FEARFUL GALES AND LOSS OP LIFE AT PORT ADELAIDE.

Wellington Independent, Volume XX, Issue 2222, 22 June 1865, Page 5

FEARFUL GALES AND LOSS OP LIFE AT PORT ADEL AIDE.

(South Australian licgister. May 16.) Tjte state of public feeling on the stations tit the I'eninsula and throughout the Port can scarcely be described ; for though on several previous occasions accidents have happened occasioning loss of life, it has rarely, if ever, fallen to the lot of the population to witness such a singular succession of losses in one day. In the morning of Friday, one man named Blackley was drowned from the mail service, and scarcely had the news spread, before another boat was sunk, and font more numbered with the dead. The loss of life was the most serious and heart-rending, for all the deceased, with one exception, leave wives and little ones to mourn their loss. From Wednesday the approach of a heavy gale was prognosticated, and towai'ds Thursday afternoon the squalls came down with extreme violence, inducing the pilot cutter to return from the (uilf. But she had scarcely picked up the moorings when a vessel was signalled, which proved to be the brig African Maid, from Mauritius, and it was most providential she arrived in the Gulf, for the pilot had barely time to board her before the gale came on. Her docks had been clean swept at sea, l.er chief officer lost overboard, and she was toiling against an adverse wind, with a worn-out crew, and stock of provisions expended. By the time she reached the anchorage it was deemed imprudent to start from the jetty, and she proceeded to the North-Arm Station, where the usual boarding officers visited her, and discovered the state of wreck to which the brig was reduced. During Thursday the barometer fell, the gale increased, and it was blowing very violently when the T. E. Boyd towed over the bar, and brought up with 30 fathoms cable, with which scope she shouldered the anchor next morning, and would undoubtedly have driven ashore had it not been for the mail-boat pulling off at a great risk, and arousing the capi.aiu to the position of affairs. The second anchor was let go, and she rode it out in safety ; but the trip of the boat cost one of the crew (Benjamin Blacldey) his life, he having fallen overboard on the passage back. This cast a gloom over the minds of the inhabitants of the beach, and when soon afterwards the Cooroug was signalled, she passed the stations unheeded, for the seaw?s at that time too 3iigli for any boat to ensure a safe passage. Towards 2 o'clock the liangatira came in f.om the westward, having a jack over the mail flag at the fore, but there was not a cool hand at the station whose judgment was not point blank opposed to starting, and when the Corsair's crow proposed making an attempt several persons urged the impropriety of thus apparently courting destruction by such recklessness. ludeed, but two of the crew seemed at all inclined to do so, till induced by the taunts of tho leaders. As soon as they were fairly on the jetty it was seen to be out of the question to curb the headstrong men whose fate was half anticipated, for at this period most of the boats wcro swamped, and those riding above water were plunging like mad steeds, , and when tlie Corsau-'s crew were on board her stern was often higher than the jetty's deck. The scene was appalling, for there ' wero few on shore who did not feel as if some fearful catastrophe was at hand. Every tele- ! scope had its watchful observer, and as soon as the boat let go the position became, if post sible, more exciting, for though a very fine , craft in ordinary weather, it was seen at once that the gear of the Corsair was not equal to tho occasion, and before the closely-reefed

