Dragged Her Anchors.

When the Gladys was again ready for sea Captain Foote found further trouble ahead owing to the conduct of the crew, which had the effect of keeping the ship in the stream for many days. At length Captain Foote sailed away for Gisborne, and after taking on board 6346 bales of wool set sail at 10 a.m. on 31st January, 1903. A stiff breeze blowing caused the Gladys to drag her anchor, and before she could shape her course she got into shallow water, with her head towards the shore and rolling considerably. The Union Company's steamer Waihi and the harbour dredge endeavoured to pull her off, but were unsuccessful. Fortunately, shortly before darkness set in the Union Company's Omapere arrived, and with the assistance of the John Townley at high water successfully towed her into deep water. Had the Omapere arrived an hour later, it was stated, darkness would have prevented the work being done, while a southerly which sprang up during the night would certainly have piled the vessel up on the beach. The Union Company recovered £2000 salvage money.

Another vessel of the same name, a barque of 499 tons, in command of Captain Taylor, and chartered by the New Zealand Shipping Co., arrived at Auckland in 1878. The barque left London on August 31, and had a favourable run, with light winds, as far as the Cape, which was passed on November 4. Two days later a hurricane was encountered, which blew the lower topsails out of the bolt ropes and did other serious damage about the deck. From this out the barque had a succession of gales to Cape Leeuwin, thence a series of light easterly and north-easterly winds prevailed to the Three Kings, which were sighted on the 26th, and Auckland reached on the 28th December, 1878, the passage occupying 118 days.