ON A REEF.

Wellington Independent, Volume XXVIII, Issue 3869, 29 July 1873, Page 2

ON A REEF.

A correspond i..fc of a Hobarfc Town contemporary writes on June 9th : — " Some years ago I was on board a whaler, a barque of about 350 tons, cruising about in tile South Sea?; Once, when in sight of a : small island called Volcano Island, not far from Santa Crvii,* a very large fish, about the fixe of a whaleboat, and of a description unknown to anyone on board, was suddenly seen gliding gently by, only a short; distance under water, quite close to the Bhip'B side. The chief mate, inetantly lowered big, boat, and 'got fast' .to the fish. The moment it was •track, however, fine fish ' sounded,' carrying away with him two whole tubs of line, and was never more seen. We passed Volcano Islandf in the night, having had the pleasure of seeing the red-hob lava vomiting from it as toon as it became dusk ; and next morning We were clean out of eight of the island. At daylight (six o'clock) I had just reached my look-out Btation on the main royal yard, and Was adjusting my foothold, looking, of course, downwards, when nay eye caught the sight of green water alongside the ship. Ah the moment, before I had time to look or think, it •track me that it was caused by the re-appear-ance of the large fish above mentioned. I. then heard a. load shout from the officer of the watch (second mate), 'Back the mainyard — We're on a reefl'J The captain and all below were on deck in an instant, with nothing on but their shirts j the captain, looking over the side, catted out, • No, no ! keep all fast.' He then tent the second mate on to the mainyard to con' the ship ; gave orders to the man at the Wheel to keep it Bteady, and to keep an eye Upon the officer on the yard and aot promptly the moment he received orders from him ; at the 'same time the cooper's mate had been ordered by the captain into the chains to heave the lead. The first throw was six fathoms ; the next, five j the next, "four j the next, a quarter less four. I forget exaotly how much he 'chip drew. I will not say, for fear of a mistake, but I recollect this remark being made perfectly well, that there was not much (water) between us and eternity. A quarter less four was the last cast of the lead then, for immediately afterwards the signal was given to the man at the wheel, and the ship went the reef afc right angles and into deep water, ii:^fed, as you may easily imagine, to the sincere gratification of all on board. The ship stood off about two mileß, when the captain despatched a couple of boats to sound, under the directions of the chief mate, and on return that officer reported, among other tilings, that on some parts of the J-eef there was little more than two feet of water, and that that there was no end of fish swimming about on it, which I observed myself from my elevated position. There Beemed to be myriads. The reef was, as it were, in mid ocean, no land Whatever being in sight, and it was not marked down on any chart on board, although the Captain declared that he was furnished with the moßt recent Admiralty charts. He re- ,. ported the matter as soon as he returned to Hobart Town, and a description of the reef was 1 published in the Government Gazette. I have said that I was up at the mast-head when -. we were first discovered to beontbe reef; my 'first impulse was to leave to go down on deck, and I commenced to do so. I believed, from marking (he position of the ship daily on a chart which the captain had kindly lent me, that we were at this time several hundred miles from any friendly island, towards which it was eaid the boats would have to be pulled dead against a south-east trade wind, and I Qoked with horror to fqrmfng any party in •ither of them, and returned immediately to mj poat, with the determination to go with the mast when the ship struck, whioh was anticipated by all every moment, and let fate do her worst upon- me at once. I need not say how thankful I was. when I went down to my _ breakfast that morning instead of affording a Jfoast tojjhegsb.es." * Santa Ctaz is about latr'lO south, and ong. 168 east. •.-* jp + This island, as,»l'Ea?8 s be"en informed by a man whe alleged that he had been on it, is about three miles in circumference and covered with lava. The only thing be found growing on the island was one small eocoanut tree, with no fruit on it, We did not go near to it, but when we saw it in the day time it bore the shape of a cocked hat, with the peak enveloped by clouds. I think wo passed the island about ten o'clock that night. £Tbere was a gentle breeze, just sufficient to keep the Bails " asleep," and a smooth sea all the night, but after we got off the reef and the sun began to rise, the wind inoreased very considerably.