A WRECK OR AN ISLAND.

Timaru Herald, Volume XLIII, Issue 3546, 9 February 1886, Page 2

A WRECK OR AN ISLAND.

(By Telegraph.) Auckland, Feb. 8. The Star special reporters aboard the chartered steamer Awhina searching for the wreck or island reported by Capt. Savory, of the steamer Herald, telegraphed from Mon> gonui to-day as follows : — " We have made careful search all the way to Cape Maria, and are satisßed that no wreckage has come m thnt direction. We reached the lighthouse last evening too late to land. This is owing to our detention at Auckland, for if we had got away as arranged at noon, we would have had ample time to have visited the spot indicated by Capt. Savory. Our shoreman will ou arrival have the beach carefully i earched 'or wreckage or survivors. On Bunday night it was very dark with occasional light winds, and this morning the sea is covered with haze, and very heavy clouds are rising from the north with every indication of a change of weather. We shall endeavor to reach the supposed island or wreck this morning, but the weather may thwart our movements. Should the object seen have been a whale, a waterspout, a fog-bank, or a mirage, as some people surmise, we shall set all doubts at rest, and if an island, we are prepared to hoist the British penant, and annex it m the name of Her Majesty. The master of the steamer Fingar, at Awanui, reports having visited several places on the East Coast, and seen no wreckage. Shannon, i runholder between the North Cape and Ahipara, came into the latter settlement yesterday, having ridden miles along the beach between Capo Maria and Ahipara'. l Ho reports there wbb no sign o£ wreckage or upheaval which settlers or Maories on the coast x>uld not fail to'have nptioed if any had been ,here. The Maoris believe the object seen by Dapfc. Savory is an immense whale jtoet by them. I'hey hung by it for several hours till eunlownj when the monster was rapidly carrying ,h.em out to the Pacific; and they : had to cufc he lines .to save themselves! With some liffiflulty they ireaoljed -the, :«hpre next norning, :.:•._. -\v. ; -. .