BURNING OF THE SHIP "FIERY STAR.

Colonist, Issue 795, 9 June 1865, Page 8

BURNING OF THE SHIP "FIERY STAR.

SUPPOSED LOSS OF FOUR OF THE BOATS WITH ALL HANDS.

AEEIYA.L OP EIGHTEEN SURVIVORS.

(From tie Daily Southern Cross, Mag 16 )

Bx the arrival of the Dauntless, yesterday, we received the news of the complete destruction by fire of the Black Ball Line ship Fiery Star, on her voyage from Brisbane to London; and it is to be feared that the captain and seventy-eight of the passengers and crew have perished, they having left the burning ship on the 20th of April, when between three and four hundred miles from land. The Dauntless brings the mate (Mr. Sargent), and seventeen of the crew, who were taken off the- vessel on the llth instant; having been on the burning ship for twenty-one days. The Fiery Star, 1,361 tons, T. M. Mackay and Co., of London, left Moreton Bay on the Ist of April for London. We give the following list of passengers from a Brisbane paper, but we believe that it is not complete: —Saloon . Mr. and Mrs. Cameron, Mrs. H. Bell, Mrs. A. Mackay, Miss Tine, Dr. Flowman, Miss Dodwell. Second cabin: Miss Russell, Miss Ida Johns, Miss W. Johns, Miss C. Johns, Messrs. D. McKay, W. Latour, M. Goddard, J. Robinson, Peter Hartley, jnn. Steerage : Mra. H. Murphy, Messrs. Steit, F. Omand, 6. A. Dargan, Boughton, Immerchundt, E. Edwards, J. Plumb, A. H. Watson, C, Messenger, P. England. A. Hopper, A. Landoff, W. Beal, Rev. W. Rikey, and Master Christian. The following are the names of the men picked up by the Dauntless:—Mr. John Ormond, passenger; Mr. Sargent, chief officer; William Marshall, quartermaster; George Maber, engineer; George Strickland, chief steward ; John Sutton Palmer, second steward ; Charles White, boatswain's mate; David Hariot, Bailmaker ; James North, carpenter ; Knight Stevens, Charles Applequist, John Hargett. Charles Smith, David Payne, John Billin, Richard Breton, seamen; Richard Herdman, butcher. The ships cargo consisted of the following .—Wool, 2,041 bales, 3 bags tallow, 134 casks; cotton, 15 bales, 2 bags; hides, 1519; horns, 9,013, 6 cases arrowroot; and sundry packages. On leaving Brisbane there wore 63 passengers on board, and 42 of the crew, making a total of 105 souls. The following narrative is chiefly from Mr. Saegent's log :— Oa the llth of April, the ship was off the south end of N'cw Zealand. On the 19th, when the vessel was in kt. 46deg. lOmin., long. UOdeg. W., on of the crew named John Adams came aft, and reported a strong smell of smoke in the forecastle.. Captain Yule and the mate went forward, took the fore-hatch off, and were horrified to find the smoke come up in clouds from the lower hold. Every hatchway in the ship whs immediately battened down, and all ventilation .stopped up as securely as possible. The vessel was then 400 miles from Chatham Islands. April 20.—Strong breeze and squally. The crew was employed pumping water on the hatches. The passengers* were obliged to leave the cabin, the smell from ihe burning wool, which was strongly impregnated with arsenic, having become insufferable. Took down several pails from aloft., in order to secure tli3 hatches. Up to this time no flames had been seen, and strong hopes were felt that the fire might bo kept under till the vessel was safe in one of the poits of New Zealand. At six o'clock in the evening, however, flames burst out through the port-bow, and through the wate"r-ways on deck. This seems to have di.-couiaged the Captain, and he gave up the atttsnipt to run the ship to land, and commenced preparations to abandon the ship. The Fiery Star had lost two of her boats by a heavy sea which struck her only two days before the fire was discovered, so that only four were left. In these the captain, all the passengers but one, and most of the crew, embarked. When the boats were quite filled it was found that seventeen of the crew still remained on board. The mate (Mr. Sargont), with a praiseworthy courage, said to the men still on the ship, " Well, lads, I'll stick by you, if you'll stick by the ship, and we'll go to work and keep down the fire." The chronometer chest, compass, and Bextant had been taken away iv the boats. It is supposed that the captain meant to steer for Chatham Islands. When the boats left the fire was rapidly gaining strength, and Mr. Sargent asked them to lie by them all night, which they promised to do. The seventeen then turned their attention to the burning ship, got the steampump into order, and vigorously set to work to keep down the fire. April 21.—Moderate breezes and fine weather. At daylight looked out for the boats, but no sign of them could"l:e seen. Tacked about a little to try to frill in with ii»o '.'Oats'. Up to this time they had not a compa:-s so .-teer the ship by ;so Mr. Sargent made search in the cabin, and found one. By the strenuous exertions of the men, who now saw clearly that their main chance of life lay in keeping the fire down till cither they made the land, or fell in with a ship, the fiie was kept well under. Fortunately the weather at this time was fine ; some hands were employed keeping down the fire, and others in constructing a raft of spare spars, on which they were determined to commit themselves to sea should things come to the worst. April 22.—A light breeze and fine weather. Unremitting exertions required to keep the fire under. All hands not at the pumps busy on the raft. Repatched the hole in the hide through which the flames first came. Wet blankets were kept on. A man at the masthead looking out, bat no sail. In the evening the raft was finished. Had to pump ship for two hours. April 23, Sunday.—Ship under three lower topsails, with a Sight breeze. Fire being still kept under. Mr. Sargent cut several holes in the deck and pumped water down. Had to burn all the loose fittings about the deck to keep the fire up under the steampump. Towards afternoon the weather got very dark and gloomy. April 24.—Weather threatening. Found that there were three feet of water in the hold, and had to pnmp ship. Fire still kept down, it having made no appearance all the night. In the afternoon took the fore hatch off and could see no fire, but found that the foremast was badly burned in the way of the cables. Tne men could not stop below to get coals for the Bteam pump, the smell was so strong. Had to p^t the hatches on again ; cut away the fore-top3ail and royal, and sent down the fore-topgaliantsail yards. At midnight the weather was very unsettled and Equally, with heavy rain all the night. April 25.—A strong breeze and unsettled weather. Still pumping water to keep down the fire, and pumping ship to keep her free. Kept the ship N.lil. by E. to get in the track of vessels if possible. Every one on board in good health. Wer.ther somewhat improved, the wind being light, but heavy rain, some of which was caught and saved. During the whole time, from the boats leaving till the men were taken off by the Dauntless, (hey lived entirely on deck, enting the fowls from the hen-coops. There were ten pigs on board, and their styes having been used to keep up the fire, they ran about the deck, till from heat and want of water they appeared to be quite furious, and the crew had to kill them all in case they should attack them. April 27.—A strong gale with squalls, and the ship rolling very heavily. April 28.—Weather more moderate. Fire still kept under, but a great deal of steam issuing from below. April 29.— Weather fine. Tried to get below into the cabin, but could not, for arsenical gas and steam. Found it impossible to reach the cables Ship making so much water that she had to be pumped every two hours. April 30.—N0 change from yesterday. Great difficulty in keeping up the steam from want of material to burn. May l.—[There is no entry in the log-book for this day.]' May 2.—T°ok fore hatch off to make another attempt to get up some coals. Found great deal of Bteam and gas, but no smoke below. t The men could only work for about two minutes belbw. Still forced to pump the ship out every two hours. The heat had increased so much that tbe pitch began to run out of the seams. May 3.—Weather squally. Cut up one of the booms to make sleepers for the raft Took the ironwork from the ship to strengthen the raft. Still pumping water below with the steam pump, and pumping ship every two hours. May 4.—Saw two islands, which were supposed to be Mercury and Cuvier Islands. Wore ship, and Btood to the east. Cut a hoie in the deck, and got the hawsers up, but not able to reach the cables. Ship laboring very much, under three lower topsails. At midnight a heavy gale, with terrific squalls and

