LOSS OF THE SPIRIT OF THE DAWN.

Temuka Leader, Issue 2591, 7 December 1893, Page 3

LOSS OF THE SPIRIT OF THE DAWN.

SUFFERINGS OP THE SURVIVORS. The Binemoa with the survivors of the wrecked barque Spirit of the Dawn arrived at the wharf at Dunedin on Monday afternoon. Mr Hormer, chief mate states that the Spirit of the Dawn, Captain Millington, left Rangoon on the 15th June, bound for Talcahauana, Chili, with a cargo of rice. They had squally weather down the Bay of Bengal, and then variable winds and moderate weather to the New Zealand coast. On the morning of the 4th November, about 4.30, the man on the lookout reported breakers ahead. I at once, says Mr Horner, ran forward, but could see nothing. Finding the fog dense I called the captain and all hands. The captain on reaching the deck, ordered the helm to be put hard up, but owing to the small sail the vessel had on her, she did not pay off sufficiently quickly, and it was then discovered that she was clos§ to a reef of rocks, upon which she immediately struck. Lifebelts were served out, and the starboard lifeboat ordered to be cleared away, but as she was settling down the men were ordered to the mizzen rigging. The men got into the boat as she lay on the skids, and as the vessel went down she heated off with us. The men jumped from the mizzen rigging into the water and then crawled into the boat with us. The captain was in the rigging at the time, but he did not Jump with the rest. The ship then sank bodily, and Captain Millington went down with her. The carpenter and an able seamen were also in the rigging. The fog became dense, and the boat drifted out to sea, but they managed to reach the island and get into an entrance between gome rocks. They were quite exhausted- The gear was passed out of the boat, which could not be beached, and she broke away during the first night, Water was found in abundance, and the men lived on mutton birds, penguins, eggs, and roots. They had no fire, and everything had to be eaten raw. A sort of hut was erected and roofed with the boat’s sails, and a flagstaff erected. All kept in good health except a boy named Hewbert, whose feet became bad. TheHinemoa came in sight on November 30th, and all hands were taken on board. The men are grateful to Captain Fairchild and his crew. The steward is supposed to have gone down while getting out stores. The cook was last seen in the galley. The names and rating of those who were lost are as follows : —Captain R. S. Millington, a married man, belonging to Liverpool; J. Peterson, a Swede, the vessel’s carpenter ; Peter Dawson, the cook, belonging to Liverpool; Cetti, thq steward, a native of Copenhagen (the men do not know his Christian name); Frank Vantier, A. 8., of Jersey. The names and rating of the survivors are as follows : 11. H. Horner, chief officer; J. J. 1,/r

rissey, second otlioer; L. L- morofficar ;T. E. Ball* I’’ 1 ’’- 3 ' • navies, third Mason J. J. Peers, 0. D. ” Wl ,u F. McLaughlin, A. BAs ; x 5. V. Anderson and F. Uewbert, O.S.’s ; H. B. Clementson and E. B. Bergthien, apprentices. Hewbert, an apprentice, a native of Hangoon, has been taken to the hospital. Ho has lost two toes from his right foot, and a joint is gone from each of two other toes on the same foot. All the other survivors are in capital health.

The place where the men from the Spirit of the Dawn landed at the Antipodes was on the south-west eud, while the depot is on the north-easL Strange to say, they know nothing of the depot, and state that they were too exhausted to search, only picking up strength after they got penguin’s eggs. Though there are' goats, and sheep, and cattle on the island they saw none. Four vessels wore seen to pass the island, but their flag was not observed. Their condition was

pir.eous when the boat went for them, as they were standing on the rocks with little or no clothing, and some with pieces of raw penguin’s flesh, which they had been eating, in their hands. Ths Spirit of the Dawn was an iron barque of 692 tons net, commanded by Captain H. T. Millington. She was built in 1869 at Sunderland, and owned by J, Bell and Sons, Liverpool.