4: The Hydrabad blown ashore

All was ready for departure on Saturday 22 June 1878 and with wind and tide being favourable the anchor was tripped at 2 p.m., the sails were unfurled and within an hour Godley Head was left behind. A moderate wind from the south-east and south soon had Hydrabad clear of the land.

During the night the breeze freshened into a gale and some damage was caused to the ship's head gear. On Sunday morning at 8.30 a.m. Hydrabad stood in for the entrance to Cook Strait. As the ship neared the steep and rugged cliff of Wellington Head (now Perano Head) on Arapawa Island the wind died away to a near calm. In the distance the ship Craigmullen, Captain Gordard, was sighted making for Wellington Harbour. The weather was fine and the winds continued light and variable so that it took until nightfall to fetch up to the two small islands known as the Brothers only five miles from Wellington Head at the western entrance to the strait. This was the last land sighted for twenty-four hours.

As the night wore on the breeze gradually freshened and came on to blow from the west. Out at sea the barque Thames bound from Adelaide to Auckland was fighting fearful weather with the sea continuously breaking over page 42 her. On the Hydrabad the barometer in Captain Holmwood's cabin had risen from 29.20 to 29.40. He consulted his copy of the New Zealand Pilot and found that this indicated north-west gales which, though of short duration, could be violent in the squalls. Accordingly he set a course which he believed would keep Hydrabad clear of the land. He ordered the yards braced up to bring the ship as close to the wind as possible and thus 'close-hauled' sailed on into the gathering storm.

By 6 a.m. on Monday 24 June the wind was blowing very hard and only the three lower topsails, the foretopmast staysail and mizzen staysail were being carried. Hydrabad was making good progress. At 9 a.m. Captain Holmwood sighted a ship he took to be the Pleione ten miles to windward. Pleione later reported seeing ' a large ship under three lower topsails standing to the northward' at 7 a.m. Pleione was making for Wellington with immigrants and the storm forced her to shelter for a week at Kapiti Island. She was towed into Wellington by the Hinemoa on the evening of 2 July 1878.

On the Hydrabad by mid-morning the wind was blowing so furiously that Captain Holmwood ordered the crew aloft to take in the lower fore and mizzen topsails. The men fought to keep their balance as the sails threshed about threatening to knock them from the yards. Once the topsails were furled the ship was down to its storm canvas, just enough to keep way on and allow it to be steered. At midday Captain Holmwood estimated they were twelve miles north of the Manawatu River and thirty-five miles off the shore. The weather was very hazy and the sea full of foam making it impossible to see anything. Captain Holmwood had in fact over-estimated his position off shore by ten miles. He now turned his ship away from the page 43 wind and the crew adjusted the yards and sails to bring her back up with the wind on the other side. Having 'worn' his ship Captain Holmwood was now heading on a south-south-westerly course.

The wind had become a violent gale and at 2 p.m. a heavy squall blew away the new lower maintopsail with a loud report. Once again the crew sprang into the weather rigging and were almost blown up the ratlines. Inching out across the swaying foot-ropes and vibrating yard they fought the billowing canvas until the weather side was tightly furled to the yard. The lee side remained set making the sail 'goose-winged' with only enough spread to steady the ship. This was no sooner accomplished when the foretopmast staysail blew away and, being an older sail, was shredded to ribbons. Such was the strength of the wind that several sails tightly furled to their yards were blown free of their restraining rope gaskets. This was later to give the false impression that Hydrabad went ashore with all sails set.

Since no sails could be kept on without being blown away the ship was allowed to drift under virtually bare poles. In ten hours she was to drift thirty-five miles. Captain Holmwood expected to make the shelter of Kapiti Island and he afterwards blamed a strong current setting in to the west for deflecting his ship from this course.

In the meantime, like any prudent mariner, he ordered the 28-pound lead to the fo'c'sle head to take soundings. The crew lined the weather side with coils of the lead line which they released as the lead sank to the bottom. By the time the ship had sailed its length the mate had bounced the lead to allow some of the bottom material to adhere to the groove in its base. The depth was read off and the line was rove through a snatch block and hauled up. This was page 44 quite a task but was kept up throughout the day. Soundings were of some help but it was impossible to fix an accurate position because the chart showed a relatively even depth of forty-six fathoms close in as well as off the land. As the ship was driven inexorably shorewards the crew were put to work laying out a hundred fathoms of chain to each anchor to have them ready to drop when needed.

