Ship “Syria”

Archives-February 1945

The loss of the Coolie Ship “Syria”

By R C Macpherson

In the early 80’s (1880 s), Indian immigrants first came into Fiji to work on the sugar plantations of the Colony, and, from the commencement of this coolie trade between Calcutta and the Islands, the ships which carried them from the swarming bazaars of old India to the new land of promise in the south went through many vicissitudes. Some of them had tragic voyages, with out breaks of cholera on board - in one such instance only rough and ready, but effec tive, quarantine measures saved Fiji from the disease.

But there was one coolie ship whose tragedy was not that of pestilence, but of shipwreck almost within sight of her des tination, and after what her master described as “a most prosperous voyage, experiencing nothing but fine weather and light winds and having no serious sickness”.

That vessel was the iron, full-rigged ship “Syria”, of 1,010 tons, built at Sunderland in 1869, and owned by Mr James Nourse, of 50 Lime Street, London. (Incidentally, James Nourse Line vessels were still in the immigrant trade between Calcutta and Fiji up to the outbreak of W.W.11). She sailed from Calcutta on March 13, 1884 - surely an ominous date to any superstitious sailor with a crew of 43 and 493 Indian immi grants.

The ship arrived off Kadavu, the southerly landfall for the port of Suva, on the morning of May 11; by spm the same day, she was head-reaching off the Astrolabe reef, about 10 miles to the north-east. Then at 8.30 pm came the cry of; “Breakers to loo’ard”.

Swift orders saw the hands making all sail in an endeavour to ’bout ship and claw off to get sea-room to windward, but it was too late, and the “Syria” went broadside on to the extreme point of Naselai reef, amid a flurry of broken water.

When the ship struck things happened

quickly. The shock of striking drove the weather-quarter board out of its davits and smashed it to matchwood. In frantic attempts to launch the remaining boats, all except one were similarly smashed.

The one boat saved was later sent off in charge of the chief officer in search of assistance, and eventually reached Levuka. And no sooner was it clear of the ship’s side than the mainmast went by the board. With great difficulty, those in the boat got about five miles from the wreck through the shoal on a falling tide, and then had to anchor for the night.

They arrived at Levuka about noon the next day.

The ship arrived off Kadavu, the southerly landfall for the port of Suva, on the morning of May 11; by spm the same day, she was head-reach ing off the Astrolabe reef, about 10 miles to the north-east. Then at 8.30 pm came the cry of: “Breakers to loo’ard”.

In the meantime, calm had been main tained on board, a matter of no little cred it to those in charge, in view of the type of passenger the “Syria” was carrying.

The immigrants retired below in good order and the ship’s position was exam ined.

When the ship struck, a very heavy sea had been running and the vessel was carried up over the edge of the reef, the breakers crashing over her and smashing loose gear. When the carpenter sounded the well soon after, there was four feet of water in the hold, and it was obvious that the case of the vessel was hopeless.

The arrival of the “Syria’s” boat in Levuka caused no little excitement in that then-important port. The “Fiji Times,” then published twice weekly at Levuka, reported that “Considerable commotion was caused in the town on Monday, shortly after noon, when it was known that a boat had arrived from the coolie ship “Syria,” then lying stranded in the neighbourhood of Naselai Point”.

The “Times” then goes on to tell the story of the trip of the ship’s boat to Levuka with the mate, the engineer, the carpenter, another European and three Lascars on board.

Levuka took no risks with regard to health, and as the “Times” naively puts it: “Inquiries were made of the men in the boat of the health state of the ship they had quitted* This was most satisfac tory, There was no sickness on board, nor had there been any of serious character since the sailing of the vessel from her port of departure, except in the case of two infants who died during the voyage.

That afternoon, the Union Steam Ship Company’s steamer, “Penguin”, left for the scene of the wreck and arrived some where in the locality in darkness.

Nothing could be seen of the “Syria”, and though rockets were fired and flares lit there was no answering signal. The master of the “Penguin” continued on to Suva, but on arrival he found that he had been forestalled by the steamer “Thistle”, which had left Levuka early that morning and had sighted the “Syria”. A Dr Shaw from the “Syria” had managed to get ashore and had also made his way to Suva overland - no small task in those days.

