THE TOLL OF THE SEA.

New Zealand Graphic, Volume XLII, Issue 8, 24 February 1909, Page 25

THE TOLL OF THE SEA.

MEMORIES OF OTHER WRECKS. The dreadful fate of the Penguin re calls some of the previous wrecks around the rocky coast of New Zealand, which have sent a thrill throughout the length and breadth of the Dominion. Considering the rugged nature of our coasts, the amount of traffic there is round them, and the fact that being a young country, our lighthouses are still comparatively scattered, the toll of the sea in this pari of the world is mercifully small, still there have* been some awful tragedies which have left many mourners in many homes. Looking back on the sorrowful list one’s memory dwells on the wreck of the Union Company’s Wairarapa. fifteen years ago —the most disastrous in the Southern Hemisphere* for a quarter of a centurv. She* was bound from Sydney to Auckland, and the weather had been very foggy. Suddenly at about midnight ••n Sunday. October 29. 1894, siie dashed at full speed into a precipitous rocky clilT on (treat aßrrier Island, at the entrance to Hauraki Gulf, known as Miner's Head. Owing to the list of the steamer, great difficulty was experienced in launching the boats, and many passengers were washed overboard by the heavy seas. A good number were saved on the rafts which were cut adrift, and the remainder •Sung to the rigging all night. At daylight lines were* taken ashore, and the half-perished survivors got on to the rocks, where they remained for some

Shirty hours, afterwards being rescued by Maoris, and taken into Catherine Bay. Sreat consternation was caused in Auckland when tin* news was sent through, and the scenes on Queen-street wharf, when two days later the refugees were landed from the steamer Argyle, were heartrending. Captain Mslntosh and 12G passengers and sailors were drowned, and 93 survived this awful disaster. No land had been sighted by the Wairarapa after a glimpse of the northenmost part of the North Island. The theory is that the headland sighted was mistaken, and the vessel steamed too far eastward before altering her course to come down the coast; the distance she was out of the track at the Great Barrier coinciding with the distance she *nad over run at the North Cape. Three years later the Huddart Parker intercolonial steamer Tasmania foundered oil Table Cape. Mahia Peninsula, after striking a rock. but. fortunately, the loss of lift* was very small, only ten people—stewards and pantrymen being drowned out of a large number. She could not put into Gisborne, owing to the heavy weather, and it was while making for Napier that the calamity occurred. She struck at about II pan. on an uncharted rock. The out standing feature of the wreck was the remarkably cool behaviour of everyone on board. I here was not the least sign of panic, and men. women, and 'children lined up

on deck, calmly waiting his or her turn io enter the boats. In 1902. on Prince of Wales Birthday, the same companv lost another vessel, the Elingamite. w hicli ran on one of tin* Three Kings, off the northern extremity of New Zealand. There was a dense fog at tin* time. Most of the 178 souls on board were safely transferred to the boats ami rafts, only a few being drowned, and soon afterwards the vessel sank in 25 fathoms of water. A boat containing 52 passengers reached Houbora on the tenth, and as soon as the news was Hashed through to Auckland, a number of steamers were despatched to the rescue. Some of the ship’s boats had landed their survivors on the 'Three Kings, and these were picked up little the worse for their experience. All were accounted for except those on one boat ami one raft, and on November 13 tin* raft was picked up by 11.M.5. Penguin some GO miles from the scene of the wreck. Tin* raft had started from the wreck with 15 men and stewardess on board. They were over four days without water, and their only food -onsisted of two apples, which were cut up into 1G parts. Before Ihe Penguin sighted the raft, the stewardess ami three of the men had died, whil-t four other men had jumped overboard mad. 'The remaining boat was never found, and the fate of its occupants remains a mvstery. 'The total loss of life was about 45.