Mr J. F. M. Fraser to-day received intimation from the Marine Department that the Government have arranged to despatch the s.s. Kakanui from the Bluff on the 24th inst. to bring off the people now on the Macquarie Islands. -Evening Star, 20/12/1890.
Off to the South. — The G. s.s. Hinemoa sailed yesterday to make an attempt to discover the whereabouts of the s.s. Kakanui, which left New River Heads for Macquarie Islands on Christmas morning. The Hinemoa took a party of surveyors to the Snares where they will be landed to do the work preliminary to the erection of the lighthouse there. She will then push on to the southward and will probably find the Kakanui at the Aucklands; that is unless she has hopelessly broken down at sea. Should such a misfortune have occurred Capt. Best will probably have gone to the eastward, edging north as the sailing powers of the vessel will permit; if so he would speedily get into the track of homeward bound ships. If the Kakanui had a few tons of coal left she would sail well; without some deadweight she would scarcely stand up to canvas. There is as yet no cause for serions apprehension about the safety of the vessel, as this is the about the worst season of the year to go so far south, the winds being more erratic and boisterous than in winter; probably owing to the breaking up of the Antarctic ice creating a disturbance of atmospheric currents. Down there as here summer is the time of gusty winds, often extending over days together and it is quite on the cards that Capt. Best has got into a streak of heavy westerly weather at the Auckland Islands. To leave the shelter of Port Ross in such circumstances to steam 400 miles to windward would only be a waste of coal without advantage. Coming nearer home, how often have we seen staunch able ships windbound at Stewart Island for a fortnight? That being so it would not be surprising if the Kakanui has been similarly detained at the Aucklands, and Captain Best would not like to come back without accomplishing his mission, especially as the wellbeing, if not the existence of his fellow creatures, is involved in it. -Southland Times, 24/1/1891.
Loss of the Kakanui.
Bluff, February 4. The Government steamer Hinemoa arrived from the Macquarrie Islands at 6.30 p.m. She reports that the s.s. Kakanui arrived there on the 2nd January, and left again on the 3rd, taking away eight men from the Islands, and leaving Mr Mollish, the manager, and his wife there. Two days after leaving the Macquarries a fearful westerly gale was experienced tbere, and it is most probable that the Kakanui foundered in that gale. The people on the Macquarries had plenty of rice and flour and biscuits, and also ate the penguins' eggs and part of the bird itself. Mr Mellish refused to oome in the Kakanui, preferring to await the arrival of the ketch Gratitude from Invercargill. A thorough search has been made of the Aucklands, Snares, Solanders, Traps, and all outlying islands, but no trace of anyone has been found. The gale experienced at the Macquarries after the Kakanui left was so violent that casks of oil was blown along the beach, and a hut blown down. Captain Fairchild fears that it is only too likely that the Kakanui experienced that gale and foundered, as when she left the Macquarries she was very deep, and had apparently a good stock of coal on board.
February 6. So far as can be ascertained, the names of those on board the Kakanui are: — Captain William Best, who was married and had five children; Captain Jacob Eckhoff, mate, married and 7 children; Morris Ericson, mate, married; Robert Stewart, engineer, married; J. Child, William Morgan, fireman, married and 4 children; William Rensler, cook and steward, married; George Ludwig, seaman, married and 2 children; Charles Silvester; another seaman whose name is unknown, and a fireman also unknown; and James Stewart, Customs officer, son of Capt J. Stewart of the big Dredge. The eight men taken off the Island were C. Gamble, H. Cougens, A. Watson, G. Godfrey, W. Dow, H. Lewis, and two lads named W. Cowan and W. Ralph. Cougens and Dow are Dunedin men, and Lewis was a fisherman at Port Chalmers.
