passengers on the wreck OSMANLI - Kangaroo Island 1853
ngairedith
writing this journal to research that some of the passengers were from New Zealand - your help would be appreciated -
from the DAILY SOUTHERN CROSS - 3O December 1853
WRECK OF THE OSMANLI Steamer, in D'Estree Bay, Kangaroo Island
... We deeply regret to record tho loss of this splendid screw-steamer on its voyage from Melbourne to Port Adelaide. The following are the particulars as far as we have been able at present to ascertain them: The Osmanli left Melbourne before daylight on Wednesday, the 23rd ultimo. She reached Portland Bay at about 5 a.m. on the 24th, and left again soon after noon. She had a fine run all that day, and during the whole of Friday, the 25th. Before sundown she sighted land on both bows, supposed to he Kangaroo Island and the main land.
After it became dark the loom of the land was hazy and indefinite. The captain expected to make the lighthouse on Cape Willoughby at about 9 o'clock. When that time arrived, and the lighthouse was not in sight, he put the vessel off her course, and stood out to sea for some little time, but afterwards stopped the engines and lay to. The passengers, being unaware of any danger, retired to rest. In about half an hour the engines were started, and the vessel proceeded. At five nninutes before midnight the passengers were aroused by the vessel's striking with great violence amidships.
This was at Cape Linois, in D'Estree's Bay. (more at link above)
... We subjoin a copy of a letter addressed by Mr. Marks one of the passengers, to a gentleman in Adelaide, and politely forwarded to us:-
Supposed to be at or near D'Estree's Bay. " Dear Sir,-I have the unpleasant information to convey to you of the unfortunate loss of the steamship Osmanli, Captain Corbett, on the night of Friday last, struck at midnight (say about twelve o'clock) on a reef two miles off, supposed to be D'Estree's Bay; all hands saved, thank God. I herewith enclose, you the following passengers'list, please have it inserted in the public prints for the information of their friends:-
Cabin
* Rev. Mr. Storey and lady
* Mr. and Mrs. George Tinline
* Mr. Wolf
* Mr. MORRIS MARKS (of Auckland, New Zealand)
* Mrs. Murray and child
Messrs.
* France
* Powell
* Solomon
* Leigh
* Parker
** Captain Corbett
** Mr. C. Hutchen, purser
** Mr. Gooch Chief Officer
** Mr. Moore, Second Officer
crew thirty, including carpenter, engineer, &c.
Second class
* Samuel Standard
* Timothy Broderick
* Hugh M'Manus
* S. Nicholson
* Samucl May and wife
* Wood, wife and child
* Richard and William Thomas
* Daniel Hall
* T. Bieman
* S. Ford
* William Walker
* W. Wade
* C. Mitchell
* H. Piets
* S. Leimart
* William Wilson
* Smith
* Parsons
* Teckermaan
* James Sabel
* S. Ireland, wife and two children
and six or seven others, whose names are unknown.
"The vessel cannot be boarded for the surf, and is expected every hour to go to pieces".
"Captain requests you will call upon Mr. Stilling with every despatch".
"We have no sick. Encamped on the beach".
by ngairedith
Profile | 
Research |
Contact | Subscribe | Block this user on 2012-02-26 00:54:34
ngairedith has been a Family Tree Circles member since Feb 2008.
Comments
Musil on 2012-05-16 04:21:44I can't help regarding your New Zealand Research, but I can add an account of the shipwreck by one of the passengers, John Ford (probably S. Ford in your list of passengers!)The account was written in an interview with John Ford published in the The Register (Adelaide, SA), Wednesday 18 May 1910, page 9
LOOKING BACK AT EIGHTY.MR. FORD'S LIFE STORY. ADVENTURES ON SEA AND LAND.
..."I came back [from Melbourne]in a steamer called the Owsmanly. Let me see. Yes; that was the name all right, but I won't guarantee the spelling." "Oh, well," I interjected, " 'Constant Reader' or 'Old Subscriber' is bound to correct it if you are wrong."
?Shipwrecked on Kangaroo Island.?
"Anyway, I'm sure of this," remarked Mr. Ford, "that jolly boat was shipwrecked off Kangaroo Island. Evidently we had passed the light and had got round back of the island. The steamer ran on a reef in the middle of the night, but fortunately in fine weather. She began to settle down quickly, and the water was sweeping the decks when we left. I remember seeing a foreigner capsized out of a boat. He was in oilskins and big boots. He came up without them; took them off while he was under the water. We paddled about in the boats until day light, and then landed on a sandy beach. Two of the steamer's, crew sailed to Adelaide in the longboat to take the news. The blacks fed us for a week with wallabies, and we made wurlies of the bushes. The Government schooner Beatrice took us to Port Adelaide. I saw the boat in Port Lincoln the other day."