Three Corpses Picked Up.

Colonist, Volume XLVI, Issue 10568, 17 November 1902, Page 2 (Supplement)

Three Corpses Picked Up.

.Wellington, November 13,

The following message was received at 2 a. m from the postmaster at Mongonui :— " The. Clansman has just returned to Hohoura from the search for the Eliiigamite's boat and raft. She will leave Hohoura for Auckland at nine or ten tomorrow morning with the survivors from Hobonra... She" reports ha ring communicated with, the other vessels, and none of them >ad seen anything of the missing boat and rafb. H.M.feS Penguin has gone 60 miles" north of the Cape to make a further search. The Greyhound picked up three corpses, twp of steeiage passengers and a fireman. There was not the least sign of life anywhere." The Clansman arrived off Hohoura Heads laßt night from the Three Kings, having found no trace of the missing boat or raft. The Clansman met BM .S, Penguin 30 miles east of the Kings, on Wednesday morning. The warsbip also had scon nothing, After conferring, the two vessels zigzagged to the Three Kings on a parallel course, and then the Clansman went round the islands Irom the south and the Penguin from the north. Large quantities of wreckage were seen, butno living person was encountered. Off the south-eastern King the schooner Greyhound was spoken. She reported having picked up three dead bodies floating off the recks, each with a lifebelt round it. Mr Birkett, chief officer, -who went aboard' the schooner, attempted to identify the corpses. He could not definitely do so, but believed that they were those of a fireman and two steerage passengers. The former was a young man, apparently about 30, with light moustache. One of the others -was an old man with a bald head and grey whiskers. The third was a young man, apparently about 30, with sandy whiskers and moustache. It was decided to bury the bodies at sea.

The Clansman, continuing the voyage, circumnaviguted"the Kings. The rrockage passed included a capsized dingy — the boat in which the pureer and carpenter left the wreck. The Penguin, which was again spoken, reported that she ha<? found nothing. The Clansman then steered away for the Three KingsMr Birkett, chi.f officer, tv hose boat saw another under sail heading south four hooi's after leaving the wreck, thinks that possibly it may have run down the west coast. It could not hold more than 30 safely. Mr Birketfa boat, which reached Hohoura, was the last boat to leave the wreck. Some one in a hurry had cut the falls, and consequently the boat could not be launched, but it floated out safely as the 3teamer; sauk. xhe occupants" went round picking up survivors. The cbief officer, it seems, took the water from the flying bridge, and was pulled in by. the captain. The second mate was on some wreckage on "which he had clambered after beiug washed off the steamer.

Further particulars state that cf the three bodies found, one" is a man aged 25, with Mr brown hair, well-built, 5 feet 10 inches in height j another is 28 to 30 years of age, very fair, with sandy whiskers, and a bill on Glebe Bros., Sydney, in th.B pocket ; the third ie a body 5 feet 6 inches iv height, age 60, fair complexion.