The pioneer express. [volume] (Pembina, Dakota [N.D.]) 1883-1928, 1894-11-09
kTH OAK OTA. FRIDAY, NOVEMBER $, 1894.
WRECK OF. WAlRAIPA.
Details o4 the Disaster or the coaSe
Of Rev Zealand.

03 new &0Ql000s
Auckland, Nov. "details Of the
sinking Of the steamer Wairiapa and
the drowning OF 125 people show It In
,hhve been horrible affair When
the steamer struck the rocks large
number at persons, Ly means of fiOat.
Ing wteckage, managed to reach the
edge 0ethe rocks. The main and fore
rigging were then filled with oassen.
gers who had gone aloft to escape be.
Ing swept into the sea by the huge
waves that were coming over thieves.
sci. About sixty Of them were stand.
Ing on the ratlines or crosstrees. 9th.
ers We're hanging with most tenacious
grip to the darits.
The outlook was very dark when an
engineer aud fireman volunteered to
swim ashore with a line. They took a
rope and jumped overheard, but had
not gone fur when. the seas pounding
them, compelled them to relinQuish the
line. They then swan for the rocks,
which they reached In terribly
bruised condition. A Scotchman then
volunteered to make the attempt to
get the line ashore. but he, too, failed.
Those on the steamer had about given
UP hope OF escaping from watery
grave, when one OF the stewards said
that he would try to get the line
ashore. Divesting himself of nearly
all Ills clothing, he boldly sprang into
the fOamtng sea and made straight for
the rope that was floating seaward,
Grasping 1t with one hand, he strlck
out strongly landward. Sailors ON the
steamer freely played the line out
Again and again it appeared almost
certain lie had gone down; but then
his head would appear OH the crest of
wave. which would sweep him near.
er and nearer the rocks. His strength
anu skill US swimmer stood him
Well and those on the steamer in good
stead, for he reached the shore, II
shore 1t could be called, with the line
still In his grasp. Add by those OH
the rocks the line was made fast, and
1t was by this means that most of the
survivors were saved. Several of the
passengers reached the rocks only aft.
er terrific struggles. A young girl,
Jane Williams. says that she was In
her cabin when the steamer struck.
She heard the thud. and aroused hel
sister, who was sleeping sOundly.
Each Of the girls seized life belt and
rushed, in their night dresses, to the
hurricane deck. Here, too, was an
awful scene. In the intense darkness
could he. seen affrighted passengers
struggling together. The vessel listed
and the passengers on the lower side
were swept from the deck. Miss Will.
iams said: II and my sister climbed
up the steeply inclined deck to the
railing, to which we clung with all
our strength. We were repeatedly
submerged by the waves AMI were
nearly drowned. The vessel pounded.
dreadfully, and thought that every
moment she was going to break up.
had In the meantime caught hold of q
rope, when large wave struck me.
The rope snapped and l was thrown
into the sen was Unable to swim,
ard caught hold of pieces nf wrcckage.
l was buffeted by the sea uutil was
driven. with uthprs clinsing to tile
wluckage, close to the cliffs. Wien
day began t.. hrc,k the spectacl. was
appalling I was hanging 10 u spar,
around which, lny hair was twisted.
Near by saw men and women torn
from the wreckagc to which they
were clinging and drowned brf.."r ~,
eyes. Som. "eached u ledge, only to
be again drawn back into the sea by
rece1lng wave. Finally was tile
only one alive. thought every min.
ute that my time llad come. I man.
aged to seize two life belts. BY this
time IT had become light enough ....r
me to see those being saved from the
wreck by tile life line. My sister,
while thus attempting tr escape. liz
came cntangled In the line aud was
strslngled. After ] had been In the
water twelve hours and was almost
completely exhausted l was perceived
by the survivors ashore. One of the.
swan to my rescic. He fastened a
rope to MT. alid> tier wa were both
hauled ashore. was unable te
stand"