User:Penny/My sandbox
South African Commercial Advertiser, CO53/9 at the National Archives, Kew, London
Wreck of the Minerva, Emigrant Ship, July 5 1850
Early on Friday morning last the booming of several successive heavy guns and the discharge of rockets and blue lights from the outside anchorage told the inhabitants of D’Urban that some disaster had occurred in the bay. Although barely one o’clock am, numbers were soon hurrying towards the point, their worst fears being realized on arrival, by observing through the gloom that a large ship was on the reef at the extreme end of the bluff, on the opposite side of the channel. Boats were speedily put in requisition and a nearer view obtained, but it was quite daybreak before it became certain that it was the Minerva, a large teak built East Indiaman, that had only anchored in the bay two days previously, which was in such a critical and dangerous situation. As it was known that of 267 emigrants she had brought from England, not more than 40 had been landed the day previously, the greatest excitement prevailed as to the ultimate consequences to those who remained on board. Immediate endeavours, under the direction of Port Captain BELL, were made to open up a communication with the crew of the ill fated ship, and at length a line was successfully carried from on board to the shore by means of a barrel to which it was attached. On this a large hawser was then bent and properly secured to the masthead crosstrees at one end, and to a huge detached rock at the other. Slung in a travelling cot formed out of a strong barrel, a sailor soon descended the line in safety, and was re-conveyed with messages to the ship again, sufficiently demonstrating to the anxious passengers and spectators a secure though necessarily protracted escape from the scene of destruction to which they were exposed. It was about the same time that a volunteer crew from the Henrietta Bark, lying in the bay, were capsized in the boat as they were coming to the rescue. Many of the sailors succeeded in righting the boat amidst the surf, and regaining their seats, but three of the number were long struggling in the waves. Fortunately two were driven on shore and saved, although sadly hurt and almost exhausted, the third sunk and was seen no more. Another line in the meantime had been brought from the Minerva by the life-boat provided for such emergencies, and which on its passage was actually dragged from its perilous position when it struck upon the edge of the outer reef, by a crowd of sympathising spectators who rushed through the waves regardless of consequences, and seized the boat for this purpose. The rope being made fast on the shore as before, the boat returned for the first cargo of passengers, and the opportunity was taken by the Government Emigration Officer, Mr. MACALROY, to board the vessel and assure the emigrants by his presence of the facility with which a landing might be affected. The disembarking now proceeded with great activity. Such, however, was the violence of the sea beating upon the reef that almost every successive boat upon striking was immediately filled with water, and the greatest exertions combined with the greatest coolness on the part of the boatmen was required to keep them from being capsized. Two of the ship’s boats were soon bilged and rendered useless, and one surf boat alone was left to land upwards of 150 emigrants still remaining on board. With what anxiety were her several trips observed both by the spectators on shore and the unfortunates who had yet to trust themselves to this perilous means of escape. On one occasion three sailors were washed completely out of her, and thrown by the violence of the breakers into deep water; two, however, were almost as immediately cast back upon the rocks with fearful violence, but saved by those around. The third, less fortunate, was swimming for upwards of a quarter of an hour amidst the waves, exciting hopes and fears in the hearts of all who witnessed the accident of the most painful nature. After striving ineffectually to regain the reef, Mr. FUSTEER, the third mate of the Minerva, turned his head to the ship and made for the still water under her lee; spars, hen-coops and life-buoys were thrown him from the deck, and he succeeded at last in seizing one of the latter, and was hauled on board almost exhausted by the line attached. On board the vessel Capt. MOIR superintended the disembarkation of the emigrants, whilst Port Captain BELL, at the head of a resolute and persevering band of volunteers, received them on landing. On each trip, just at the point of greatest danger along the line of the outer reef, men were stationed with ropes at once to cast into the boat, for all who would to cling to them, and throw themselves into the water, others rushed to the head of the beating boat and either lifted her bodily into a safer position, or dragged out of the water contained in her the almost lifeless women and children. At length all the Emigrants, of whom upwards of forty were children, being landed without the loss of a single life, Mr. MACALROY, along with the Acting Health Officer of the Port, who had accompanied him on board, returned to the shore. Two more boats, full of the sailors and officers of the ship, completed the disembarkment. The first of these was the bilged life-boat which had been hastily repaired by Captain GLENDINNING of the Gem, and sent again to the ship. By this a party of the sailors endeavoured to make the shore, but were upset at the reef, and were all precipitated into the water. Individuals in all directions were seen swimming and floating amidst the roaring waves, a rush of the spectators on shore towards the spot was made, and by exertions almost superhuman the whole were dragged out of the water, some seriously injured, and three nearly drowned. To these latter of course immediate attention was paid. Every means was adopted for their resuscitation and success at length crowned the efforts that were made to restore them to life. In the last boat came Captain MOIR and the Surgeon Mr. PRENTICE; of the former we may say his conduct on board during the painful proceedings of the day was calm and collected, and after the expression of their own losses and sufferings, all the Emigrants were unanimous in expressing regard and sympathy for the situation of their late Commander. To the port boat’s crew, including the well known names of ARCHER, HODGES and VINEY, much of the credit is due for the manner in which the landing of the Emigrants was effected under the circumstances of such a heavy sea and surf breaking upon the rocks. Within the next twenty four hours scarcely a vestige of the ill fated Minerva was to be seen, the waves having washed everything away with the exception of a few beams and ribs connecting her keel with the timbers of her bows or head. During the next ten days also, the shores of the bluff of the inner harbour and of the bank beach, were strewn with the remains of the cargo, emigrants’ chests and stores of all decryptions. These as they floated in or were washed up were removed to beyond high water mark, and a police judiciously selected placed in charge, still numerous robberies were effected during the nights of Saturday and Sunday. Several sailors and others are in custody as being implicated. The public sale of the debris and the right of beach takes place on Tuesday, at the bluff, and in the meantime a most exciting scene occurs daily in front of the Custom House at the point, where all the floating and cast up things are brought to a depot.....[regret last three lines of image not legible]