BOATS IN A GALE.

Timaru Herald, Volume XIIIC, Issue 13708, 24 September 1908, Page 6

BOATS IN A GALE.

EXCITEMENT '.AT " oLEEI'Y" HOLLOW " Per Press Anaociation NELSON, Sept. 23. The waitbip Encounter put to" sea. at noon yesterday,*, ;owing to , the heavy sea running in the bay, consequent on the north-westerly gale, and sheltered- last night at lj'Urvilkr Island. Yesterday ahernoon a party. of bluejackets landed at French Pass to send a telephone message to Captain Fyler, who was left ashore at Nelson with about fifty liberty men. Only open boats were available, ax the pinnace was left behind- hert to convey the men to the -bhip to-day. The shore was reached solely, and the message sent. The party waited. *>ortie time at the lighthouse in the hope of receiving a reply. Darkness, however, set in, and the boat was unable to return to the vessel. Owing to the heavy sea and gale it made no headway ajain.-l iho wind, and was blown a considerable distance out of it ß cuur.VL'. but the l.ticuunter't> bcarclilighi kept her in view., and another ' boat wao despatched fiom "tlie vessel. l}v the aid -of the. wariliJight the latter was pickvtf up, and the boats both returned to the warship after a long, hard struggle', at 8 o'clock. Humour magnified the vipcideut :ilit.o .a, calamity, it being freely stated to-day that fourteen lives were lost, but the facts ore as given above. ITie Encounter returned to Blind Bay this morning.