Page:Castaway on the Auckland Isles (IA castawayonauckla01musg).pdf/187



, writing from Southampton to the owners, says:—'I am at last offered another opportunity of addressing you again in this life, to let you know the sad tidings of the ship "Invercauld," which became a total wreck during the night of May 10, 1864, on the island of Auckland, off New Zealand, during a heavy gale of wind from the northward and thick weather. In about twenty minutes after striking she was in atoms—so heavy was the sea running, and all rocks where the disaster happened. The boys Middleton and Wilson and four seamen were drowned; the remainder, nineteen of us, getting washed on shore, through the wreck, all more or less hurt, the night being intensely dark and cold. We saved nothing but what we had on our persons; and before being washed from the wreck I hove off my sea-boots, so as to enable me, if possible, to reach the shore. After getting ashore amongst the rocks, we called upon each other, and all crept as close together as we could, to keep ourselves warm. The spray from the sea reaching us made it one of the most dismal nights ever anyone suffered, and we were all glad when day broke on the following morning, when all who were able went towards the wreck to see what could be saved. All we found was about 2 lbs. of biscuit, and 3 lbs. of pork—the only food we had to divide amongst nineteen; and after all taking about a mouthful each, we