The Hinemoa's news has cast quite a gloom over the place. No one ever dreamt that the Kakanui had ever made such a smart passage down. As to the statement that she was deep in the water, that can scarcely be correct, as she only had about 55 tons of coal on board, and about 25 tons must have been consumed on the trip down. She ought, therefore, to be in the best possible trim. The news has greatly shocked Mrs Best, who is in ill-health. The Kakanui was a small wooden steamer of 47 tons register, and for many years traded between Dunedin and Invercargill, carrying timber and general produce. Captain Best had been in charge of her about twelve years.
Later. The Kakanui was insured for £1500 in home offices, and £300 in the National. She was valued at between £2500 and £3000. The second mate's name was Norden, not Erickson. He was married and had one child. Kessler was married and had one child; Morgan had five children, all very young. The able seaman's name was Ludivig, not Ludwig. -Nelson Evening Mail, 5/2/1891.
Deaths
Best. — Drowned at sea, on or about January 5, Capt. William Best, native of Durham, England; aged 63 years. Dearly beloved husband of Eve Best. Sorrowfully mourned. -Evening Star, 26/3/1891.
A Headless Body.
SUPPOSED TRACE OF THE KAKANUI WRECK.
[per press association.] Invercargill, This day. During a sealing trip at the Aucklands, Mellish, headsman of the Gratitude party, found the headless body of a man fully dressed and in a good state of preservation, lying on his back on the sandy shore of the North Harbor, just above high watermark. The body wore sea boots reaching to the knee, large socks of Scotch grey, wool corded serge trousers, pilot cloth vest, cardigan jacket, and woollen shirt (striped white and black). Mellish searched the pockets, but found nothing to lead to positive identification — only a piece of beeswax, a round bootlace, and a comb. The body was that of a tall powerful man, and very hairy (of a ginger color). Mellish is almost certain he has seen the boots and jacket before, and believes them to be Captain Eckhoff's. He had been with Captain Eckhoff on several cruises, and says the build of the man corresponds with him. He brought away two China shirt buttons evidently sewn on by a woman, and he has forwarded them to Mrs. Eckhoff for identification. It has been clearly established that the body is not Nelson's, lost from the Compadre, and it is impossible that it could be any of the Derry Castle's crew, as Enderby is eighteen miles away and it is over four years since that disaster; therefore, either it is from some unknown vessel lost at the Aucklands, or from the Kakanui when she was struck by a terrific gale in making for the North Harbor, which is much nearer theMacquarries than Port Ross. -Daily Telegraph, 21/9/1891.
The Auckland Islands Affair.
[PER. PRESS ASSOCIATION.] Wellington, September 22. With reference to the body found at the Auckland Islands, Mr Bales, mate of the Clan McLeod now in Wellington, who was formerly mate of the Compadre which was wrecked at the Auckland Islaunds, says that seaman Nelson was about 5ft 7in in height, and had a full beard. He was bald, but very hairy on the chest and arms, the hair being of a ginger colour. He had on boots up to the knees, was wearing two flannel shirts and a heavy guernsey, brown and white striped. Nelson had a complete suit of oilskins on when last seen. He was tatooed on his arms. The place were he was lost in the bush was about three miles from where the headless body is now reported to have been found. From the published description of the corpse Mr Bales has little doubt but that he is the body of Nelson. The Hinemoa is very shortly going on a visit to the Auckland Islands, when Captain Fairchild, who knew Captain Eckhoff of the Kakanui, will exhume the body discovered dy the Gratitude's men, and ascertain whether it is that of Captain Eckoff or not. -Ashburton Guardian, 23/9/1891.
IN MEMORIAM.
Best. — In loving remembrance of my beloved husband, Captain William Best, s.s. Kakanui, lost at sea January 4th or 5th, 1891. — His sorrowing wife, Eve Best.
He is gone, and now farewell is forced from my heart,
We cannot recall him since Death bids us part,
For here we have sorrow, and parting, and pain,
But we pray that in Glory we'll meet him again. -Otago Daily Times, 4/1/1893.
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