RAKANOA IN A HURRICANE.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXVII, Issue 2698, 31 December 1909, Page 7

RAKANOA IN A HURRICANE.

FOUR MEN INJURED. OFFICERS’ QUARTERS FLOODED. “Four of my men are knocked out” was the startling news with which Captain Carson greeted a brother captain as soon as he had berthed his vessel at the Taranaki Street wharf last night (says Monday’s “Dominion”). News that a doctor was required on the vessel had preceded the steamer into town from the Heads, and Dr. Kemp was waiting when the vessel was berthed, and (his services were required by four seaihen, Antliohy Murray, Frank Thomas, Robt. Mattson (or Matherson), and T.lios( Farey, ail of whim were confined to/their bunks with more or less serious (injuries received whilst attending to their duty in the face of a hurricane Jin Cook Strait. The doctor examined. each of the four men, and subsequently ordered their removal to the hospital in the ambulance. LON'd BATTLE WITH THE GALE. Tin/ Rakanoa, laden with coal, left Wes ( t’port at 7.30 on Friday evening, and/passed Farewell Spit at 7.45 on Saturday morning. The weather was beautifully fine until nearing Terawhiti, at about 9 p.m., and it was expected, by thoL on board, that they would .make Wellington by 11.30 on Saturday night. Wllen off Terawhiti a hurricane came down on the vessel with little or no ■ uing, and a long battle with the. ug elements commenced, and lasteo ( up to the arrival of the arrival teamer inside Wellington tight. The. weather was thick ■wnM* from the first. ' ' 'My &

T mou. n here was (shelter, an ,'be kept on rapidly . gatlit was headed w . l eventually, but the was such that, alth< steaming “fufll all ear tically.no progress, a tents and purposes 1 a seas burst over the- - swept her decks, a’ quantities of water her bow rose in t’ forepart of the v s i hamper, but eve -g u?» Avas not lashed red,'a. damage in tf spect w«trifling.' The part of the suffered most is here ,the. officer, cabins' are si L At about clock on Saturday night, Avhej gale was tat its worst, a “seaman Farey was engaged endeavor! ix what' is" termed a “relievin'- over the afte/caffin, when or heavy seas which was breakin the ship every few minutes ar him and washed him along' ti -k, injuring him so severely that had to be taken to his bunk. work Avas abandoned for the time l ~,7 as it could not be carried out avJL out too much risk-. • STRUCK BY A GIANT SEA. / Later, when the seas began to do damage-to the skylight apd threatened to break the doors it was decided that something must be done to prevent the flooding of the cabin. Early?yesterday morning Thomas, Mattson, and Murray Avere at Avork with the mate (Mr.Leonard) in putting a shelter over the after "skylight. Before . the me# bad completed the task three of them were struck by a giant sea and washed from their position to various parts of/the deck.. -./ ■ v. : / “The only marvel , is,” says an eyewitness. “that the Whole croAvd did not go overboard.” | y -The men were all injured more or less. "When the water first commenced to make its Avay below some of the creAv were set to' Avork (bailing, but the Avatet poured in through the broken skylights, ventilators, and doorways until the men had tta give up. The result whs that the main cabin was flooded, and the lazaretto was filled with Avater. * The officer’s cabins were also flooded, and all, their clothes Soaked. At one stage was knee-deep in the captain’s cabins. • “It’s '7/ho worst; I’Am ever been through,” said one-of the crew, “and I don’t want another such experience.” When the men were examined at the hospital it was found that none of them Avere dangerously injured. Murray had tAVo ribs broken, ancj received some injuries about the head! . : w Thomas injured his right foot-rather badly, the worst feature of the injury being ,-i bad cut, across the instep. Alattson (or Matherson) received an injury to his left shoulder.