The Bega Disaster

Southland Times, Issue 12105, 9 April 1908, Page 2

The Bega Disaster

DESPERATE STRAITS. HEROISM AND MISERY. Uy Telegraph.—Press Association.— Copyright. SYDNEY, April S. It took the Doga’s boats 13 hours to effect a lauding. The boats yvere connected yvith each other by a lino. One of them, containing tno yvomen and children, had to be lulled out continuously oyving to the plug being left out and inability to discover the aperture in the darkness and through its crowded condition. The yvomen used their shoes and hats as balers. There yvere no rowlocks in this boat, yy’hich had been taken in low by another heavilyladen one. Cries went up from the women’s boat that they yvere sinking. Then tyvo or three men towing the boat demanded that the line be cut. Feeling ran high, and an angry scene folloyvod. This boat yvas also making a good. deal of yvater. A passenger named Sharp, sitting in the stern, yyas handed a knife and asked to cut the line. Ho threw the knife into the sea. No food or water yvas placed In the boats, and the occupants suffered much from thirst. Four seamen of the Bcga behaved splendidly. They took the oars on leaving the steamer, and never ceased pulling for 12 hours. When nearing the breakers rotvlocks yvere passed to the boat yvhich was in toyv, and the rope yvas severed. The combing breakers bore both craft high up on the beach. The other capsized, but In safety. Here a touching scene yvas enacted. The forlorn, tattered party of women, hatless and bootless, one clad in a nightdress, and the others but halfclad, fatigued and drenched to the skin, the minds yvearied by the anxiety of the yvreck and thoir perilous journey, when It yvas proposed by some cravens to cut them loose to drift helpless, perhaps to eternity, formed into a group. Mothers yvith little babies in their arms and children clinging round their skirts, stood on the lonely seashore and sang tyvo hymns of thanksgiving to Him who holds the sea in the hollow of His hand, who had led them In safety. There was not a dry eye present. It was the reaction that followed a night full of incidents, alarm and danger. SURVIVORS’ ACCOUNTS. ACCIDENTS TO BELIEF SHIPS. SYDNEY, April 8. Received 8, 9.14 p.m. The steamer Peterborough, bringing part of the Bega's castaways to Sydney, put into Kiama disabled by an accident to her air pump. The castayvays were landed, and the remainder made the journey by train. Captain L>avies, yvlio was acting chief officer of the Bega and had charge of the yvomons’ boat, declared in an intorvieyv that the boats yvere fitted yvith everything necessarV. He denied that one yvas without royviocks and had the plug out. The passengers who were in the boat that yvas toyving the yvomens’ boat confirm the statement that a suggestion yvas made by a seaman yvho produced a knife to cut the painter. This yvas strongly resented by others in the boat. Anyone attempting to cut the rope yvas threatened yvith rough treatment. The knife was aftenvards returned to the oyvnor. All pay tributes to the coolness and bravery of the yvomen and children. The steamer Coomonderry, sent to the relief of the remaining castayvays, suffered an accident to her engines, yvhich delayed her for several hours.