THE DRIFT OF THE WAIKATO.

Temuka Leader, Issue 3539, 25 January 1900, Page 4

THE DRIFT OF THE WAIKATO.

A REMARKABLE VOYAGE. [Bv Mb Acton, Second Om’iceb], ( Concluded.) At 5.30 p.m. on the next day we sighted a steamer to the nor’ard, and as soon as we were Seen she came down and hailed. She turned out to be the “ Eugenia,” a British India boat bound to Newcastle, and seemed very anxious to give us any more assistance we might require, but being perfectly satisfied with the towing capabilities and tenacity of the boat that had already taken us about 750 miles, our replies were all in the negative, and after a few words with the “Asloun” she left us to ourselves. And now followed a few days of fine, warm weather, with fair winds ; our runs were good, and everyone enjoyed the peaceful time while it lasted, but unfortunately this was not for long. Soon after midnight on the 2Sth inst., the wind freshened up from the E.S.E. with constant rain, and mounted gradually to a gale with a very high sea before noon. Both ships were plunging heavily to it, and although the “Asloun” had slowed down, and was simply keeping head to sea, there was a terrible strain on the tow rope at times. The -wind continued increasing during the afternoon, and before night set in there was a tremendous sea running, to which the “Asloun” was pitching violently, her whole stern coming out of the water sometimes, and then disappearing in a smother of foam as it sank down again in the trough of the sea. By S.3C p.m. the gale was at its height, and we wore swinging over eight points of the compass, just as the wind caught us on one side or the other, without the rudder having the least resisting effect. The “Asloun” was lying broad out on the port bow, when suddenly a heavier sea than usual rolled up, and in an instant away went the tow lino, causing us to fall off rapidly before the wind, and flood the decks with water in heavy sickening rolls. In a. short time, however, wo settled down to it, but where was the “ Asloun ” ? Half-an-hour after the rope parted nothing was to be seen of her, and remembering how she had stood with head to sea, great fears were entertained for her safety if an accident had occurred, and she had fallen off into the trough of it. Very soon after this the weather rapidly moderated, and by daylight there was no more than a light breeze with tine clear weather, although the sea was still heavy from the southeast. A vigilant lookout had been kept for the “Asloun’s” lights, a flare-up being burnt all night to guide them, but nothing was seen of her, so with heavy hearts we all sat down to our breakfast of,—Ugh ! eternal herrings, and pondered over the indefinite period of suspense that lay before us. Shortly before noon a thin line of smoke was observed on the horizon away to the east'ard, and everyone was overjoyed when it became apparent that it really was our old friend returning to her charge; by 2 p.m. she was close alongside, waiting for our line, this we soon ran out in a boat, but it accidentlly carried away the moment they had it on board, and some time elapsed before everything was ready again ; as a lot of the towing wire had been lost, we used 30 fathoms of mooring chain to make op the required length, and by 5 p.m. she was fast to us again, with GO fathoms of cable shackled on to the chain, and the remaining 30 fathoms of wire leading to the bridle. AVe were soon started off again when the boat was hoisted, and from its crew heard that the “ Asloun” had started its funnel during the gale, and in fact had a very bad’vtime of it altogether, being thankful that they were afloat to tell the tale. For three days now the weather seemed very unsettled, the wind was unsteady, and heavy rain squalls were frequent. On the third day the wind freshened up from the south’ard, and in the afternoon increased to a fresh gale with a very high sea. It was a question whether our tow rope would stand it, the “ Asloun” burying herself at times in the water, and putting’ a tremendous strain on it as she rose high in the crest of a sea. Soon after dark, however, the wind moderated, and all hands were relieved to find that we had come through it all right. On the 4th wo had another gale from the S.AV., and then a fresh westerly wind with passing rain squalls, but fine weather generally, up to the 7th inst. For sometime now there had been a terrible row going on aft, caused apparently by the broken end of the shaft in the stern tube, and those sleeping near it were eagerly looking forward to the time when it would be quieted and they would get some sleep. AA r e made the land at 0 p.m. and three hours later, when we were close under it, a pilot boarded the ” Asloun/’ Our tow rope now touched the bottom, and while communicating with her about shortening up, it parted, obliging us to heave it in ae quickly as possible and anchor for the night. The sea was rough and hard squalls were frequent, so that the idea of putting a pilot aboard was abandoned. Early the next morning the tug “ Penguin” came down to us after communicating with the “ Asloun,” and eventually towed us to Gage roads. Soon after a tender full of people came alongside, and, with much cheering on both sides, boarded us, leaving again when the usual business of a ship’s arrival was settled. After a day at anchor we were towed into the river and berthed at the wharf by S a.m. For some time now we were busy discharging all the cargo in the after end of the ship, and when this was done it was found necessary to put a lot of pig-iron in the fore part, besides filling up the fore peak with water, before the stern was sufficiently raised to allow us to work at the propeller. Some difficulty was experienced in getting the boss started, and then all went smoothly; the broken shaft was withdrawn, and a spare one we had on board put in its place, and when everything was satisfactory we re-commenced loading. At 5 a.m. on Nov. 11th we had all our cargo on board again, and at noon cast off from the wharf and proceeded outwards to the anchorage. AVe left finally at 4 p.m. and experienced strong S.AV.S. winds and gales with very high sea down to the south of Tasmania, which we rounded between the 19th and 20th. From here the weather improved a little, and with fair running we made Solander Island at daylight on the 24th, and then Cape Saunders about the same time next morning, finally coming into Port Chalmers and making fast to the wharf by 10 a.m. AVe had traversed, in the 102 days broken down, a distance amounting to 4,452 miles before being picked up, and then towed 2,521 miles more. For 53 days after the accident we did not sight a single ship, and then it was a sailing ship deserving all praise for its attempt ’to tow us. Altogether the passage from port to port occupied 157 days, and we considered it a record one.