CASTAWAYS ON THE AUCKLAND ISLANDS.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 648, 21 June 1870, Page 3

CASTAWAYS ON THE AUCKLAND ISLANDS.

. ■ — ♦■: ' (JFron the Wellington Independent,. June IB.) The following extract from a private letter received from Mr John Knowles, will be read with interest: — " On the sth January we were heading for the Auckland Islands, arid on my: telling the. captain that a recent survey had . shown them to be incorrectly laid down— sufficiently so to account for the wrecks that had taken place— he felt his way softly all night, being additionally induced to do so by reason of his personal acquaintance with Captain Dalgarno of the ill-fated Invercauld. Next morning the second steward mentioned that he was in H.M.S. Falcon during her visit there, ■ and that it was ascertained that the difference between the true position and that of the chart is 25 miles. A dense fog came on at midnight, and at 9 a.m. of the 6th, when we were expecting to see land, we thought it was visible first on the Btarboard and then on the port beam. 7 he current was so very •trong that the exact position of the

ship wa* doubtful, and as that of the Islands was doubtful also, the lookout a-head and the captain and officers on the poop were anxiously employed trying to pierce the fog. The appearance on the starboard beam eventually proved reliable, and as we were on the port tack and not able to weather the Islands, our head was turned . eastward with the view of rounding them. The fog lifted about 11 o'clock, and though it still hid the upper portion of the land, the island called Enderby Island was clearly made out. A white direction po'e was plainly seen through, the glass, which we presumed is one of several erected by the men-of-war and other vessels lately visiting there, and indicators to the provision depeta now established in several parts of the Islands. While looking for anything else on the main land, I perceived a fire on the side of the almost precipitous hills between Enderby Island and the North Cape. I instantly reported the appearance of fire, but for sometime both Captain Douglas and Mr Finlay, the chief officer, took it for a waterfall or limestone croppings, and this view was strengthened by what I supposed to be smoke heading in quite a different direction to what it ought to have done, according to the tolerably strong wind then blowing. After a time, however, there could be no doubt that it was fire. We were fifteen to twenty miles off, and could now through the glass plainly perceive a row of four or five fires. Sometimes they appeared to get low, and then smoked up again, just as if fresh fuel bad been thrown on them. Captain Douglas was satisfied that their appearance was the result of fires, and could only account for the peculiar direction of the smoke by the configuration of the hills. The desire to rescue these castaways was of course uppermost in the minds of all of us, and the captain and chief officer went below to consult the chart. The only chart on board was the small one in the "margin of Maury's * South Pacific." The returning fog, the wildness of the sea, the strong current, the precipitous character of what the flying nature of the wind made at times almost a lee shore, and the probability of the wind shifting and making it quite so, combined with the exceeding tenderness of the ship, decided Captain Douglas that it was not prudent to risk the ship or a boat's crew in any attempt to communicate. To this decision he was in some degree reconciled by the knowledge that provisions, slops, guns, and ammunition, &c, are stored on the Islands for shipwrecked mariners, and that they are visited every now and; then by vessels of one kind or another, with a view to replenishing the depots, and rescuing such unfortunates as may be found there. I need scarcely say ,with how much reluctance this decision was arrived at. Had it been a mere money question—a mere detention of the ship— l should not have hesitated to have offered the captain (on the part of the Kew Zealand Government) whatever amount might have been necessary to have induced him to attempt a rescue. But it was from no sordid motives that the signals, were passed unnoticed. It was the risk to the ship and the lives of the crew and passengers, and that only that weighed with Captain Douglas. The decision had scarcely been arrived at when the dense mist again shrouded the island entirely from i view, only partially clearing again during the day; and in a few hours the threatened shi t ! of wind, which would have put the ship on a dead lee shore, took place. Those who have read Musgrave's journal of the wreck of tbe Graf ton in 1865, and his residence for twenty montbß on the Auckland Islands, will remember how excessively dangerous the islands are in the month of January, even to small vessels capable of availing themselves of the best shelter, and remembering as I do tbe danger in which the Blanche was last year, it would have indeed been foolhardy to have risked a large ship like the Alexander Duthie, or the loss of a boat's crew, in any attempt to communicate, especially when the surrounding circumstances are taken into consideration. Speculation as to who these castaways are is useless, but from the rapidity with which the fires were lighted as soon as the lifting of the fog revealed us, we concluded that a look-out must have been stationed there with material already prepared, the head-quarters being probably at Port Ross close by. At the request of Captain Douglas I prepared a communication, embodying the principal facts, for the chief London shipping newspaper, and it has, I am happy to say, led to the Government telegraphing to Commodore Lambert to send a ship to the rescue with all possible despatch. I am hopeful that these castaways may have been rescued ere this, but if not, they are now in a fair way of being picked up. My notice in the shipping gazette led to the following communications. Had it not baen done by a private firm, I need scarcely add that this mail would not have been allowed to go out without similar instructions to Commodore Lambert having been obtained on the motion of the Commissioners. The Passengers Line of Packets for New Zealand, &c, offices, 34, Leadenhall street, E.C., London, April 13, 1870.— We beg to bring before the notice of her Majesty's Government the enclosed extract from the Shipping and Mercantile Gazette of last night, stating that the master of the ship Alexander Duthie, from Melbourne, sighted several fires on the cliffs on the Auckland Islands, but was unable to approach to rescue the castaways who might there be found. As the only missing ship that we know of homeward bound from Australia or New Zealand is the Matoaka, Captain Stevens, belonging to us, which sailed from Lyttelton, New Zealand, on the 13th of May, 1569, with about fifty passengers and forty crew, and has not since been heard of, it appears to us probable that some of her people may have contrived to reach these islands. In the interests of humanity we would b< g respectfully to suggest to her Majesty's Government that instructions might be sent by next outgoing mail to the Commodore on the Australian station to order

down a cruiser to the islands to institute a search, should no ship have been in tbe j meantime to the spot. As the case is an urgent one, we would beg to mention that the next Australian mail via Marseilles, is made up in London on Friday, the 22nd instant. We have, &c. (signed) Shaw, Sayill and Co. The Assistant-Secretary Marine Department, Board of Trade, Whitehall gardens." The following is the reply:—" Admiralty, April 15, 1870. — Sir, — In reply to your letter of the 14th instant, respecting castaways reported to have been seen on the Auckland Islands, I am commanded by my Lords Commissioners of the Admiralty to acquaint you that orders have been sent by telegraph to Commodore Lambert, directing him to send a ship to those islands to search for any shipwrecked seamen who may be there. I am, Sir, &c (signed), J. W. Kemp, pro Secretary. The Assistant-Secretary Marine Department, Board of Trade."