A Narrative of the Melancholy Wreck of the "Dunbar," Merchant Ship, on the South Head of Port Jackson, August 20th, 1875Anonymous
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A Narrative of the Melancholy Wreck of the "Dunbar," Merchant Ship, on the South Head of Port Jackson, August 20th, 1875
Anonymous
Dunbar (Ship); Shipwrecks -- Australia -- New South Wales
Johnson, with the old boatswain, and two Dutch seamen, were about the
last who were washed from the wreck, they four holding on a piece of
plank, from which the two Dutchmen were soon after washed; a huge sea
then threw Johnson and the boatswain on shore amongst some pieces of
timber, from which Johnson scrambled to a higher shelving rock to avoid
the next sea, which he did, but the poor old boatswain, less active, was
carried way, and perished. Johnson then climbed to a still higher
position, and, being much exhausted, laid down and slept. The next day
he saw a steamer (the Grafton) go into the Heads; he made signals to
her, but was not seen. During the day he saw another steamer (the
Washington) pass, and tried to attract her attention; as, also, that of
a schooner running in. Friday night was passed in this state. On
Saturday morning he endeavoured to get along the rocks; he could see
people on the cliffs above, but could not make himself seen, until a
brave lad, (Antonio Wollier, an Icelander,) who had gone down "Jacob's
Ladder," and along the rocks, noticed Johnson waving a handkerchief;
relief came, and he was soon after hauled up to the top of the cliffs,
which are there about 200 feet high.
The noble fellow, Wollier, was then hauled up, and received the hearty
manifestations of the thousands there assembled. I opened a
subscription, which was suggested by Captain Loring, of H.M. ship Iris,
and in a few minutes, about £10 was collected, and handed over to the
courageous boy, who, in answer to my compliment when handing him the
money, said, in broken English, "He did not go down for the money, but
for the feelings of his heart."
Johnson says that a blue light was burned when the ship struck, but it
was very dim, and could scarcely be seen; Captain Green must have taken
the bluff north end of the Gap for the North Head, for, in ordering the
helm to starboard, he must have supposed that to have been his position,
and North Head a lee shore; for had the helm been put to port, the ship
would have cleared, and run for the entrance to the Heads.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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