STRANDING OF THE BRIGANTINE ISABELLA.

West Coast Times, Issue 971, 2 November 1868, Page 4 (Supplement)

STRANDING OF THE BRIGANTINE ISABELLA.

The heavy gale -which bIeAV on these shores on the 15th ult. has proved most disastrous to the shipping, and two vessels have been stranded, the brigantine Isabella aud the cutter Elizabeth. The Isabella is a vessel brigantine rigged of 82 tons register, and avc understand is OAvned in Hokitika. bhe Avas built on the Richmond River about tAvo and a half years ago especially for that trade being a flat bottomed vessel of good carrying capacit3 r and light draught. She is built entirely of hard avooc! aud is a A r ery strong vessel. She arrived at this port from Sydney about tAA r o years ago, and since then has been engaged as a lighter to and from the roadstead, having been principally employed in bringing inside cargo from the larger steamers. She Avas Avell found in every respect but more especially so as regards her ground tackle, Avhich was of a very superior kind,and to it she has safely rode out many a hard gale in the offing. For nearly a month past she was at'anchor outside, having been blockaded out of the port by difficulties attending the channel, and had received during that time the cargoes of three steamers — the Egraont, Rangitoto and Otago— and at the time of her mishap Avas Avaiting an opportunity of being toAved inside. She was commanded by Captain Stapleton, who has been by her as mate and captain since her arrival here. Captain Stapleton reports as folloAvs regarding the stranding of the vessel: — The brigantine Isabella Avas at anchor in the roadstead on the 15th inst, aud -during the morning she .Avas hauled alongside the s. s. Alliambra, from Melbourne, to tranship her cargo. Lay off on the steamer's quarter by a Avarp until the passengers and mails had been transhipped into the tug steamer Yarra. After the tug left, the Isabella ranged alongside the steamer, and preparations Avere made to transhrp the cargo. It was then found that the sea had risen greatly , and the brigantine jumped about so much that it Avas impossible to go on with the Avork of transhipment, and she was dropped astern, and brought up to her anchor, Avith eighty-five fathoms of chain, and a strong coir yarn spring. To this she rode during the night. At times the Avind blew a perfect hurricane, dashing the spray over the vessel's tops, the devoted craft being often buried in the AvaA-es as she lay,iu the trough of a terrific croas sea. Thus the night Avas passed by the drenched and weary crew, AvlioAvith their captain kept the deck. This latter A\as a matter of the utmost danger, «s the vessel was continually being SAvept by seas, A\iueh often broke on board at both bow amVstern, aud sometimes tons of water was hurled on the deck Avith suck fury that all hands expected that she Avoiild go down at her anchor. As the morning advanced toAvards daybreak so did the Avind increase in its fury, and by tliis time the sea was running mountains high, causing the vessel to surge at her anchor in a frightful manner. At five a.m. the starboard | chain parted, and the vessel broached to, the j sea which poured on the deck in perfect tor1 rents, sAveeping everything before it. With the aid of her cam r as she Avas again brought head to sea, and the port anchor Avas let go, and eighty fathoms of chain Avas rendered out, to ..which Avas bent a strong and neAV coir-yarn spring, and once more she rode bow on to Dhe Avind and Avaves. The gale had by this time increased to a perfect hurricane from the S.W., the squalls of rain and sleet being perfectly terrific, and the cham surged in the haArse pipe Avith such force, that it AvasJ expected CA r ery moment that the latter Avould be carried away. This state of suspense continued for half au hour longer, Avhen the cable parted, -.uid the vessel Avas again at the mercy of the waves. Every available stitch of canvas Avas set as soon as possible, to try aud claw her of£ shore, the crew being continually in groat danger of being swept overboard by the immense seas that incessantly SArept the deck, but before ifc Avas possible to veer her round, the Avhole of the staysails and gibs split, and were bloAvn into ribbons. All command was then lost over the vessel, and she drifted rapidly toAvards the beach before the south-west sea, the men clinging for safety to the shrouds, in what might be termed an atmosphere ' of foam. Finding that all human aid to save the vessel was unavailing, she Avas steered on to the shore, for the purpose of saving the lives of the creAv and preserving the cargo. The Avind bloAving in terrible gusts from the S.W., she soon drifted in among the breakers, her fate being then a matter of certainty, and she eventually, a little after six o'clock, Avas Avashed on to the beach, about half a mile to the northward of the Ho Ho Creek, and the erew — now completely exhausted — Avere, Avith some difficulty, enabled to land. At this time Captain Nicol, of the Yarra, and Mr Scott were at the scene of action, and rendered every assistance in getting the creAV ashore. The vessel has not, apparently, received the slightest injury to her hull, and did not make the smallest drop of Avater. The Avheel Avas smashed up after she came on the beach, and the rudder Avas unshipped. The sails and running-gear were landed during the morning, and the Avhole of, the cargo was also landed, and conveyed to town by the Hokitika and Greymouth Tramway during the day, with the exception of a few cases of fruit, which Avere SAvept from the deck by one of the, heavy seas. It is not expected that the Isabella will be re-launched, and she is likely to become a total Avreck.