At 7.30 p.m. the Manawatu light at Omarupapaku was sighted. Captain Holmwood tried unsuccessfully to work the ship off shore and by 9. 30 p.m. Hydrabad was in only eighteen fathoms. As a last resource Captain Holmwood ordered the anchors to be let go. The chains parted at once, snapping 'like pack-thread', and disappeared into the sea. In this moment of crisis the captain showed quiet self-possession and appeared to the crew the same as if he were a thousand miles at sea and in no danger. No-one knew where they were and breakers were appearing close under the lee. The men were getting up more cable and making preparations for going ashore. The foresail was cut loose and the yards squared up to allow the ship to run before the wind. At the wheel Captain Holmwood ordered Angus McLeod to hard up the helm. He span the wheel spokes as far as possible and the ship turned stem on to the beach: it was impossible to avoid going ashore and by driving straight for the beach Captain Holmwood intended to prevent Hydrabad broadsiding and spilling all on board into the raging surf.

With a jarring crash Hydrabad drove over a bank of sand but she continued to answer her helm and struck a second time further in shore. She carried on and struck a third time more violently than before. Her rudder hit ground, tossing McLeod into the air against the mizzen mast. A page 45

The Hydrabad ashore — a water colour by J. T. Stewart (Wanganui Regional Museum).

heavy sea broke over the stern and would have washed him overboard had his leg not caught between two stanchions. Captain Holmwood was dashed violently against the mainmast and badly bruised, though he made no page 46 complaint. The concussion of the final grounding brought down the topmast head above the crosstrees, leaving it hanging and crashing beside the topmast. The backstays were cut to let it go over. The time was roughly 10.30 p.m. Amidst the wild and tumultuous seas the ship stayed upright.

In the utter darkness the crew made a general rush for the lifeboats but Captain Holmwood's orders prevented confusion and quieted their commotion. By their calm behaviour Mrs Holmwood and Mrs McLean, the stewardess, helped rally the crew's courage. The captain's wife was heard to remark, 'The poor old ship'.

Though those on board did not know it, Hydrabad had come ashore not quite two miles from Horowhenua Creek, almost equidistant from Otaki and Foxton, the only settlements of any size on the coast between Wellington and Wanganui. During Monday their residents had experienced the worst gale for fifteen years and had expected buildings to blow down at any time. In Foxton the wind demolished several chimneys; fences and outhouses were blown down; and the rivers were swollen by heavy rain.

The first anyone on shore knew of the wreck was at about 3 a.m. when residents of the tiny settlement of Hokio were awakened by the sound of rockets. Excited speculation was caused, for New Zealand was in the grip of a Russian scare and it was feared that Wellington was being bombarded.

On board the Hydrabad the injured McLeod had been tended to as much as possible and hot coffee was issued to all hands. The night was passed in reasonable comfort. At first light on Tuesday 25 June a boat was launched and all got ashore without difficulty. Mrs Holmwood refused to page 47 leave the ship until McLeod was safely away. Near the landing place were a few Maori fishing whares and these provided temporary accommodation. Messengers were sent off to the Hokio accommodation house and from there a groom rode inland to Rod McDonald's house at Horowhenua Lake to spread the news and borrow a horse for the Captain to ride to Otaki. J. R. McDonald, of Heatherlee, returned to the wreck with a horse and later in the day accompanied Captain Holmwood to Otaki.

Communication with Wellington was still by coach mainly along the beach. At 8 a.m. Hastwell, Macara and Company's coach reached the scene. The driver found the Hydrabad lying some fifty yards from the beach in six feet of sand and apparently uninjured. The captain was then still on board. Mrs Holmwood, and her son, Mrs McLean, and four of the crew including the injured McLeod were taken by the coach to Bright's Hotel at Otaki and medical aid was sent up. As the coach spread the news, people from the south gathered at the wreck.

At Foxton nothing was known of the stranding when the steamer Jane Douglas left the port at 2.30 p.m. However Charles Hartley hailed her at the river mouth and gave the news that a ship was on the beach. Captain Frazer crossed the bar and took Jane Douglas to within three fathoms of the shore and signalled an offer of assistance. No one was on board the ship but those on shore acknowledged by waving a flag. With the wind and sea being on the land Jane Douglas could do nothing and at 6.30 p.m. she steamed off for Wellington. The Tui, bound from Wellington to Foxton, also stood by for some time.

