THE WRECK OF THE MOHEGAN.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 6344, 25 November 1898, Page 2

THE WRECK OF THE MOHEGAN.

TERRIBLE SCENES, HEROISM OF OFFICERS AND CREW. [Pzar Pbess Association.! (Per San Francisco Mail at Auckland,) The wrecfe of the British steamer Aibegan, which ocdurred on Oct. 14, a&fed another to the Bong 1 list of dreadful disasters on the sea. Th« ship left London for New York on Oct. 13. Near the Lizard, beween the Manacles and the Lowlfemds, the passengers, while a* dinner, heard a -grating noise, which told that the ship had' struck a rock. A second shock followed, and! orders were immediately giv«n to lower thet boats. According to the tales of rescued passengers, the officers and crew worked like heroes;. . A number of tugs put out from Falmouth r in response to signals of distress, but were com- . pelled.to return to port, owing to the severity of the easterly gale, which had blown the tinfortunate steamer upon the rocks. A lifeboat from the shore landed thirty-.one passengers, one of whom, a woman, died after reaching shore. Villagers, headed by the vicar, waited on shore, cheering the occupants of the lifeboat, and cared for them tendeJrly as soon as they were within reach. The boat put off to the ship again, and succeeded in picking up nineteen people who were in the water. Fishermen waded into the sea, and tried bravely to aid the victims of the wreck, but their efforts were often baffled by the severity of the storm. The bodies washed" ashore were pkced in the parish church at St Keverine. The panic on board the Mohegan was terrible, and cries were heard on shore. About one hundred of the passengers and crew were drowned. One of the survivors, G. Maule, of New, York, gave the following account of the disaster :—" Most of the passengers were at dinner when we heard a loud crash, seeming to indicate a collision. When we rushed on deck we found that the ship was on the rocks. Orders were given to lower the boats. The. captain stood on the bridge, and perfect order was maintained. The steamer at once began to settle by the head. Two boats were launched, and the women were sent away in the first. I managed to secure a life-belt, and jumped overboard, in company with Mr Couch, the chief officer of the Mohegan. He made me take off my coat and shoes. Soon after we parted company. When I was leaving the ship a little girl begged me piteously to save her. as she did not want to die yet. I was powerless to help her. Eventually I caught hold ot a plank floating in the water, and clung to it seven hours and a half. When nearly exhausted I was picked up by a tug. I cannot explain how the accident occurred." From . other sources it was learned that Ilia Mohegan sank about twenty minutes after she struck. W. Moore, a seaman, who was saved, said that the vessel struck forward, on the starboard bow, and sank head first, her stern rising right up in the air. Ine Mohegan belonged to the Atlantic Transport Company. She was formerly the Cleopatra of Wilson and Furniss's Leyland line, and was bought by the Atlantic Transport Company when their own vessels had been delivered to the United States Government for use as transports during the war. She had made one voyage to New York and returned, and behaved in a most unsatisfactory manner. For two weeks prior to her last sailing she had been in dock, undergoing repairs. It is asserted that the crew were unwilling to go in her, owing to defects in the boilers, . and. it is believed that the boilers. broke. 'down, 'and left the. ship helpless in the storm off the dangerous .Falmoutli : coast. She. was commanded ).'':. by Captain" Griffiths.' •foi-ineriy. -of the'Hiuiitona and; late of -the Sianemeska. He is among the miss- : ■ing., - .•• •'.■ .' ■ ..: ■ . ' ;'; • ;.■■■■• ■ '-" The survivors, without exception, spoke ir. the highest terms of the devotion, heroism and coolness of the officers and crew, w,ho were instantly at their posts when it was known that the ship had struck, and remained when the boats put off, in which they migtit have escaped. Many New Yorkers and other Americans were among those lost.