Wreck of the Surprise

Southland Times, Issue 10996, 27 July 1907, Page 2

Wreck of the Surprise

ONLY 1 ONE SURVIVOR. lUS ADVENTURES, Per United Press Association. AUCKLAND, July 26. Harry Jackson, sole suvivor of the wreck of the scow Surprise, relating his experiences, said Hum when oli Slipper Island on Friday night the scow started to drag with three anchors out. The captain ordered the crew t 0 set the staysail. Immediately afterwards the struck the south end of Watchman rocks. “The caplain eang out ‘good-bye.’' That was (lie last 1 saw of him and of the boy Frank Kelly. The scow was humping very hard when Alf. Stewart, Edward Johuscii, and 1 Look to the fore rigging. We stayed there a little time and then came dowm and went aft. The ship came stern first off the rocks and capsized, I lost sight of Stewart and never saw' him again. Johnson and I stuck to the main rigging a filer which the scow drifted midway between Watchman and thecoast. I swam ashore, but never saw Johnson again. I am a good swimmer but the breakers were very large and rough. One breaker took me ashore ; others came immediately after and smashed me on the rocks. That is how 1 was so much cut and bruised. 1 had been in the water five or six hours. 1 climbed about halfway up the cliffs and then collapsed from exhaustion. I stayed there the whole of Sunday and at night fell ill and unable to go further. Next moru- ’ ing, feeling a little belter, T crawled up" over the cliffs and eventually reached Mr J. McGregor’s house, where 1 received every kindness, 1 was put to bed and was carefully nurs->d. Mv position on Sunday was terrible. It was a wild, stormy day. 1 was stuck half-way up the cliffs .with only a small singlet on reach--ing to mv thighs, and was unable to move further. Cl id’s were below me and high perpendicular hills abov e . I thought I was done for. I lay there in the storm all Sunday, and in the night, the pain was so severe and unbearable that I wished I was dead. The weather appeared better on Monday morning, and, having gained a little extra.".strength, I started to trawl along, not knowing exactly where T was.” AUCKLAND, July 26. A Tairua message stall's that the steamer Onslow visited the seen" of the wreck of the scow Surprise again yesterday.

Constable Brown and a Party .search d the beaches, but could find no bodies. They secured a dag, some broken lifebuoys, and the name hoard. The steamer called at Ohui and brought Marry Jackson, the sole survivor, to ’lairua. Me is still weak. As showing the fury ol the stonu, dozens of crayfish and other dead lish were thrown upon the beach, also "tons of seaweed. The ship s dog was found lying on Pawanui beach.