The first Wellington knew of the stranding was a message which Captain Holmwood sent that afternoon to his brother Bernard who was working for Zohrab, Knocker page 48 and Co., a firm of merchants. He also advised Lloyds' Wellington agents, Bethune and Hunter, and the ship's Lyttelton agents. Though he advised that all were safe, there was initially some confusion in Wellington because a large vessel was reported to be at anchor under Kapiti Island — but this proved to be Pleione. The newspapers suggested that H. M. S. Nymphe, recently arrived from inspecting food depots on Campbell and Auckland Islands, should be sent up. But it was the government steamer Stella under Captain McKersie which sailed, at midnight, to Hydrabad's assistance. The heavy sea running prevented her from getting close when she arrived at 9 a.m. on Wednesday morning. Captain William Bendall, the insurance assessor who had sailed up in her, considered Hydrabad uninjured. Stella returned to Wellington and was able to tow in the barque Wennington that evening.

Back at the wreck the weather had moderated on Tuesday afternoon and the first mate, boatswain and three apprentices were able to return to the ship to remove personal effects. The crew refused to go back on board. Captain Holmwood spent the night at Otaki but returned on Wednesday morning when Mr R. B. Wallace of the National Insurance and Mr R. M. Simpson of New Zealand Insurance arrived at the ship.

Captain Holmwood believed that once Hydrabad was lightened a little she would easily be towed off by a steamer working with a good gang of men. Though the weather was fairly fine, a strong west-south-west wind was blowing half a gale and a heavy surf was rolling into the beach which was white with the foam of the breakers. Hydrabad was reported lying as snug as if in dock and undamaged in any way but she was making a little water. Only three trips could be made between the ship and the page 49 shore for the boat filled every time it got alongside. The mate's group spent Wednesday night on board while the crew found shelter at Hastwell and Macara's stables at Horowhenua. The captain returned to Otaki.

During Wednesday night the gale increased and houses in Foxton were shaken. Thursday morning broke with a wild tempestuous sky and a roaring wind. The morning coach took half an hour to ferry across the swollen Manawatu River. However Hydrabad had not shifted, the sea was breaking safely outside her and she appeared safe from all but 'unprecedented elemental forces'. There was already pessimistic speculation that there was little chance of refloating her since she was embedded in seven to nine feet of sand. The crew on shore were on short rations because none could be sent from the ship. The injured A. B. Angus McLeod was sent on to Wellington Hospital. In the afternoon the wind dropped and chopped around to the south.

On Friday June 28, Captains Bendall and Scott were able to board Hydrabad by a cable stretched between the masthead and a post embedded in the beach. The heavy surf made this no easy task. They made a thorough survey of the hull and found it not in the least strained so that only a little water was being made. Captain Bendall thought that given fine weather the cargo could be landed safely and a powerful tug could refloat the ship. At her bow Hydrabad had five feet of water with nine feet aft and she floated at high tide.

The following night a severe gale set in and contributed to the exceptionally high tides raised by the earlier high winds. Hydrabad was driven a little further up the beach and altered her position by half a point. When Captain Bendall made a second visit on horseback on Sunday 30 page 50 June he found the captain and crew living ashore. He recommended that the ship's yards be sent down to relieve the strain on the rigging. However the crew refused to work on the ship and Captain Holmwood had to hire seven or eight men from Foxton and a cook to undertake the necessary pumping. They were paid $1 a day and were left in charge of Chief Officer J. List. The rest of the crew were paid off on July 4. Thereafter the captain's injuries kept him away from the ship until September.

A preliminary inquiry into the stranding was held before Mr H. S. McKellar, Collector of Customs, on 10 July 1878. Captain Holmwood gave evidence of the storm and recounted his decision to put his ship ashore to save lives. He was supported by his veteran sailmaker, Henry Warnken, who had thirty-four years of sea experience, including a previous shipwreck at Port Chalmers. It was his opinion that everything which could have been done to save the ship had been done. The sails were good and the after ones were brand new, but no sails could have survived the wind that was blowing. To run the ship ashore was the only decision open to the captain.

The formal inquiry was held eight months later before C. C. Graham and Dr Driver, J. P. s, with Captain Frazer of the Jane Douglas and Captain Roberts of the Hermione as nautical assessors. Their judgement delivered by Graham on March 18, 1879 attributed the wreck mainly to the severe gale raging at the time and to the parting of Hydrabad's cables when nearing land. Captain Holmwood had done all in his power to save the lives of those on board. No blame attached to him. Chief Officer List was cautioned about the amount of care needed in keeping the log book and he was advised to devote some attention to the subject of compass errors in iron ships. There had been page 51 speculation that the iron cargo in Hydrabad had made her compasses vary to the extent that her master had lost his reckoning. The certificates of both officers were returned and the master was exempted from bearing the costs of the inquiry. It was a judgement with which no one disagreed.