May 6.—Couree E.N.E. A strong gale, blowing with a heavy and confused sea; ship laboring very much. May 6.—Course N.N.E. Gale still . continuing; ship making a great deal of water. Wore Rhip to S.S.W. At nine a.m. gale moderated. In the afternoon terrific, squalls, with much thunder and lightning. May 7.—Course N.N.W., gale continuing, with clear weather. Sea running very high, and the ship making a great deal ef water. May B.—Steering N.W., ship laboring very heavily, but fire still under. May 9 A heavy head sea, Mid ship plunging very much ; took one of the fore hatches off to get at the coals, but could not stop below to get them. May 10.—No change. May 11.—Strong gale with heavy squalls. In the afternoon, made the land, bearing W.S.W., distance 26 miles. At 10 p.u:. saw a ship on the lee-bow. Fired several guns, and showed blue-lights. Proved to be the ' Dauntless' for Auckland. Captain Moore sent a life-boat to the ship, and stood by till next morning. May 12.—Took fore-hatch off to see if anything could be done towards putting the fire out, but found the ship getting hotter. Mr. Sargeant asked Captain Moore to come on board, and on examination it was found that the foremost was .so badly burned that she could not carry sail on it. Mr. Sargent then told Captain Moore that if he would take him on board he would abandon the ship. The whole of the men left the Fiery Star for the Dauntless, just when the flames were beginning to make their appearance up the forehatch. The Dauntless stood by till 11.30 p m., .when the Fiery Star burned to the water's edge and sank. Wo have compiled the above narrative from a log kept by Mr. Sargent while he was on the burning ship, and it "will be seen that he was in great need of the quiet resoluteness which we believe to be his prevailing characteristic. Great anxiety will be felt till it is ascertained whether any of the boats reached the Chatham Islands ; and H.*M. s. Brisk will sail for there to-day. Mr. Sargent states that a good deal of heavy weather pre vailed before the boats could possibly make any land. The Fiery Star was a vevy fine American-built ship, and was beautifully fitted up. The following is'the statement of Captain Moore, of the Dauntless with respect to the Fiery Star ;—" On Thursday, May 11, in latitude 37-5, longitude 175-42 8., my attention was drawn to a vessel firing cannon and rockets, and 1 immediately put back my main yards. When she came within speaking distance it was found that she was the Fiery Star, and was burning. The officer in command asked that a boat might be sent to her, which was at once done. 1 found the first mate and seventeen hands, the captain, purser, crew and passengers having left her three weeks before, taking all the boats, and leaving the chief officer and the others to their fate. The vessel was in a bad state, her foremast being nearly burned through. I oflored the mate all the assistance that lay in my power. 1 advised him to stick to the ship, and I would lie by her till morning, as there might be a chance of getting into harbour with a fair wind. I left one of my life-boats with her. Next morning at nine o'clock 1 sent a boat to her. The fire was then getting worse. My. Sargent decided ta leave her, but wished me to conio aboard to give nly opinion before so doing. I went on board and saw that she was getting worse. 1 also thought the best thing to do was to leave her. The mate had done all that a man could do to save her. We got off all that we could in the way of provisions, &c, final'y leaving her adrift at 4 p.m. She was then in flames. We stood by till 10.30 p.'n, when she went down.