THE LOSS OF THE 'TARANAKI.'

Thames Advertiser, Volume XI, Issue 3184, 3 December 1878, Page 3

THE LOSS OF THE 'TARANAKI.'

THE CAPTAIN'S VERSION. o (from a special correspondent), ——-eTacdanga, Monday. The wreck of the 'Taranaki' can only bo accounted for on the supposition that a stiff current sets inward. On previous voyage the ship steered one point more towards tho land.

The following account of the wreck is

supplied by Captain Malcolm, and is the only really correct one The' Taranaki' left Auckland on Thursday afternoon, and anchored tho same night at a quarter to twelve between Great Mercury andTakape point, and laid there till 3 a,mi The morning was fine but hazy. Passed through the Hole-in-the-Wall at 4 a.ra, and were abreast of Slipper Island 5.40, at which time the patent log was put over. Shortly after the fog set in heavily, and on aocount of the thick weather the vessel was kept a | of a point off the land, that is to the east, and a sharp look-out was kept. At 8 5 a.m. the distance, according to the log, was 20 miles, which would leave the vessel 12 miles from Karewa. At 8,50 I was standiog on the bridge when I suddenly saw a white fringe of breakers. I instantly gave the signal, " Full speed astern," and had the helm put hard a-starboard. The look-out-man shouted " Breakers ahead," and I saw the land looming up before us. I immediately cried out, " Clear away the boats." The ship then struck. As near as I can judge, about three minutes elapsed between the time of my observing tho breakers and the ship striking. There was hardly any water on her. According to both log and engines we ought to have beon at least 4 or 5 miles from Karewa. Ifter striking the ship slid over the rooks grating. lam of opinion that had she gone another length ahead after the engines were reversed we should have escaped. Tho Engineer now reported that the wator was coming into the engineroom, so I gave orders to slowly ahead, in order to prevent sinking in deep wator. The boats were lowered at once. In five minutes the first was alongside, and in twenty all were ready, Some little delay oecurred in getting the after starboard boat into the water, because of the vessel heaving over heavily to port. All the passengers were landed, and tho mate and a boat's crew despatched to Tauranga by 10.30. Mr Gillon went ashore in the first boat, and, at the request of the chief officer, took charge of the grog and provisions. On the whole the passengers behaved very well, the ladies especially showing great courage. In the afternoon we worked hard saving the baggage and mails. We were heartily assisted by Mr 0. M. Quintal, who was indefatigable, as the ship had by this time heeled over to an angle of 45deg., and as the water was up to the combings of the hatchway on theport side, the job proved very troublesome, A little boy named Westlake did good service by climbing through tho port and saving much valuable luggage, and at low water some of the crew managed to get into the saloon and save the linon, silver, &c, About 4 p.m. two cutters hove in sight, and as there was no water on the island

I gave orders for the passengers to embark in the boats with a view of putting them on board. Before this could be done, however, the s.s. ' Staffa' turned up, and after loading the rescued baggage all were sent to Tauranga. I stayed on board the ' Taranaki' till 4 p.m., together with the crew, and did not leave the scene of the wreck till 8 o'clock next morning, by which time she had divided in two, and nothing more could be done. I ordered one of the cutters to cruise about for floating packages, and several were picked up. A preliminary investigation/into the loss, of the steamer was held this afternoon privately, before Mr McKellar, Collector of Customs, and Captain Marks, Harbourmaster. Neither the public nor the press were admitted, The official inquiry will probably take place on Wednesday or Thursday, before Mr Brabant, R.M., and others

A passenger by the 'Taranaki' has supplied the Auckland Star with an account, from which we extract the following : -r

Some Maori diggers from tho Thames, who wore on tho ' Taranaki' at the time of the disaster, say that if a native had been at the wheel on the look out, the accident would never have happenod. One of them declares he whispered to the man on the look-out, ton minutes before tho ship struck, that there was land ahead.

The breakfast bell had just rung, when suddenly a largo mass of apparently dark clouds loomed up right ahead. I was wondering what it was, but I kept my eyes on it, and was horrified to see it assumo the form of an upright cliff, with breakers bursting at tho foot of it, and ugly-looking rocks stretching out of tho water all round. We were only 200 yards off, and were going full speed ahead. I wondered why no alarm was given, but I have since learned that the captain, as soon as the danger was perceived, gave the ordet " Stop her," and " Full speed astern.' I did not hear anything until I saw a man rush to the engine-room skylight and call out" Hard astern." Captain Malcolm tells me that be at first tried to put the helm sufficiently hard a-porfc to carry the vessel clear, but although the island is not more than 300 yards across, aud we were going right on the centre of it, the distance was too short to enable the ship to answer her helm; and, seeing this, he let her go straight in. When we struck we were going about seven knots an hour. By great good luck we did not go bang aguinst tho solid rock, but hit a little cleft between two detached rocks, where the water gradually shallowed. The slearner ran up with a hard grating sound, without much of a shock, and immediately began to lurch over to port, making loud, clauging bumps with each successive swell of tho sea, The chief danger at this time was.that tho vessel might slip off into deep water, but fortunately she ran ou far enough to hold on till all lives were saved. Another fortunate circumstance was that there was a big half-tide rock under her port bow, which kept her from falling over on to her beam-6nds.

It seemed a tremendous time before the boats were got out. There were only eight men in the orew, and had four or five of these been sent away there would not have been sufficient left to get the last two boats out. The women and children were the first sent forward. Captain Malcolm feared that the vesssel might go down stern first, but when lie saw she had settled firmly on the ledge ho sent the women and children aft, and they were got into the boats from the starboard gangway. There was some little crying on the part of .the women, but they be*

havcd splendidly, raoro especially wlion it is rememborcd Hint for fully 20 minutes boforo they got awny, tlio ship was lurching iromenduously, and throatoning to go right oyer. Only one man disgraced liituself, and that was dark-looking ruffian, a steerage passenger, who used the.mildest language, and threatening to braineveryone who opposed his progress. Ihe mato_ threatened to throw him overboard if he pers'sted in his attempts to get on board the first boat, and the cowardly cur was wise enough to retreat. Some of the passengers return to Auckland by the' Hawea,' and resume their journey via the Wost Coast, but wo shall have to wait until the 'Hawea' returns. It was unfortunate that so many women and children were on board, The ladies' cabin was so crowded that the gentlemen had to turn out of two of the adjoining oabins and give them additional room. The Maoris on board were' very philosophical over the acoident, and some of them began playing cards as soon as they were put ashore.