kept afloat by constant bailing. On making the island the boat was smashed to pieces, but all the passengers succeeded in getting ashore. One lady had her leg hurt. There was no shelter and the nights were bitterly cold. Women, children and men huddled together in a vain attempt to keep warm. A pathetic incident is related by Mr Donaldson : As the boat was getting away a young lady and gentleman, who appeared to make no effort to secure safety, were washed overboard clasped in each other’s arms. The gentleman, who was supposed to be her husband, endeavoured to comfort her, but he also seemed content to accept his fate. Ah Austrian who had appropriated two lifebelts was jammed between one of the boats and the ship’s side and sank. Whilst assisting to clear the second lifeboat it swung back on the vessel and smashed three fingers of Donaldson’s right hand, and after reaching the island a portion.of one was amputated with a penknife by Dr Goldie Donaldson is awaiting the amputation of another finger.

■ - NO SIGN OF THE MISSING. The s.s. Omapere arrived at Doubtless Bay to-night. She' went round the Three Kings and 100 miles from the scene of the wreck to the east and north, but .saw no sign of the missing boat or raft. H.M.S Penguin had searched all round the Three Kings and saw nothing, but passed the bottom board of a ship’s boat The Penguin will probably visit the Kings again, but the opinion of Commander Dawson is that there is little room for hope that any of the missing people will be found alive. AUSTRIANS REMONSTRATE. The Austrians who were on the Elingamite complain of the statement that they tried to rush the boats before all the women got in. They alato that after thtf boats wore

wdrked well and willingly. They are trained seamen, and when they got iii the bout they at once got hold of the oars and had to row almost continuously for six hours. They also bailed out the boat and lent their coats to the firemen. -■ Mongonui, Nov. 13 (6 p.m.) There is no trace of the Elingamite’s missing boat or raft on the’ whole coast from Cape Maria Van Dioman to Hohoura, which has now been searched. It is possible, however,;that the missing pedple may have landed on the almost uninhabited stretch of eighty miles between’ Cape Maria and Ahipara on the West Coast.

United Press Association.— By Electric • Telegraph—Copyright,]

Sydney, Nov. 13. It is stated that a complete list of the Elingamite’s passengers is not in existence in Sydney. The Company explain that the fact that the names of some of the lescueddo not appear on the list is accountable to passengers frequently boarding just before vessels leave, and securing tickets aboard. Others with return tickets fail to book at the Company’s offios. The Elingamite had ten bags.und two hampers of mails from Sydney and ten bags from % other States, all for Auckland and Gisborne, There is intense thankfulness at the ■ rescues, and a hopeful feeling for the other boat.