THE WRECK OF THE TERZAH.

West Coast Times, Issue 627, 27 September 1867, Page 2

THE WRECK OF THE TERZAH.

(FHOAI THE BOMBAY TIME 3OF INDIA.)

We havo been favored with tho following account of tho wreck of thcTerzah, 1-146 tons, Cjptain Anderson, from Newcastle, N.S.W , in a letter addressed to the Master Attendant: — " To Captain G. T. Robinson, 1.N., Conscr-

vator of the Port of Bombay.

" Sir — I am under the necossifcy of reporting the loss of the British ship Terzah, under my command, and also eight of tho crow, under the following oircumslances: — On the night, of the 17th instant, I saw a bright fixed light, which I supposed to be tho outerlight, ship at Bombay, which would have been in sight by my reckoning, by account ; shortened sail to rim in, but the weather proving wet, and beginning to blow, hove-to till moming. At 5 a.m., ran in tho direction where tho light was soon, tho weaihar thick and rainy, a hand at the lead showed tho Bombay soundings ; but not seeing the ship, I supposed I was closo under Colaba Point, but on seeing the point more distinctly I found it was not bo. I tried to got out again, but she then struck and would not come to the wind ; the rudder was unshipped by the second or third bump. Kept sail on the ship to get hor as

far up ou the beach as possible and cud on to the sea, which began immediately to break over the ship. This was about 7 a.m. At twenty minutes to 8 a.m. saw a life-boat making for us. Grot everything ready to get the boats out if Opportunity occurred. The Bea broke so heavily over the stern that everyone was driven to the forecastle for safety. The lifeboat anchored ahead of the ship about forty yards, but the tide swept her away on the poi t bow. Made several attempts to float a line to her, but lastly one of the men swam with a line to the boat. We had now the boat about 200 or 300 yards off. In attempting to haul up closer the boat was swept by a aca and two mon washed out of her. Tried then to get hauling lines to the boat. In two case 3, where two men tried to swim with them, we had to pull them back again. After getting the line to the boat, a heavy surf struck the boat, and parted the line. The sea was breaking so heavily that there was no chance but by swimming, so all that could swim made for the lifeboat. All were saved with the excejjtion. of two, and these had life-buoys thrown to them. One of these has turned up since. The rest of the crew were then made fast to the rope, with gaskets round their waists, so that all would jump together, and be hauled to the life-boat. I then swam to" the boat to make them aware of the plan. When they jumped, some of the men getting inside of the back chain were ontangled, and so drowned alongside ; four were drowned alongside. This accident deterred them from auother trial of the same plan. I tried to induce them to trusL themselves to a piece of wood, as the wreck floated close past the boat. The ship by this time was fast breaking up, the masts threatening to come down every minute, and it being utterly impossible to get nearer to the ship, and the floating wreck making it dangerous for the boat to remain any longer, the rope was cut. Almost immediately tho masts went, and by the time tho boat landed nothing was to be seen of the ship. Mr Shuttlewovth very kindly offered to go off again with a crew of those saved, but as nothing was to bo seen of the ship, it was deemed useless, as any who were alive would be ou shore long before the boat could beat out again. In about two hours after landing the chief ofllcer and seven men came ashore ou different pieces of the wreck, and to-day tho boy to whom the life-boy was thrown swam over from Ooudari, having been there all night. I subjoin tho list of the crew : — Saved : Mr T. Smith, chief officer ; D. Weir, carpenter ; D. Eodriguos, cook (a Portuguese) ; Collellaucl, engineer ; J. Barlow, apprentice ; Alex. Seaman, stowaway ; D. Wise, Montgomery, Dodd, Hollingshcad, and Bod well, ordinary seamen ; Petlersou, • Johnston, Bradford, Teriezo, Frost, Roshner, Kelly, Brown, Bryan, Ellis, and Meadowcroft, able seamen. Missing : Mr Morrison, second officer; A. Hercus, joiner; Summerland, steward ; 11. Ball, boatswain ; Joseph, Lloyd's apprentice ; James Payne and Lucy, able seaman ; aun 11. Thompson, ordinary seaman. J. Anderson, master.

The departures during this week have not been- counterbalanced by arrivals, and our harbor has a most desolate appearance, and, what is worse, wo cannot hold out any hope for improvement in our shipping trrde. If we look through the list of ves3cl3 lying in tho ports of Sydney, Mclborune, and Adelaide, we find that there is no tonnage available to take away tho heavy coal orders at our hands. The wool season is now coming in, and ships are wanted in Melbourne and Sydney to export this article to England. There arc some 30,000 tons of breadstuffs to be taken from South Australia to Europe and Asia. Tho New Zealand colonies have regular employment for any vessels going there. Whereever we turn our eyes thero is the same demand for tonnage. Freights are in consequence very firm — Shanghai, -17s; Ningpo, 35s ; Foo-Chow-Foo, 28s ; Hong Kong, 33 ; Singapore, 265 ; Batavia, 2os ; Gallp, 2Gs ; Calcutta, 21s; Bombay, 30s; Manilla, 21s; Mauritius, 255 ; San Francisco, 31s ; Hobson's Bay, l'ls ; Adelaide, Ids ; Wallaroo, 20s 6d;' Dunedin, 20s; Wellington, 18s j Nelson, 16s ; Lyttelton, 18s ; and Auckland, 19s. — "Newcastle Clirouicle," September Ik

Tire Aueeican Life Rabt. — The American life raft Nonpareil, forty-three days from New York, arrived at Southampton between five and sis o'clock last evening, and is moored off tho dock shore. This daring adventure hns been conducted by John Mikes, captain, and a crew of two, named George Miller and Jerry Mallene. She is only 24f1. long and l2Vft. broad. The raft, which has two masts, consists of three cylinders, pointed at cacli end, united together by canvas connexions, having no real deck, and 13 strengthened by boards slipped under strong iron neckpieces, the whole kept together by lashing. A waterproof cloth, hung over a boom, closed at each end, somewhat resembling a gipsy tent, affords sleeping accommodation, two at a time, and the third keeping watch. This ia fl-ccd ou a strong locker, in which tho provisions are kept. The raft lay-to seven times from stress of weather, and the last vessel spoken was Iho John Chapman, a week since, from which they were given a fowl, which is still alive and well. They have arrived with thirty gallons of water to Ipare. The captain was poorly two days during tho passage, otherwise all have been in perfect health, and the men are in good spirits, their countenances looking healthy and bronzed by tho weather. They had no chronometer on board, and sailed by dead reckoning, and corrected their position by vessels they spok^. There is a smaller raft on deck for use as a boat. The raft has kept perfectly watertight all tho way, not a leak of any sort having occurred. She is fitted with an apparatus for filling the tubes with air. — " Times," July 26.