THE WRECK OF THE BOKHARA.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 7427, 23 November 1892, Page 4

THE WRECK OF THE BOKHARA.

i i Advices to hand by the China mail state • that the P. and O. steamer Bokhara was , wrecked duriog a hurricane encountered 1 while on the way from Shanghai to Hongi kong. The total loss of life waa one hundred and twenty-five. Seven Euro- , peans and ten Lascars were saved. From ' the accounts of the survivors it appears . that the steamer met with heavy weather i the day after leaving Shanghai. On Oct. , 9, the barometer fell steadily, and in the ; afternoon the wind and sea increased so ' much that Captain Sams held counsel with I bis officers as to the advisability of lying- ! to. Heavy seas began to break over the ; ship, which behaved exceedingly well. I The wind steadily increased, the sails i had been blown out, and an attempt to [ wear the ship was to no purpose, the . ssa and wind being too heavy. The \ boats were all carried away or smashed up. , At 10 p.m. three heavy seaa broke ever the i ship, smashing the skylight and the stoke- , hole doors, and putting out the fires. The I engineers could not stay below, owing to the heat of the steam. The ship then became utterly unmanageable. About 11.30 land loomed up through the darkness, aud ' the ahip struck on a reef two hundred yards from the shore of an island. She recoiled, struck again and went down like a

stone. All below, when ehe struck were drowned. The captain was on the bridge, and'Bhook hands. Baying good-bye to the officers, and then went down to the passengers, and was never Been after. During the early part of the gale the captain changed the course of the ship off the shore, having thirty fathoms on the lead line. The aurvivors speak highly of the way thu ship was mannged by the captain and officers. The survivors were washed aßhore on the wreckage. The island waa barren, but next day a Chinese junk came to their assistance. The bodiea of four lady passengers were recovered, but many of the men's bodies could not be found.