AN INTERESTING INCIDENT.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 5279, 8 June 1895, Page 6

AN INTERESTING INCIDENT.

An interesting incident of the recent stormy weather on the Australian coast cornea from Newcastle. When the barque Beeswing, commanded by Captain Griffiths, left Newcastle on May 26 for Sun Diego, she was in charge of Pilot A. Stephenson.* A ship's boat, containing some of Captain Griffiths' friends, was in tow of the tug Bungaree, which was taking the Bee3wing to sea. Outside the Nobbya, owing to the high wind, there was a nasty sea, and this boat capsized. The pilot's boat, which was being towed behind the Beeswing, cast off at onca and went to the assistance of the capsized boat. After great exertion and a fine exhibition of pluck, the pilot boat men succeeded in rescuing all the men, who were completely exhausted. The pilot boat then eet after the Beeswing, but finding that the captain held on his course, they returned to port, leaving the pilot to be carried away to California. Stephenson, however, unexpectedly turned up in Sydney in the Manapouri two or three days later. He aaya that the whole trouble about the capsize and rescue was only made known , to him when he wanted to leave the Beeswing to come ashore. He was forward' standing on the forecastle head all the time, and hiß astonishment at finding himself an involuntary passenger to California may easily be conjectured. He decided to shape a course towards New Zealand, crossing the steamera' track, and was lucky in sighting the Manapouri. Instantly signals were made, and responded to by the Btoauier first stopping and then getting out a" life boat. A mountainous sea running and a southerly gale raging rendered this operation anything but easy. The pilot says he cannot speak too highly of the way the Manapouri's boat's crew braved the perils they had to face. A sea etruck the boat with such force that one of the men was pitched over, and had a very narrow escape. Indeed, the onlookers declare that they never expected to see the boat's crew again after the boat was cast adrift.