THE RUAPEHU'S VOYAGE.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 5761, 4 January 1897, Page 3

THE RUAPEHU'S VOYAGE.

The Kuapehu had- an unusually rough voyagp. Heavy gales j*:ere met Avith at the start, and in the BHy of Biscay she shipped water freely. Here she passed the Athenian from the Cape, which had* suffered severely, and lost three men overboard. , Before reaching the Cape she fell in with the heaviest south-east storm experienced for years, and had much the same weather for some time after leaving. In 47deg south she met with a number of large icebergs, and the weather was very cold, with rain. The only good weather was between Hobartand Cape Farewell. On New Tear's night Captain Stuart, who was anxious to be reported from the Spit, gave instructions that he was to be called aa soon as they came within four miles of the land, and went down to dinner at twenty minutes to seven. Ten minutes after he rose from his seat, looked out from a porthole, and then rushed on deck. At the same time the passengers felt that the ship was gliding on to something, and several of them followed the captain. There was no confusion, and so slight was the shock that many quietly finished their dinner. The steamer was going thirteen knots at the time, with the wind behind her. . She struck nearly halfway between the cape and the lighthouse. The sand reaches as far as the eye can see to seaward, and up to the cape on the other side. The Ruapehu lies upright, end on an even keel. The engines at once went astern, but without avail, and several attempts were equally fruitless. Several of the passengers say that they noticed land on the port bow, and jf this is so it is strange that the officers did not see it, too. The first officer was supposed to be in charge of the deck, but there seems at present some confusion on this point, as some passengers say that he was at dinner, and. others that he was not, but that he was urgently called from the deck a few moments before the ship struck.

At latest advices last night, the Mawhera and Kennedy were standing by, and the weather was moderating.