SHIPWRECKED MARINER.

Colonist, Volume XLIX, Issue 11999, 27 July 1907, Page 4

SHIPWRECKED MARINER.

Auckland, July 26; Harry Jackaon, the sole survivor of the wreck of the scow Surprise, relating his experiences said that the Surprise, when off Slipper Island on Friday night, started tp ;i drag with three anchors out. The captain ordered the crew to set ;the staysail, and immediately afterwards the vessel struck the south end .of Watchman Rocks. The captain sang out "Good bye". That was tbepst Jackaon saw of him and the^bpy Frank Kelly. The scow was butting very hard when Ajf Stewaftj Edward Johnson and JackSbn toblf to the fore rigging. .. • . : Jackson continued:— 'We stayed there a little time and then .game down and went aft; The soow (?aiue\ stern first off the rocks and capsized. I lost sight of Stewart, and never saw him again. Johnson and I stuck to the main riggiDg. After the capsize the scow drifted midway betwee4*the r .W|(tchmanKocks and the coast. ,1 swam ashore, but never saw Johnson <again. I am a good swimmer. tFhe took me ashore and others, coming immediately after, smashed me on the 1 rocks. This is how I was much out and bruiaed. I had been in the water five or six hours. I elimbdd about fhalf way up the cliff and then collapsed from exhaustion. I stayed theie the whole of Sunday and at night felt ill and unable, to go further. Next morning, feeling a little better, I orawled up the cliffs and eventually reached Mr McGregor's house, where 1 receivad every kindness. 1 was put to bed and carefully nursed. My position on Sunday waa terrible. It was a wild and stormy day, and I was stuck half way up the oliffs with only a small singlet on, reaching to my thighs. I was unable to move further. The cliffs were below me and high perpendicular hills above. 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 tuornincr, and having gained a little extra strength I started to crawl along, not knowing exactly where I was." Later. The steamer Onslow visited the scene of the wrcek of the scow Surprise yesterday. Constable Brown and party searched the beaches, but could find no bodieß. They secured a flag, some broken life buoys, the board with name, and the ship's dog was found lying on the Awanui beach. As showing the fury of the storm dozens of crayfish and dead 1 fish and tons of seaweed were thrown up on the beaches. The steamer took Harry Jackson, the sole survivor, to Tairua. He is still weak.