Minerva Wreck 1850: Press Report

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, a.m., numbers were soon

hurrying towards the Point, their worst fears being

realised 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

day break 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

reconveyed 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 barque, lying in the

bay, were capsized in the boat as they were

coming to the rescue. Many of the sailors 

succeeded ded in righting the boat amidst the surf, and

regaining the 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 sympathlizing

spectators who rushed through the waves regardless of

consequences, and seized the boat for this

purpose. The rope being made fast on shore as

before, the boat returned for the first cargo of the

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 effected. The disembarking

now proceeded with great activity. Such, how

ever, 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 com

pletely 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 this 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 ex

hausted, by the line attached.

On board the vessel Captain 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 up

wards of forty were children, being landed with

out loss of a single life, Mr Macalroy, along with

the acting health officer of the port, who had 

accompanied him on hoard, returned to the shore.

Two more boats, full of 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 endeavored 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

were adopted for their resuscitation, and success

at length crowned the efforts that were made to

restore them to life. In the last boat came

Capitain Moir and the Surgeon Mr Prentice; of

the former, we must 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 regret 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 bow

or head. During the next ten days also, the

shores of the bluff; of the inner harbor, and of

the back beach, were strewed with the remains

of the cargo, emigrants' chests and stores of all

descriptions. 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 debis 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 as a depot, and where the desponding

owners are in constant attendance, selecting,

identifying, and seeking for their own, among

the numerous damaged and disfigured chests,

packages, and clothes, displayed for that

purpose.