THE WRECK OF THE 'SCHIEHALLION.'

Thames Advertiser, Volume XII, Issue 32656, 14 March 1879, Page 3

THE WRECK OF THE 'SCHIEHALLION.'

LOSS OF A THAMES YODTiI - HEA.RT-

RENDING SCENES, We are indebted to the kindness of Messrs Cruickshank and Co., agents fo r the ' Schiehallion,' for the following aocount of the wreck :—

The wreck of the barque 'Schie. hallion' at Blackgang, a spectator describes to us as the most exciting scene the Isle of Wight coasts have witnessed since the loss of the ' Clarendon' in 1836. She was a fine iron ship, classed 41 at Lloyd's, of between 600 and 700 tons register, belonging to the Charles Saviil line, Captain Levesk commander, and was on her voyage from Auckland to London, laden with a valuable cargo of kauri gum, cotton, cotton seeds, &c. She had on board 29 souls all told, of whom 13 were passengers—Mrs Storey and five children, Mr and Mrs Chapman and two children, Mrs Smith, and Mr Taylor. She was 113 days out, and on Saturday night made Ushant Light. She then went on the starboard tack, and, running before a 10-knot breeze, came ashore in thick, weather, with all sails set, at the foot of Blackgang Chine shortly before 6 a.m.

There was a heavy ground sea running at the time, which lifted and bumped her on the shingle, but being a strong vessel, she did not begin to go to pieces for an hour or more. After trying, by shouts and other means, to attract attention, David Moore, the cook, a courageous man and bold swimmer, jumped over* board with the lead line and made for the shore. He nearly lost his life, but he struggled hard, and at last by a supreme effort, and favoured by an advancing wave, he reached the strand. Daniel Butchers, of Southlands, who had seen the wreok from the cliff, rushed to the shore about the same time (7 30 a.m.), and was greeted with a tremendous cheer from the vessel. For a moment he was un manned as he saw theoutstretched arms,'and thought how little he could do, and could makeout women and children aboard. He, however, quickly recovered, his presence of mind, and at once sent George Butchers,' who had followed him closely, to warn the Coastguard' for the rooket apparatus, which is kept away sadly too far out of reach, He then shouted to those on deck to bind their end of the lead-line to a hawser, which they did, and he hauled it ashore, and made it fast to a rock. He then went as far as he could into the surf, and clutched, when they came within reach, those who dared make their way, hand-over-hand, along it through the breakers! and many did dare for dear life. Harley Storey, Mrs Storey's eldest child, a brave little fellow of scarcely twelve years, passed from the ship to the beaoh in this manner without the slightest assistance from those on shore, whose whole attention was concentrated upon a sailor they were rescuing, and who Harley Storey .had to reneli over and pass on the rope, Mr Smith came along the rope in the same way, but was nearly drowned.. The steward's was. a wonderful escape; he left his, hold of the hawser, was washed under the stern of the ship, arid was cast ashore by a big wave. Mr Beetson, the second officer, a great favourite on board, who had been already exhausted'by his' efforts to Bave the women and children, and by loss of blood, hirthumb having been crushed offj was'stunned against the side of the' ship as he made 'for land, and was carried out to sea. Butohers was soon joined by Maurice Brown, and then by Herbert Low, who were followed by the Wheelers, the Ohivertons, Morris Eayner, and many others whose names are associated with the southern coast of the sland. Mrs Wheeler and her, daughters, Mrs Brown, Mrs Patience Brown, and others of the women of Ohale and Blackgang were there. Mr Dabell and his'sons gave great assistance, and Lord Mayo and Dr Groves, of Sealaads, were able to render valuable service both on the shore and subsequently. After most of the crew had been saved, Mr Pengelly and the Oostguardsmen arrived with the rocket gear, and the children were got off, lashed to one another, or to the backs of sailors.