sail was properly set the after-leech, blew away like a feather. Then she fell off in the , trough of the sea while another sail was par- , tially set ; but the fury of the wind seemed to increase as she steered a course for the broken water where the Grecian was lost. Win c all on the shore were paralysed and breathless, she sagged rather than sailed, like a bird with clipped pinions, and now (from the survivor it is learned) Use crew discovered their danger, and while same suggested to throw overboard the ballast and steer for the beach, others were faror of attempting to enter the river. The latter party prevailed, and it I was soon proved how futile was the idea of j passing the surf on the south bank. The steersman was standing in his box when last he spoke, but when Hook noticed a heavier sea at hand he was gone, and rose far away | astern. Another rushed to the tiller, but in i was too late ; she broached to, filled by the j lee, and instantly sunk. Without giving in , detail the harrowing description of Hook, which he graphically renders, we may say he was saved, and barely so, for it appears he drifted more than a mile, battling with a boiling surf, and it was quite providential he ever landed. The news of the wreck flow like wildfire, and during the night anxious searchers attempted to trace the lost ones ; but the high tideoverflowedthepoint.andthebody of Smith only was then found. The features were calm and placid, just as when in years gone by he received the Admella medals, after taking part in that rescue. Next morning pilot White was discovered, and his position indicated that death must have occurred j while attempting to undress himself. Along the beach mournful traces of the accident ' were laying about—here a boot, and there a shirt ; hither one garment and thither another ; but no bodies were found. The boat washed on shore about a mile from where she filled, and her wreck ia ample proof of the violent sea. Being started ' fore and aft, her knees and thwarts wrenched ' violently out ; but the iron ballast being still j in the bottom conveyed the impression she ; had not capsized. Thus was lost as fine a'■ crew as could be picked, through sheer oppo- j sition to all the arguments that sound judg- j ment could suggest. Before leaving the ! subject, ifc may be stated that want of iKopor i discipline had certainly much to do wi" !i the i accident, which, so far as human probability can carry us, might have been averted. The names of the lost ones are Peter Smith, pub- ' lican, leaves widow and three children ; ! James Wright, pilot, leaves widow and two ' children ; Thomas Xiug, widower, leaves I three children ; Richard Thomas (half- ! brother to King), single. After the sad accident there were no persons at or near the beach who could dwell i on any other topic, though the murmur of distress, unmixed with loss of life, came from the transpontine regions at day dawn, such a scene of property, loss, and wreck can ' scarcely be imagined if not witnessed. Boats : were perfectly annihilated, scattered in fragments along the beach, while spars, sails, and gear diversified the aspect. The beacons from the channel were washed up in some places, while for miles the sandbanks were ' cut down into perfect cliffs by the extrordinary tide. At the end of the jetty, about eight-and-forty hours before, a first-class collection of boats rode, but not one was left. ' The new Press boat Psyche, sunk at the niooriugs. The Alexandra, Peri, and Julia, , all nearly new, were rent and si ore so as to ! be scarcely recognisable, while the Unify had bat; a rudder pintal adrift, and in order io 1-m ready to meet emergencies, Mr Christie worked after hours on Saturday to accommodate the sufferers. The jetty rails were stove and seats washed away ; indeed, at one time, some apprehension was fe't for the \ whole concern, but it weathered the storm, ' and perhaps it may bo admissible to remark ■■ that had the crane so long promised been ' erected the lighter boats would have escaped; but without reflections on what might have happened, it is stated by a correspondent that the danger attending the service hero demands some more suitable shelter should at once be provided for the craft and crews employed. Up to the time of our reporter forwarding his despatch, there were no indications of, the gale abating, for the barometer, which I rose the previous day, had fallen again, and j the appearance of the sky was as ominous as ever. THE INUNDATION AT THE PORT. The south-west part of the port on Saturday morning presented a most wretched appearance. In every direction the effects of the gale and flood were apparent. The tide had receded, and left all the low land passable, although in many places people were unable to get dry shod* to their houses. The streets which suffered most severely were Leadcnhall-street, Canon-street, Quebec-st., Dale-street, Church-street, Maryatt-street, and the Minories, over the whole of which there had been five feet of water. Most of the houses are raised above the natural level, but there are few which had not three feet of water on their floors. The force of the gale was very great, and several wooden houses are in a most delapidated stale. Verandahs, outhouses, and fences were broken and washed away, and the debris was carried in every direction. Several goats and large quantities of poultry were drowned and the bodies lying about the streets. On the Port Road several stacks of timber belonging to Mr F. Reynolds, were washed down and mixed in indescribable confusion with various articles washed from the houses further back. Mr Reynold's timber yard was much damaged, and about £1,000 worth of galvanised iron destroyed. A large quantity of hay and wool which had been stored in Smith's mill was damaged, and a new iron store close behind the mill was very much injured ; but the greatest sufferers will be the owners and occupiers of the numerous small dwelling houses, of which that part of the Port consists, many of whom will by this calamity lose their all, whilst everyone is more or less a sufferer. It is most fortunate that the flood took pkee in daylight. Had it been night, the loss of life would most surely have been very I severe. As it is, we are happy to say that 1 no, lives were sacrificed, although somo narrow escapes and affecting incidents are spoken of. Among them we may notice that of a woman who had on Friday lost her i child, and when the flood came upon them she had to make her escape, carrying its dead i body. We heard of ope instance of a father . being compelled to break through the roof of his house, in order that his family might . be rescued in a boat. We also heard of a . house in which a woman was taken ill, and i brought into the world a little stranger while , the water waa some two or three feet deep L <m her floor.