The Sun.
London, England, 1861-08-28 00:00:00

LOSS OF THE BARQUE NORNA.

- PART OF THE CREW LEFT ON AN UNIN-
HABITED ISL&ND.
Captain Wilson, of the British barque Norma
arrived at Hong Kong on the sth July, in the
Spanish schooner Denia, from Manilla, and reported
the loss of his vessel under the following circu in-
stances :
On March 4th the Norna sailed from Newcastle,
New South Wales, with a cargo of coal, and bound
to Hong Kong. There was nothing worthy of ire-
cord took place until March 31st, when being in
lat. 6.35 N. and long. 156.24 E.,with a steady wad
moderate breeze, ship going out ten knots per
hour, steering N.W., and a look-out being kept,
at 10.20 p.m. breakers were suddenly heard, and
a few seconds afterwards were seen on the lee bo w.
The helm was immediately put down, but the
vessel struck before coming to the wind. The
head sails were hove hard aback instantly, but
- the ship heeled round on the top of the reef, the
sea making a clean breach over her, and it was
evident that no human efforts could save her from
becoming a total wreck. Shortly afterwards she
slipped off the reef into deep water, and to save
the lives of those on board, all sails were hove
aback to heel her in ; and on heeling she bilged
on the port side, and rapidly filled with water.
All hands immediately went to work to save what
provisions and water they possibly could, and put
them into the boats and prepared to leave the ship,
she being a total wreck. The captain and crew saved
none of their apparel, as the boats could not carry
them with the provisions. They remained in the
ship until morning, when a boat was sent to
try and find land. The boat returned lite in the
afternoon, having found $ coral reef about 100
yards long,:and bearing from the ship S.W. about 8
miles, that being the only dry land on the shoal on
which the ship was lost. All hands were com-
pelled to sleep in the boats that night; and on the
following day, April 2, Captain Wilson, with part
of his crew, went in two boats to the reef, leaving
the remaining part to construct A raft from spars,
&c. A heavy gale of wind sprung up, which pre-
vented them from returning to the wreck, to assist
in getting more provisions. It was with difficulty
that the lives of those on the raft were saved.
They then rigged a tent, and set about repair-
ing the boats ; and on Sunday, April 7, at 10.30
a.m., they left the island in the boats, and shaped
a course to the N.N.W., lat. at noon 7.39 N. At
1 p.m., same day sighted a fine island to the N.N.W.,
and steered for it, but when drawing near to it found
a "reef running N.W. and S.E. as far as the eye
could see ; and to the S.E., from the island, another
reef was seen extending a long distance to the S.W.
At 3.30 p.m. they landed on the inside of the island,
which proved to be St. Augustine, and is about three
miles in circumference, covered with cocoanut trees,
turtle, fish, and wild fowl, but no water, except the
rain received in the hollows of the trees. There
was evident signs of a crew having been
there, the words " Constant, July 14, 1858,,,
being cut on one of the trees. On April 8, got
an observation by chronometer, and found the
island to be in lat. 7.44 N., and long. 155.25 E.,
which is seventeen miles further to the eastward
than is laid down on the chart. The reef which
the Norna struck on is also twenty-three miles to
the S.E. of where it is marked on the chart. Capt.
Wilson hauled the boats up in the bush for repairs,
and on April 9th, on examining the boats, and
considering the distance to Guam (700 miles), the
nearest inhabited port to which they could proceed
from where they were, Captain Wilson found the
boats too small to carry all the crew that dis-
tance, and it was agreed that part should remain
on the island, and the rest proceed to Guam for
assistance, as soon as the state of weather per-
mitted, which did not take place until April 17th,
when Captain Wilson, his wife and child, chief
officer, and five of the crew, left the island in the
long boat, leaving twenty-one men behind.
After being at sea, and exposed to the inclemency
of the weather for upwards of seven days, they ar-
rived cn the 24th April in Guam, and were most
kindly received by the Governor and authorities
there, who endeavoured in vain to procure a ship
to go to the rescue of the remaining part of the
crew. The Governor of Guam procured a pas-
sage for Captain Wilson, his wife and child, and
the crew that came in the boat, to Manilla,
for which port they sailed on the Ist of May, and
arrived there on the 18th of the same month. The
true cause to which the loss of the ship is attribu-
table was that the reef on which she struck is laid
down in the Admiralty chart in lat. 7.82 N. and
long. 155.25 E,, whereas it is 23 miles to the south-
east of that site, being in lat. 7.22 N. and long.
155.40 E,, and that th chronometer was 40 miles
out, which placed the vessel still more to the east-
ward. As yet there is, we believe, no tidings of the
remaining part of the crew that were left OR the
island, but it is to be hoped that ere this they have
been rescued.