Before this the wreck had began to break up, and the mainmast had gone overboard, as the other masts subsequently did, to seaward. Had they fallen towards the land many of those clinging to the port bulwarks would have been killed. The ' Sohiehallion' lay broadside the shore, and was canted sea. ward, her starboard bulwarks, most of which had gone, being low to the water, the port bulworks, to which those on board clung, being high out of water. To the aftarrail on the port—that is to say on the land side—were clinging, near together, the last three remaining to be saved. The one farthest forward was a woman (Mrs Storey), who had refused to leave tho ship before her children were safe. She was clad only in a linen night-dress, and as the sea broke over her. there seemed not a chance for her,—her companions, old men, being too exhausted and benumbed even to fasten the life-line round her waist. There was a loud report, like that of an explosion, and the poop split and went overboard. This was followed by a series of reports, resembling those of the discharge of pistols, as the iron plates of the hull parted from one another, and then the ship parted in two amidships, and the fore and mizzen masts went by the board. At this moment the wreck was lifted bodily up and heeled further to starboard, as if it were about to turn over, and was sucked down apparently into the sea. J?or a few seconds it seemed as if all were over with the engulphed persons, but a great sea running to the shore lifted the vessel back, and, to the great relief of all, three figures were seen to be still holding fast to the rail. Many of the spectators would have willingly risked their own lives to save the brave mother of those little ones, but no help could reach her from the shore until she was made fast to tbelife line. Terrible though it was, the scene was grand and impressive in the extreme. In the background the dark rugged cliffs towered upward into the midst. On the shingle were kindly groups giving sympathy and administering restoratives to the rescued, and petting the little children. In the foreground, amid the white surf and the great angry billows, which seemed as if protesling that they were robbed of their prey, stood the men at the life-line, whose lusty, almost beseeohing shouts, "Make fast the woman,

make fast the woman," were heard above the roar of the rushing waters and the howling of the storm. Then, as the wreck heeled, and they disappeared beneath the waves, the awful stillness, the blanched cheoks,and the straining eyes; and, as the black hull was heaved above the sea once more, and three forms were still seen clinging to it, the long drawn sigh of relief, and the suppressed ' Thank God,' and the trickling tear are as irapossible to forget as to describe. Mrs Storey probably owes her life, as her companions do theirs, to her rousing them from their lethargy, as at length she urged them to make her fast to the rope. She had remained below in the cabin until washed and battered about, and almost drowned by the water whioh filled it. At length the second mate and the captain rescued her, and dragged her up the sloping, slippery. deok until she could grasp the port rail. As soon as she was at last fastened she throw herself into the sea, and was pulled under the waves as only men wrought to the highest pitch of excitement can pull, But the line became jammed, and although the earnest pullers had clutched her, she was still under water. A shout went up, *Cut the line/ but for a moment no knife was at hand, and men tore at the rope with their teeth, scarcely knowing what they did. The line having beon cut, alio was lifted from the breakers ' and laid on the pebbles, and the men took of their jackets and wrapped them about what appeared to be a lifeless form. After a few minutes the heart could be felt, feebly pulsating, and two'minutes : after the artery of the wrist was. throbbing, As soon, as reaction had fairly - set in, she was carried up ttie'oliff and under Mrs Butcher's; tender, at ■' Southlands. The old. man' was: ie'kfc res-, '. cued, and last of all the'captain, came, I '. ashore in the life-buoy .oradle-fthe only one so saved. He, too, was pulseless,, and was delirious for some time - after reaction hsd set in. When it was safe to move him he was taken by Mr Pengelly, the coastguard officer, to.the station, • and there, thanks to the devotion and good nursing 01 Mr and MrsjPengelly, he soon rallied. The steward, whose was. the worst case, and who seemed for.'' several hours to be dying,, was taken to the hotel, and to him Mr and. Mrs Dabell, jun., devoted themselves with the greatest self'abnegation,alfchou.ghi they had two children alarmingly ill at the time. Some of the children were taken to Sealands, where the crew were refreshed andcomforted with breakfast and tobaoco. Two of tho passengers and others of the children were taken by Mrs Wheelertoher own and her son's cottages on the cliff, and : there they tended them as the Wheelers have tended so many shipwrecked through ; many years. Mr and Mrs Keid ifloeived. Mr and Mrs Chapman, and prepared soup. The Bev Mr Theobald, the rector of Ghale, visited the rescued as. soon as ho heard of the calamity, and ministered to their: wants, Mr and MissLivesay, of',: Saodrock Spring, were most kind in pro. viding large bundles of women's and children's clothing,for some of whioh they sent to Ventnor. Indeed, the whole population seemed only too disappointed: that there was not more to be done and greater sacrifices to be made. ' . On Wednesday morning the bodies', of', Mr Beetson, the second mate, and Willie Butt were found at fioken End. The storey of Willie Butt, aged fourtoen, is a a very sad one. The child of a shipowner,. himself an old sea captain, living near Auckland, he was allowed, most unwillingly by his parents, to make a sea voyage to England,'they hoping r.fc might sicken, him of the sea. He was. holding on. by the bulwark nest to tho Storey boys, who had been his playmates,"' when one of the men sent him to fetch, some money from a chest. The poor boy was'washed overboard on the starboard side, and although he struck out boldly, | he soon disappeared.