WRECK OF A N.Z. STEAMER ON THE ARABIAN COAST.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 5470, 18 November 1885, Page 4

WRECK OF A N.Z. STEAMER ON THE ARABIAN COAST.

Two shipwrecked men, belonging to the steamer Tuna, have been brought to Liverpool by the steamer Clan Munro, from Aden. One of these, the carpenter of the vessel, whose name is Alfred H. Clapham, gives the following account of the disaster : — The steamer was going from Shields to Napier, New Zealand, where she was to be engaged in the river trade, for which she had been specially constructed. The vessel had got past Aden, but in consequence of heavy weather the captain decided to run back to that port. This was on August 21, and in putting back the vessel got ashore about ninety miles off Aden. It was ten o'clock at night when the steamer got stranded, and in consequence of the seas dashing over the deck the crew were compelled to abandon her an hour and a half .afterwards. Two of the Bteamer's boats were launched, the crew of thirteen hands getting in. The crew remained near the vessel all night, and next morning she was literally covered from stem to stern with Arabs, who were plundering everything they could carry away. The two boats were then headed for Aden, the men pulling with their oars. Finding that the crew did not go on shore, the Arabs, who were running naked about the beach, sent four canoes after the men. The men, fearing that their lives would be in danger amongst such people as those on shore, pulled at the oars with desperate vigour. The chase was kept up for four hours, and the men had the satisfaction of seeing the Arab boats left behind. One of the latter, however, dropped towards the shore, and then setting sail soon overhauled the shipwrecked men. There were, however, only six in this canoe. Through two Arab seamen, who were in the captain's boat, having been shipped at Aden, the natives said that they would not hurt the men if they went on 6hore. The shipwrecked men did not, however, care to trust them, and continued on their course. The Natives had bows and arrows, but they did not use them. After being in the boats two days and nights, the men were picked up by the English steamer Brenda, which took them on to Aden. The men here learnt that the chief of the place where the Tuna stranded got a present for the safe-keeping of any shipwrecked crews who might be cast on his shore, and this, no doubt, explained the eagerness of the Natives to induce the men to return. The shipwrecked people also learnt that other crews who had been unfortunate enough to fall into the hands of these Natives had been stripped of everything, their lives only being spared. The men who arrived at Liverpool were received by the Shipwrecked Mariners' Society and sent to their homes.