STRANDING OF THE "JESSIE READMAN."

Wanganui Herald, Volume XXVIII, Issue 8371, 11 January 1894, Page 2

STRANDING OF THE "JESSIE READMAN."

The following account is extracted from a letter from one of those on board :—: — Chatham Islands, Saturday, December 23rd, 1893. It was our watch on deck last night from 8 to 12, but wo didn't have much to do, as the fair wind continued blowing from tbe same dieection. We went below at 12, and I turned in at 12.30 and got to sleep. Was awakened about 3.30 a.m. by someone coming into our cabin and shouting out — " All hands on deck ; la.d and breakers all around." I sprang out at once and caw the others pulling on their trousora, so I put on mine and wont on deck. I saw land on our port quite close — in fact wo wore right on it. Tho decks were all confusion j we had to brace np yards and bring the ship to, but she would not answer, and drifted further in. Then the captain ordered vis to let go the starboard anchor and fix a spring on to it, but it was some time before we could set it loose, and when at last we did and were just about to let it over the side the ship bumped hghtly, but we got it over and let out the rope. The ship rose again on the next breaker and came down " bang," knocking some of us sprawling on the deck. I was knocked down, and rolled over and over into the scuppers. The captain then ordered the big lifeboat to be lowered, ■which after a good deal of trouble wo managed to do. Tho ship kept on bumping in a terrible manner ; each time she did so tho mnsts nearly fell down on our heads, the seas also were sweeping over her and she was rolling from side to side in an awful way. We were all expecting the masts to come down each time Bhe bumped, as they swayed backwards and forwards. Life-belts were served out to all hands. The captain ordered the men not to take any baggage whatever as the boat would Bcarcely hold ourselves, bo we were only able to take such things as we could get into our pockets. We wero then ordered into the boat and after we wore all in he came, being tile last to leave the ship. Wo went along in tho boat keeping parallel to the Bhore, but were unable to land on the beach on account of tho breakers, so we went along for about four miles and cama to a reef of rocks which we tried to go round, but when we got half way we couldn't see any landing place, so we turned round again and made a run for a gap in the rooks about 20?ds wide, but just as wo were entering it a big breaker came rolling up behind us, and the captain told us to get ready to saxo ourselves. I got on the gunwale to make a jump, when the breaker caught us and broke all over the boat, completely hiding it. I was washed overboard by it and flung on the beach, bruising me all over. The boat also was flung ashore, and as soon as she touched they all jumped out and we hauled her up high and dry ; but she is done for now and will never be any use again, as she is almost split in halves. After we h.d a rest, the captain said he was going to explore tha island and find out if anyone was near. He asked who would go with him, so tho second mate, six others and mysolf volunteered to go with him. Wo saw a largo shearer's whare and a shearing shod not far from where we landed, but no one was there so we went on. We travelled about six miles through grass paddocks and bush, till we met two horsemen, one of whom I knew ab school, but did not recognise him till after. The captain told us to stand still while he went up and spoke to them. They said thero was a homestead a mile further on, so tho captain and second mate went on with one of the men to the homestead, while the rest of us returned with the others. When we got back we hid a biscuit, and waited about for the captain to return. He came back shortly afler on horseback, with the owner of the shearer's whare and told us we could make use of it, so we moved off into it. There were two •rooms downstairs, the large one being the tucker room and had two big tables m it and bunks to sleep in all round the walls, the other room was a kitchen. Upstairs were more bunks for sleeping. After we had been there an hour or two we started to walk down to the wreck, which was about four miles away. When we arrived there we sat down on tho sand and waited for the boat which the Maories promised to got us. It come over soon after drawn by horses. Four of the men and the skipper got in and pulled out to, tho Bhip, It was quite close, but they had a hard tug to get there, as the breakers were all around them, The place where the ship came ashore is all Band and we found she had drifted iv muoh f urthtr than she was when wo left her this morni_g. After tho boat reaohed the ship, the men and captain got out and tied a rope to the boat and we hauled it back with the one we had tied to it when they rqwed of. Then four more of us got in and thote on the ihip pulled us off, those on the ihore

payinof oat their rope. I went in th» second boat and didn't like it much ss tli« seas broke over us every minute. In tnw way we all got off to the Bhip, the Maories who had come down to see us lending a hand to gee us off. We straightened up the sails a bit, whioh had been left as they were, and got a few of. our belongings hauled off in the boat and then oame ashore ourselves, walked baok to the whare. had a feed, and then turned in. It was 12 when got back and wo were pretty well tired, as we had been working all day from 3 e'olook in the morning and did not get muoh sleep Sunday^ 24th — Had breakfast and set o3 down to the ship. We got aboard in a a boatswain's ohair, » rope being fixed from the main yard of the ship on to the shore whioh was better than the boat as we did not get wet. We spent the day hauling things from the ship to the shore on the rope. During the morning the tide was very low and the ship had still come much closer in, so we got one of the fellowß who had gone to the ship in the ohair first, to drop a line flown from the cats-head, and two others and myself climbed up that way. We got all the sails made fast, and ROt some provisions off by the chair and some of our belongings. After I had been on board some time, and as I was doing nothing, 1 thought I would ro ashore ; so I tied up some things in my big overcoat and strapped it on my bock ; but, as the ohair was being used in sending things ashore, I thought I would go the Bame way as I came. So I crawled out on the cats-head and started lowering myself down. When I got to the water I let go the rope and, much to my horroy, sank over my head. I did not think about the tide -rising when I oame down the rope. When I came up I made a grab at the rope and jußt managed to catch it as I was being swept round the ship's bow. I then began to haul myself up, bnt, on account of the swag on my baok, whioh had got soaked through, and whioh I could not out loobo, I found it terribly hard work. It was a good height up to the deck, as she was almost high and dry, there being about ten feet of water round her, so I had to climb about 30 ieet. 1 I had to hold on with my bare feet as I had 1 no boots or socks, the only clothes I had on. being my trousers and shirt with np sleeves. 1 Every time I drew my legs up higher the 1 rope, which was wet, and hard, and stiff as ; iron, sawed on my left foot. My arms, ! too, were chafed, and my hands nearly f paralysed with the weight they had to bear. 1 Three or four times I nearly fainted ;if I r had done so it would have been all over 1 with me, as 1 wouldn't have been able to ■ swim with the swag on my baok. I managed > to reach the cat's head at last and to crawl ' on deck, where I lay like a log for a quarter • of an hour. I then sat up and examined 1 myself. My leg, from half way up to my ■ knee, was aawn light into the bone down to 1 tho ankle, and was commencing to swell ; 9 my inetep was also chafed, and my arms 1 wero Bwollen and black. The others saw c me there, but did not know anything was r wrong. I went ashore in the ohair after 1 having my lee bandaged and Been to, and 8 was lifted out of the chair and carried up 8 on tho beach. The Maoris lent me a a horse, and one of them was good enough fco ride along \rit_ we to the wharo. > That finished my work. The others came ■" nah ore and walked back at about five o'olook. c Monday 25— The captain told me to stay ■1 behind this morning and keep quiet. The L " others went down and were busy all day a getting more things off from the ship. '• Tuesday 26 — We all came down to the * ship this morning. A camp had been ! " pitched a little way in shore, and we were !'! ' going to stop there. The captain told me 'f I would have to try and walk down so I " made a start. I was in agony, and I had lt 4 miles of it. I got there at last, however i