WRECK OF THE STEAMER GAMBIER.

Taranaki Herald, Volume XL, Issue 9185, 12 September 1891, Page 2

WRECK OF THE STEAMER GAMBIER.

SOME INCIDENTS WHIOH HAPPENED. The group of survivors found onboaid tho Easby when that vessel was moored alongside the wharf presented a pitiable spostaclo. In spite of all that hod been dono for them since the rescue many of them were still shivering in wet garments, and women and children had not recovered from their terror and prostration. Sotno of the tales told were very pitiful, and threw a ghastly light on thY few awful minutes that elapsed before the Gambier was overwhelmed, and on the still more terrible experiences that came afterwards. The third officer, Mr- Spiltnan, was washed overboard when the ship sank, and saved himself by clinging to a bundle of rugs and a hatch until within swimming distance of the Easby. Neil McCauley, ono of the seamen, went down with the ship, and was kept beneath the surface by being caught in the debris for a space of four minutes, as he concludes. At last he fteed himself, though nearly exhausted, and, clinging to some lumber, managed to sustain himself until rescued. As might bo expected, the women and children had eomc ter.iblo experiences. Mrs Turner was sustained in tho water by a seaman named Harridan for a considerable time. Ultimately, when placed in one of the boats, slie was insensible from exposure, and remained so for some time. Mrs F. G. Glenfield, wife of a traveller in the employ of Messrs Sargood, Butler, and Nicol, who, with her children, was a passenger front Sydnoy, had a distressing tale to tell. When warned of the danger, she seized her child and made hasty preparations to leave the ship. She gathered togother a little warm clothing for the child, and picked up a bag which she thought contained money and jewellery. With this in one han-i, and a child in the other, she then ran on deck. While wait* ing for tho boat she was swept overboard ; but with maternal devotion clung tightly to the child, and, after being buSetod about by tho waves, waß thrown against a hencoop. With this she supported hersolf until rescued. After being removed homo to Northcote, Mrs Glonfiold became com pletely prostrated with delirium. Iv her ravages she called for tho child she bad saved. One whose conduct marks him out for honourale mention is George Martin, a steerage passenger, whoso destination is Adelaide, and who formerly livei in Auckland. He acted with great nerve and good judgment, and saved tho lives of several people, among them being Mrs Robinson, a steerage passenger, and Thomas, Philip, and Joseph Rooko, besido three children of a resident of OaulHeld. Miss Harriet Nuttall, who was in charge of ~" theso children, shares with Martin tho honour of saving they, aa Bhe watched over them with much devotion, but for which they must have become separated anil most probably diowoed. Hannah Lloyd, stewardess on the Gambier, did good work. She has seen other wrecks. Her quiet manner assisted greatly towardß quelling the alarm of the women on board, and in addition to that she saved :t little girl named Nellie Orchard. Mr and Mrs Trevonick had been visiting their daughter, Mr Orchard, in Sydnoy, and were taking the little girl back to Adelaide on a holiday trip. She has friends in Carlton,'and is staying with thorn. Mr-fend Mrs Robinson, of Adelaide, are from Sydney, but originally left Newcastle. They wero rescued in one of tho boats, Theme ia chargo tried to eaparate them by forcing Mr* Kobiasoa into I bo»t

bjr herself, but she rof used to loavo tho ship without her husband. Sho answered, " No ; wo have lived together, and, if necessary, we dio together. I shall not go unless ho comes too." Her husband was then permittod to ontor the boat. Upon this couple being interviewed by Captain Brown, of Howard Smith aud Sons, they oxprosged much concorn about tho loss of thoir luggage. "It is all wo had in tho world," they said, " and our littlo stock of money has gone down too." Mrs McCarthy, ono of tho steerage passengers, escaped in hor nightdross only, nil olso ehe had being lost, oven her husband. When informed that her husbnnd was amongst the missing, Mrs McCarthy, who is a young and lately married woman, abandoned horself to grief , and throughout the day was in a very low Btate indeed. Her husband waa washed out of tho boat that capsized. Arthur Hill, a Salvation Army cadot, on his way from Brisbane to tho training homo at Richmond, was awakened out of his sleep by the chief steward. lie helped to got the ladios into the boats, and was swept into the soa whon tho waters rushed over the ship. Ho hold Miss Russell, a female cadot of the Salvation Army, by the hand, and retained his hold whon they were washed overboard. Holding her with one arm, ho swam towards one cf tho boats with the other. Having reached it, he placed Miss Russell upon it, but it capsized. Ho caught tho young lady by the hair, and retained hold of her until ho and she were picked up. She was then in • sensible, and remained so almost all tho morning. Cadet Ellie Woodlands, also destined for the Female Training Home, was lost. The steward of the Gambier, Mr Hughes, cays that whon the Easby struck her, the Gambier run aground on a shoal, but Blid back about 100 yards immediately afterwards, and settled down in five fathoms of water. One of the lads, named Turner, who was saved, narrates that when struggling iv tho water he felt something biting his neck. This he found to be a rat, which had fixed its teeth firmly in the flesh of the lad's nsok, instinctively grasping for support, tho boy pulled it off and shared a plank with the animal, but says his curious companion was very soon washed off. The blow which the Easby btruck the Gambier was of telling force as regards herself, and the battered, disfigured entrance with its riven plates, and fractured, distorted framework, attests the violenco of the collision. The sternplate ia carried away fully 10 feet above the water-line to some distance beneath, and the plates, instead of snapping off short, as more brittle material would havo done, have been simply curled back by the blow. A cursory survey from inside was taken by Mr Watson, surveyor for Lloyd's, but no definite opinion as to the extent of the damage could be given until tho Easby is docked, and the water emptied out of the fore peak tank. Before the surviving passengers of the Gambier camo on shore from tho Easby, they drew up aed signed a testimonial to Captain Bell, of the Gambier, and presented it to him, expressive of gratitude for and appreciation of fhis endeavours in their behalf, aB well aB of his cool bearing, and the brave manner in which he behaved during the trying ordeal.