The Wreck Off Ontong Java

As a tailpiece to Mr. James’ story, we print the following, which first appeared in the Singapore “Chronicle” and was reprinted in the Nautical Magazine in 1834 —a copy of which may be seen in the Public Library, Sydney. It describes the wreck of the “Finsbury” (“Frindsbury” or “Frinsbury” ).

On February 9, 1832, the Finsbury, a whale ship, being in the South Seas, at 2 a.m. struck on a reef of rocks: the second thump started the mainmast and step and the vessel soon filled and fell on her starboard side.

Captain J. Duncan immediately ordered the starboard quarter boat to be lowered and put into her the ship’s papers, log-book, journal, sextant, chronometer, some specie, a few clothes, a cheese, a bag of bread, two compasses, and six men, but the sea broke the boat from the ship’s side, and the night being dark, she was not seen again.

The Captain ordered the First Mate’s boat to be lowered, with a sextant, some bread, water, a few muskets, pistols, cutlasses, and a •little powder. The men in her, however, called out for assistance soon after leaving the vessel; their fate remained uncertain until next morning; at daylight the boat was seen to be stove in, and her crew standing on the reef.

The Captain then sent the Second Mate’s boat with seven hands which succeeded in getting ahead of the ship, although suffering some

damage.

With the object of sending assis tance to the First Mate’s boat and crew, who were on the reef, the Captain got out the spare boat.

But she was swept away from the ship’s side, with three men in her, and broke to pieces.

The three men saved themselves by getting on the reef. The Third Mate’s boat was then lowered and sent with some difficulty with some bread, a few pieces of beef, and a uttle water, to the Second Mate’s boat, which was lying ahead of the ship.

Boats Struggle for Survival

Tj l6 Second Mate shortly after hiade sail to the Southward; the third Mate’s boat returned to the vessel and came under the jib onom end. Two muskets, two axes, a boat-anchor, a bag of nails, some

powder, two live pigs, were lowered into her. and there being nothing further to be done, as the sea was completely breaking over the ship, the Captain and two others, who alone of the crew remained aboard, got down by the flying-jib boom into the boat and pulled in search of the other boats. (There followed two days and nights of struggling with the boats and big seas. The Second Mate, Mr.

Ward, and his shipmates refused to co-operate with the other two boats, and finally the Captain and Mate, in their boats parted company with Ward’s boat, “steering southward.” ) At daylight they observed the sunken boat with three men in it, and the Second Mate’s boat a mile to leeward. They succeeded in righting the Chief Mate’s boat but without the assistance of the Second Mate.