The government despatched the “Clyde” with several punts in tow, to try to rescue passengers and crew; the “Penguin” also left again for Naselai.

The wreck was found on the extreme point of the Naselai reef, 20 miles from Suva - had she been two cables out she would have cleared the coral. The wreck was sighted at 6.30 in the morning; she lay on the edge of the reef with the sea breaking over her mast head.

As the “Penguin” passed her, her

foremast was carried away, so that only the bare hull remained, and that showed

signs of giving way amidships. A

seething and boiling surf lay between the “Syria” and the shore through which it would be impossible for any but a very stout boat to make way.

The “Clyde” and her punts, making slow progress, had been passed by the “Penguin” off the island of Nukulau, and Captain Cromarty, of the “Penguin”, decided to run back and see if he could tow any small steamer or boats. The effort was unavailing, however, as the “Clyde” and her charges were nowhere in sight, apparently having decided to go through the Rewa and Wainibokasi rivers to Naselai.

The “Penguin” was again abreast of the wreck about noon. The sea was then much lighter and the tide had fallen, but in the meantime, the wreck had parted amidships, just aft the fore rigging and there was a yawning rent visible in her side where her plates had collapsed.

Not a soul could be seen about the wreck, though all the glasses on the “Penguin” were trained on her so long as hope remained of distinguishing any one.

The “Suva Times” went to the length of issuing a single-page extra on May 14, 1884, with an official report of the stranding, by Dr William MacGregor afterwards Sir William MacGregor, and Governor of British New Guinea.

The morning after the ship struck, reported Dr MacGregor, a native canoe managed to come off, and it was in this that the doctor got ashore, after which he made his way to Suva. Then three or four canoes landed some 60 or 70 of the immigrants. The breaking of the ship in two was the signal for the main body of Indians to attempt to save themselves.

The foremost third of the hull was completely separated from the other two-thirds, and drawn about four or five yards further on to the reef than the after portion.

The sea rolled with tremendous fury through this gap and sometimes broke right over the wreck. The captain was

With men, women and children dying helpless before their eyes, with the bodies of the drowned floating all over, the living striving in the water for a last chance of life, some five or six of these stal wart Fijians went on col lecting bundles of blan kets, calico, clothes and so on, that they could have stolen just as easily the next day

the only European found on board. He was struggling heroically, at the risk of his own life, to get the women and chil dren extricated. He found one drunken woman was found in the boat, but the captain and the woman were knocked over and over toward the perpendicular edge of the reef, the woman having secured a vice-like grip on her rescuer’s neck.

Mr Fowler, who was at hand, dashed into the breakers at the risk of his own life to attempt to save the captain, but no sooner had he reached the drowning couple than he, too, was knocked down and caught by the woman, all three being rolled along toward destruction until they were rescued by others.

One man. a drunken Lascar, was left on board and could not be rescued. He was brought out of the wreck once and put in a position from which he could have saved himself, but watched his opportunity to scramble back into the wreck again.

After the others had been rescued, a

native Sub-Inspector of Constabulary,

Ratu Joshua, bravely searched a large portion of the wreck, despite the fact that the tide and wind were raising breakers of terrific force.

He discovered another man in the wreck, and, with some assistance, was able to bring him off. Native canoes gave some assistance in the rescue work

at a time when many people were drowning.

However, Dr MacGregor adds: “Certain Fijians manifested a callousness that to those who were straining every nerve to save peo ple drowning all around them, was exasper ating in the extreme”.

“With men, women and children dying helpless before their eyes, with the bodies of the drowned floating all over, the living striving in the water for a last chance of life, some five or six of these stalwart Fijians went on collecting bundles of blankets, cali co, clothes and so on, that they could have stolen just as easily the next day, and would not and did not give up their occupation to aid in the work of humanity”.

“It is but right to state, however, that one of these plunderers, frightened by the threat of violence, did bestir himself and aided a woman and child that were in danger”.

Today the Naselai lighthouse is at the spot where the Syria went down. All that remains of the wreck is part of the iron hull resting on the coral near the white column of the light house. The figurehead from the “Syria” is in the Fiji Museum in Suva. The figurehead from the “Syria” is in the Fiji Museum in Suva. ■