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South African Commercial Advertiser, CO53/9 at the National Archives, Kew, London
== WRECK OF THE MINERVAWreck of the [[Minerva]], EMIGRANT SHIPEmigrant Ship, July 5 1850 ==[[Karachi]]  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.
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