The Hawaiian gazette., 1881-06-22
Additional Particulars Of the Loss Of the
Tararua.

The following additional particulars CT the loss
of this Inflated vessel, is from the New Zealand
Herald of May I'D:
ssThe passenoers all came erovding up at once,
and for some minutes there was difficulty in con-
trolling them. While the boats were being cleared
some passengers, in their wish to get saved,
Jumped into them before things were ready to
swing them up to the davits. There was so much
u<owding that the men were hindered IN getting
the arrangements completed. The captain had to
threaten to use force TO keep them back, and 1t
was with difficulty those who had got IN were got
out At the launching of each boat there was a
good deal Of trouble from the passengers, and the
captain and mate had more than once TO interfere
Things became quieter by DEGREES From the time
the chief mates boat reached the shore and cap
sized (the boy drowned was fsom Dunedin, and had
only Joined that trip, and was braSs-cleanerl,
nothing possibly could be done for the passengers
The tide was flowing after nine O'Clock, and, the
wind rising with 1t, the sea increased lhose On
shore had to remain doing nothing, whilst every
moment they SAW the rising, and knew the
lives of all on board were IN jeopardy. The saloon
had at very early stage been Hooded, and all the
women were got by the captain into the smoking
room. This was before the first mate left, as he
saw them sitting there wrapped mp IN shawls, rugs,
/ etc From the snsoking-rOom they all had to be
taken on the fOrecastis head as the sea rose, and
from there eventually TO the rigging. Frequently
| those on shore, from noon UPWARDS, saw people
I being washed overboard, never to be seen again.
At half-past big washed over the forecastle,
/ and It plainly perceived dIter II 1IQ paSScu
over that the number there clustered had greatly
/ diminished. The Maltese cook was one who was
washed over by that great wave. be got to shore
/ after long swim nOrthwards. The girl he tried
/ to save so pluclily. but III vain, WAS 1asmanian
native, known to the chief mate as hailing from
/ New Norfolk, in that colony, and as having come
l on board at Auckland. The purser and his wife
were amongst those so washed of, and the cook
states that Just before the wave came the purser
was kissing his wife and consolng her, telling her
that If things came TO the worst, and they had TO
/ CO. they must bear the knowledge bravely. twas
! after the big wave that the people took more
I generally to the rigging"
aThe chief mate states that he saw one man in
the rigging with child dashed to him. The after
| noon passed over drearily. The people on board
appeared TO be behaving with calmness, as if they
| we're prepared to meet any fate that might befall
! them Darkness came, and the survivors on shore
lit a huge fire with wreckage, and sat round IT. II
I may be imagined how the unfortuuates IN the rig
| pinr must have envied those on shore, as, unseen
themselves in the darkness, they could see then
1 late fellow-voyagers sitting round that fire. AL
that remains TO tell lis that at % minutes TO on
] Saturday morning on the shore was heard noise
as of a series of cracks. Then there came a terri
BILE cry-a howl of terror and dismay. 1t seemed
ike one sustained cry and ngain there was silence
1t was the silence of death. In the morning there
was not yestige Of the TdrdjHd except tOpmosi
spar that moved to and fro with each wave. sc
things remain at present. There is perfect
/ blank at the spot with that exception"
One of the spectators on shore says -" We
noticed with aching hearts that each successive
sea appeared to be endued with greater violence
and force, breaking with terrific force upon the
/ poop of the vessel and rushing forward and cast
4 ing itself from the bow in a volume of spray The
I situation of the sufferers on the bow was mos
/ deplorable, and considerable number appeared
10 have sought refuge there, and numbers vert
also either c'ine lug or dashed TO the sderiggine
/ Il t..e turenast Others were also observed to b'
/ upon the forward. The stern, from forward Of
/ engine-room | noticed to be far below the proper
lines of the vessel, proving to our minds she wa;
/ likely to part amidship. have heard that two
/ ladies implored one man who was saved by land
/ ing from the boat to save them. One lady then
begged him to save her little baby. This request
was also declined, aud the child consequently
/ persisted. Some comments are heard as to the
females and children being left on board when
strong able-bodied men, not sailors, we're shipped
in the boats. The boat which stood out to sea l;
said to have been able to at least %, and that
which came on shore could well have carried 30 OF
40 persons. am informed that the other two
boats were stove in the launching.