CAPE OF GOOD HOPE.

Colonist, Volume II, Issue 189, 12 August 1859, Page 3

CAPE OF GOOD HOPE.

WRECK OF THE CLIPPER BARQUE SHEPHERDESS.—ELEVEN LIVES LOST. From the Gape Monitor of June 4th, wo take the following account of a disastrous shipwreck which . had occurred at Port-Elizabeth:— . On Sunday afternoon the'keeper of the Jleceife .Lighthouse arrived in town, and reported to the Port office authorities that at r.oon this day a black clipper barque, in running in for this port, suddenly struck on a ree\, after a_ few lurches broke in two, and in a few minutes disappeared.The moment the news became known Captain Phillips, of the Witch of the Wave (a schooner), belonging to your respected townsman, R. Granger, Esq., nobly placed his vessel at the disposal of the Port Captain, in the hopes ot being able to rescue a part or the whole of the crew. This generous offer was very properly accepted, and in less than two hours after the accident, the schooner was running with a swift breeze round Fishing Point. Besides Capt. Phillips and his own me;', then' were in her Capts. Gel!, oflhe Qvyx, and ColKng, of the Baltazara, and Lieut. Simpson with the Port boat crew. .-.'.- • , The whole affair appeared so sudden and mysterious that many were inclined at first-to think that the lighthouse-keeper must have been inis-r taken. The fact of a ■vessel- running in for <.his

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port with a fair wind, in broad daylight suddenly disappearing in less than three minutes, appeared strange; but, alas! it was too true. About half past four the Hermes was seen steaming round the Point, she was reported late, in the evening, and then the sad news became known that the ill-fated ship was the Shepherdess 300 tons, Urquhart, master, from London to this port, with a general cargo. The Hermes picked up an unfortunate sailor, drifting out to sea on a portion of the wreck. The Witch of the "Wave put back during the same night, having also succeeded in saving another seaman, who was floating on a deal. I trust the prompt and gi-narous offer of Phillips will not be overlooked by the public; he saved at least a valuable life. But for the above circumstances the wreck would have remained a mystery for some time. From the statement given by the above men, it appeared the vessel was running under reefed topsail at about nine knots an hour. The crew were forwarded in getting the anchors ready fur port, when she suddenly struck, gave rolls, and disappeared. She struck on. the Thunderbolt Reef. On visiting the beach in the morning the scene was a most sad one—seven bodies washed up, viz., Capt. Urquhart, his-two sons (apprentices), and four men. The beach is strewn with carpeting clothes, and cottons. The Shepherdess wag a 'fine Aberdeen clipper barque, 300 tons, a favorite trader, and commanded by a sober, steady man. She had altogether a crew of-fourteen men, but fortunately no passengers. She had a very valuable cargo of manufactures on board, some., say.-..worth. about. £30,000, but-of course this is a gues3. - The captain and his sous are to -be.buried this afternoon. ! The following additional particulars are given in an extra to the Tdegraph :—-From information which has reached us it appears that the men were engaged in getting ready the anchor, when one of their number, on looking over the chains, called out "Broken water—helm a-port," almost immmediately after which the vessel struck, and sank a 9 already stated. One of the keepers of the lighthouse, who had perceived the danger to which the vessel was exposed, was about to signalize to her, but proved to be too late; he immediately mounted his horse, and gave information of the sad occurrence to the authorities in town. The schooner Witch of the Wave, Captain J. L. Phillips, belonging to Robert Grainger, Esq., of Cape Town, immediately slipped her cable, and having the Port Captain on board, proceeded to the scene of the sad occurrence, to see whether any assistance could be rendered in the saving of life and property. She succeeded in saving the life of one man, who was found clinging to a boat which had been capsized. H. M. S. Hermes, which -was providentially passing at the time, also succeeded in saving a man who had lashed himself to a spar. The Hermes stood about, but could render no further assistance, a very strong north-west gale blowing at the time, with a tremendous sea running. The names of the survivors are George Lithbride and-Hariris Miller, seamen. The bodies of Captain Urquhart, his son, and five of the seamen nave been recovered, and we understand that the agent has made arrangements to have them brought into town for interment this afternoon. The Shepherdess was an old trader to this port, having been formerly commanded by Captain Scorgie. She was a barque of 290 tons, and though off the first letter, had been rcclassed Al(at Lloyd's, having recently undergone a thorough overhaul. Besides the Captain she had a crew of thirteen men, and a son of the Captain's, a lad of eighteen years of age, on board. He was one of twins, his brother being in the British Queen. We mention this, as a report was current in town i that the captain had lost two sons. The Total cargo j being wasestunated at £20,000. The vessel was consigned to R. L. Crump, Esq., and had a general cargo for this place. A report was current on Saturday that a schooner which was said to have been seen in the wake of the -Shepherdess" had "'also* foundered', but this has not been confirmed}-and is very unlikely.