The S.S. Arawa.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 6713, 28 November 1889, Page 2

The S.S. Arawa.

A BTOESIY AKD EVENTFUL - r VOYAGE. f \ The Western Morning News of Sept. 30 says:— The Shaw, Savill, and Albiou Company's steamship Arawa, Captain J. Stuart, which arrived at Plymouth on Saturday from Wellington. New Zealand, : had adverse winds nearly all the passage, arid encountered Borne very heavy weather, ; but made a very fair passage— only a few hours over thirty-seven days, including stoppages. Froin'Wellingtou to rounding Cape Horn she had south-westerly winds, thence to jftio westerly winds. From Eio to Tenerifl'e tho winds veered to northerly, thence to Plymouth Btrong N.E. wind?. Three daya after she left Wellington, in making her southing, blio ran , iuto a . week's terrible weather. One of thoae ' frightfully severe hurricanes from tho i southward of the South Pacific Ocean ; set in, and brought up a tremendous ' beam sea, the wind veering between South ' and South-west. Tho Arawa rolled very ! haavily, and shipped largo quantities or" water, which rendered the decks dangerous ! to passengers, who were kept below for ; several days, but every effort waß made to : render them as comfortable as possible : under the effects of the storm. During ! the height of the galo a very unusual i accident occurred. Captain Stuart had i somewhat altered his course, to endeavour ' to steam out of tho worst of the weather, : until ifc had somewhat abated, when in one of the vessel's rolls a tremendous sea washed in over the starboard quarter, j a large portion of the water passed down tho steamer's funnel and put tho lower : fire 3 out. The effects of the eea also, so much increased tho bilge water that ' beforo it could be got rid of it forced up some of ,the footplates of tho stoke- : hole. The vessel shivered from stem to! btern under tho effeats of the blow. The ' after-well deck was half filled with water, ; which rushed along the alleys with great ' i'orce. The officers' cabins were invaded i and severely drenched, and the purser's ;. office arrangements were also very roughly ; diaturbed. Several hours elapsed before^ the effects of that poop sea could bo gob . rid of. The worst of the galo lasted six '•■ days, and bad weather prevailed all tho way :' to tho rounding of Cape Horn. Two of the steamer's starboard lifeboats were washed ' away by tho gale, and ono of her port life- ; boats was smashed by a sea so badly as to ; be rendered useless. In getting round: «ie Horn, tho Straits of Magellan had to be ; avoided and the Strait of Le Mairo used. ' During the gale, through tho rolling o£ the : vessel, one of the firemen fell into a coal ■ bunker and broke one of his thighs, while ■ a lamp trimmer had three of hiß ribs' broken from a fall as he was re-lighting lamps which had been extinguished. Mr Holland, the second officer, had a narrow : e-cape at Fio. He was employed with! others in landing some grain there. A.' group of bags hauled up from the hold hy\ a tacklo was allowed to swing rashly, and k nocked him and one of the native steve- • dores off the deck of the Arawa into the ; hold of tho lighter alongside. Mr Holland fortunately escaped with a broken arm and the chock. Tho stevedore was taken on | shore badly injured. ;