THE LIZZIE GUY.
ARRIVAL- OF THE SURVIVORS. DETAILS OF THE WRECK. [Fxb Press Association. J WELLINGTON, Nov. 15. The-survivors of the crew of the brigantine Lizzie Guy have reached town. Their names are James Thomson (mate), Frank Sahnberg, Louis Dewinde, and F. L. Nainby, seamen. The other members of the ship's company, who were drowned at the wreck, were the master (James Stevens) and the cook (Mortimer Jones), who had joined the Lizzie Guy immediately before her departure from Oamaru, having run away from the barque Premier, then in harbour. The mate's watch was on deck on Friday night at 11.30, when Mr Thomson, in a momentary lifting of the haze, sighted land on the lee bow, and reported the fact to the Captain, keeping 1 the ship well up to the Northeast. In the TnaanfriTnp Captain Stevens went on deck, but by the time he got there the haze had again fallen and obscured the looming object. While he ■was on deck, however, another short break in the mist occurred, and the Captain, pronouncing the land to be quite fifteen miles distant, directed that the vessel should be kept on her course, and again went below. On the Captain relieving himfromthechargeofthedeck,MrThomson expressed the opinion that they were nearer land than the skipper had supposed, and indicated on the chart what he believed to be their true position. The captain held, however, that they were giving Cape Palliser a sufficiently wide berth, and on the strength of this opinion kept to the North-easterly course. The 'wind was at this time East South-east, and veering from that point to South-east, ■with very heavy rain-squalls and thick weather. At about 12.45 a.m., Mr Thomson, who was lying in his bunk, heard the steersman call out to his mate, Louis ' Dewinde, that there were breakers ahead. AH hands rushed on deck, and found broken water dangerously close to the vessel, so much so that all their efforts to avoid the catastrophe were in vain. At abont one o'clock the ship struck on a reef, near White Bock. Nothing could then be seen but angry looking rocks and white water. At 4.45 the BOAT WAS LAUNCHED, and Thomson, Salmberg and Dewinde got into it for the purpose of running a line ashore. They had Borne difficulty in getting away from the head of the vessel, and the line was unluckily drawn under her bottom and got foul of the rocks. As they approached the shore the boat swamped and quickly smashed up, so that the three men narrowly escaped with their own lives. Of the unfortunate trio left ttpon the vessel, CAPTAIN STEVENS elected to stand by his craft, deeming that to be the Bafest course. Soon after daybreak, the vessel began to break up, and by 7.30 a.m. she was in pieces. He was amongst the breakers, swimming, when last seen, towards -the shore. Three heavy seas coming in. succession seemed to overpower him, and he then threw up one hand and sank. His body had not been recovered when the survivors left the neighbourhood. The cook was washed off the vessel at an early stage, and was not seen again until his body was found on the beach. Nainby, the only other man to be accounted for, swam ashore, and was much exhausted and bruised by contact with the rocks when he reached his surviving comrades. The survivors were kindly treated at Borton's White Rook station.
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Bibliographic details
THE LIZZIE GUY., Star, Issue 6397, 16 November 1888
Word Count
574THE LIZZIE GUY. Star, Issue 6397, 16 November 1888
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