Morning Bulletin (Rockhampton, Qld. : 1878 - 1954), Friday 11 January 1929, page 5


QUEENSLAND WRECKS.

PART IV.

(By "Junius.")

Hinchinbrook and Cardwell.

For the reason that Cardwell was for some time the most northern settled portion of Queensland—with the exception-tion of Somerset—much maritime his-tory has centred round there. Also, at the time when the great cedar forests of Cairns and Atherton were being plundered, many blundering ships ram-bled up that way to carry off the spoils.

The first recorded wreck in this lo-

cavity was that of the ship Lady El-

liott. She struck a reef off Cardwell in 1815, and she certainly had a fine se-lection to choose from.

It was from Cardwell that the schooner Eva sailed for Townsville on March 1st, 1867. She did not turn up, but that

was not unusual in those days, so noth-

ing was done until the steamer Black Prince brought in news on October 18th of white folk seen on Hinchinbrook. Two search parties set out, only to es-tablish that the castaways—one of whom was a woman—had landed there and had perished.

Next to her came the Sydney schooner Snowbird, which was burnt off Card-well in August of 1869. There prob-ably is a score against Palm Island

blacks on this account.

Off the entrance to Halifax Bay that H.M.S. Basilisk picked up the schooner Peri in February of 1871. Hers is a tale of incredible brutality, mutiny, and a drift over 1800 miles of reef-studded ocean to the coast of Queensland fron Fiji. Only 13 out of 80 natives were alive when picked up.

The steamer Banshee, caught in a gale on March 21st, 1876, was wrecked on Cape Sandwich with a loss of 17 lives. Her story was told by " Syd Swagman" in the Cap. of 10-1-29.

It was on the E.S.E. end of Hinchin-brook that the survivors from the French Barque Success landed, after being castaway from that vessel on July 8th, 1878. They were picked up by the steamer Victoria.

Ramsey Bay, on the S.E. side of Hin-chinbrook Island, was the scene of the next smash. The 233-ton Sydney barque Harriet Armitage was lost here in July, 1879.

Following her came the 1059-ton Mel-bourne ship Merchant. She had been to Cardwell to repair damage sustained through stranding while on her way from Cairns to Melbourne with cedar logs and sailed just as an old-man blow came along. She probably finished up on one of the reefs off Cardwell, but much wreckage from her was picked up off the Frankland Islands.

The Charles Andrews, a Sydney barque of 366 tons, was the next. She went up in Ramsey Bay in October,

1879.

A 198-ton brigantine, the Belle, was

the next Ramsey Bay victim, she piling up there in January of 1880.

Then came the loss of the 210-ton Melbourne brig Rebecca Jane, she also chose—or was driven into—Ramsey Bay for the final death struggle.

Kennedy Shoal.

On this the 671-ton steamer Lady Bowen was wrecked in August of 1894. Particulars are sparse.

Th lugger Maud, at anchor under South Barnard, was blown into eternity during the cyclone in March, 1890. She took two lives with her, and a frenzied wife, who saw them go, was left alone with her terrified children for a fort-night before help came.

The steamer Arakoon, from Johnston River to Townsville, banana-laden, gave up the ghost to the south of Barnard Island on 4th February, 1896.

Frankland Islands.

On August 1st, 1875, the 554-ton barque Naval Brigade was lost on this group. She had arrived at Townsville on June 5th of that year, discharged, and was then on her way to Java.

There was no loss of life.

Johnstone River.

The 80-ton steamer Polly caused a mild sensation by sinking here in the year 1889.

Arlington Reef.

The schooner Torres piled up here on March 25th, 1919.

Cairns and Green Island.

Green Island was the scene of a mas-sacre, by Palm Island blacks, of most of the crew of the Goodwell. She left Townsville on May 3rd, 1873, on a beche-de-mer fishing trip, and picked up some treacherous Palm Island natives en route. At Green Island on the 6th the blacks murdered two out of three of the whites, and only the strenuous objection of the third to submit to a

like fate saved him.

Just a year later Kelly, the sole sur-vivor, joined the Margaret Jane on a fishing trip to Green Island, and again he was the only survivor in a full-blown massacre. Palm Island blacks called again and cleaned up the whole

crew.

The brig Kate Conolley left Cairns on March 8th, 1878, and that was the last seen of her. Years later her hull was found in Temple Bay, 300 miles or so

to the north.

On April 24th, 1886, the schooner Upolu was found on the reef in Trinity opening, which now bears her name. The verdict was careless navi-gation.

It was from Cairns that the 305-ton barque Deodarus sailed on June 26th, 1887, for Townsville. She was wreck-

ed the following night on one of the

reefs south from Cairns.

The 59-ton schooner Adieu foundered in Trinity Bay in April, 1895.

In May, 1911, the Valda, a racing flattie, left Green Island for Cairns with four youths on board. That was the last ever seen of them, though the boat was picked up at Cape Bedford on June

22nd.

The topsail schooner Dancing Wave was blown away from her anchorage off Cairns in January, 1913. Only scraps of wreckage were, picked up at Cape

Bedford.

Alexander Reef.

On this reef the s.s. Innaminnka drove during a black night of smother and riot on January 30th, 1913. A few feet—comparatively—either way would have meant an outsize in funerals. As it was, she got off almost scot free.

Port Douglas.

The 45-ton schooner Index, timber laden from Maryborough, was inhospit-ably received on her arrival at Port Douglas. She had to anchor, awaiting the calming of the ruffled tempest, but this only incited the storm gods to fur-ther efforts and she piled up and broke up in despair. The Marine Board rose alertly in its wrath and commanded the unhappy master to appear before it and show cause why his certificate should not be dealt with. He duly ap-peased, but the Board seems to have

forgotten its former rage, and handed out a mild censure.

The s.s. Dove, a peaceful ark of 42 tons, got mixed up in a brawl with the elements in March of 1911 and ceased to flutter. She was the only vessel wrecked, mainly because she was the only one there.

Cape Tribulation.

Somewhere east from here Cook's En-deavour struck on June 11th, 1770. She

was refloated next day, dragged across Weary Bay in a waterlogged condition and sighted Hope Islands before she finally reached a haven of refuge at En-deavour river. Cook bestowed all of those names, and they perpetuate in a singular manner the rise and fall of hope, and the weary tribulation which

attended their sustained endeavour.

The 132-ton brigantine Minnie was wrecked on reefs off Weary Bay in May of 1877.

C Reef.

This reef—with its alphabetical part-ner, D reef—lies near the route and has caused much tribulation to and pro-fanity among mariners ever since Cook wormed his way past them. Most of the craft got clear again after the heavens had rocked with the blizzard of invective, but the trim brig Julia M. Avery, which reposed there on February 16th, 1885, through wrong orders, stay-ed there. A Marine Court remarked, bitterly, that there seemed to have been no intention to induce her to do other-wise.

D Reef.

The schooner Ella was lost here some

time during 1876. My records do not say when.

Cooktown.

The schooners Kate Kearney and Thomas Day were both wrecked here in February of 1884, the schooner Peveril following in April of the same year.

Tho 111-ton auxiliary schooner Papuan blew up here on February 18th, 1907, as a result of mixing leaking tins of benzine, copra, and untutored children of nature who smoked cigar-ettes intermittently.

The 48-ton Sydney schooner Sea

Breeze was burnt here in October of 1919.

Cape Bedford.

Thc mission schooner Harrier was smashed up on reefs off here on July 23rd, 1891. The castaways then had at least one thing in common with St. Paul.

(To be Continued.)