The Wreck of the Waitaki.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 5914, 28 April 1887, Page 4

The Wreck of the Waitaki.

THE PURSER'S STORY. [Pkb Pbess Association. J WELLINGTON, Araii, 27. S. D. Chatfield (purser), W. O'Neill (second engineer), G. Fuller (third engineer), and five of the crew of the Waitaki arrived to-night by train, having come overland frorr the wreck. i The purser states that they had fine weather after leaving Napier until 9 o'clock on Friday night, when the weather came on thick, with wind from the southeast. On consulting the log, it was found to show that the vessel must have passed Cape Palliser, and the course was accordingly altered to eastward. The weather at this time was very bad, and a heavy rain squall came on, and no 6ign of ; land could be seen. Very little time elapsed after altering the course until the vessel went ashore. On striking, she gave a heavy roll, bumped heavily three times, and ran up the beach. In less than five minutes all was over. The engines were put full speed astern for a few minutes, but without any effect. She then went full speed ahead until the steam was exhausted, the engines working most of the time in water. In a quarter of an hour the stoke-hole and the engine-room were filled, but the port hold and af t-hold did not fill until some time after striking. A large rock had penetrated the port bilge and acted as a pivot, the vessel swinging with the sea. Immediately after going ashore, the boats were got out, and the women and children placed in them ! and taken ashore. The mails were next landed. After the engines stopped, the crew and the officers left the ship and camped on the beach till daylight, when they went on board again and succeeded in clearing the cabin of most of its fixings and | other movable articles and stores on the ship. They returned to the shore, and during Saturday evening it freshened from south-east, bringing up a heavy swell, so | that although the vessel was only twenty or thirty yards off the shore they were unable to get on board on Sunday, in order to answer the signals of the^teamer Mana. The purser thinks that the Waitaki's bottom must be knocked to pieces, or at any rate, so severely injured as to give little hope of floating her. She lies on a rocky bottom. At the time of the disaster there were two men on the look-out, and the captain and first mate were on the bridge. The passengers on board were Mesdames Mitchell and child, Coleman and child, and Mr Dean, who, together with the remainder of the crew, are still at the White Rock station, but will probably come on to Wellington to-morrow.