A THRILLING STORY.

Colonist, Volume LIV, Issue 13316, 17 January 1912, Page 2 (Supplement)

A THRILLING STORY.

THE CAPTAIN'S NARRATIVE. DRAWN DOWN WITH THE WRECK. It. was a thrilling story that the captain and crow of tho Jane Douglas unfolded to a "Colonist" reporter who boarded tho Pateona early this morning from tho pilot boat. It came out little by little, the true sailor's reserve under such circumstances being very difficult to overcome. Captain Veudoro told parts of the story quietly but in a phlegmatic manner characteristic of tho man who has scon many years of rough sailing round these coasts, and who even in such untoward happenings retained perfect presence of mind, so that ho could detail dispassionately the course of events from beginning to end of what must have been one of the most exciting wrecks that have occurred in New Zealand waters during late years. Tho thread of the story commences with the Jane Douglas beating along through the Straits bound for Hokitika from 'Wellington. A crusty and blustering south easterly tossed the vessel on the passage across, and the elements were just as boisterous as the craft entered the pasr-nge between Stephen's and D'Urville Islands. The channel contains several rocks, which arc regarded as a menace to navKitipn, and it was upon one ot these" that the ill-fated Jane Douglas received her quietus—tho same rock upon which the Wainui was piled up some years back, under conditions ■ which may in some respects be said to parallel those prevailing on the night of last Tuesday These rocks are named Steeple Rock and Saddle Rock, but according to Captain Vendore, they are wrongly dotted on the chart, the names being transposed. At midnight the vessel was steamin" beneath a heavily clouded sky, and all bauds were, on dock attending to the vessel's safety. At 12.H0 a.m. the crash came, and as tho Jane Douglas ploughed her bow into fcteeplo Rock she entered upon tho last live minutes of her 37 years of a life which lias been as energetic as that of any craft sailing round those shores. Despite the black darkness, and the unexpected blow, the crow retained their presence of mind, and there was no panic. Captain Vendore, realising that the vessel was doomed, ordered the boat to b.» lowered, and this was done. All the crew wore handy men in small boats, and with expert celerity tho small open boat was lowered into the choppy sea, which sucked and eddied around the rock. The crew wore all in the boat, and the mate was in charge, but tho captain van- titill on clock und refused to budge. Tho engines; which had been kept going until now, raced with an ominous sound, telling the tale of a propeller snapped and fallen to the bottom. When this was done tho hull listed sideways, and slid oil the rock, going down like a stone into deep water, the captain with her. As the water came level with tlie deck Captain Voiulore grasped a li.t.bclt, but was ■■"cki-d v ciMSih-riok' distance below the surface in tho whirlpool which followed, the 'liw.r,pearancp of his ship. Half drowned, the skipper finally camo to tho surface, clinging to his life-belt—he cannot swim a stroke —and after searching for .some timo the boat finally picked him up in rather a bad way. Captain Vendoro states that in his opinion tho Jane Douglas had turned turtle before she reached tin: bottom