HALL RECORDS/W.S.Hall/Ethel/1881
File: ETHEL.WPS
Source: Battye Library Acc. 129 30/633
Transcribed by H. M. Wilson 22/7/1992
Typed by I. L. Berryman 9/9/1992
Statement of William Shakespeare Hall of the schooner Ethel in reference to the late hurricane of the 7th inst, who says:—
During the late hurricane we were lying in Coolgoora Creek (Mary Ann Patch), we having gone there to clean her. The weather appearing very unsettled & changeable we determined to remain there until the weather was settled. On the morning of the 7th inst at 7 a.m. the wind was very fresh with squalls of wind and rain from E by N. As the gale increased the wind veered round to N.E. from which direction it continued to blow with increasing fury until 11.45 a.m. — John O'Grady senior & myself being then in the cabin, he observed to me that the gale was increasing every moment, to which I replied "It was sure to". O' Grady senior then went on deck & immediately called me to come up on deck. On my reaching the deck O'Grady said that I had better clear the big anchor & let it go, as we were then dragging with the small anchor down. We accordingly let go the big anchor; — after letting go 15 fathoms of chain with it — one of the chain shackles jammed in the hawser-pipe, it being too large. We tried to clear it but could not as the strain was too great. As everything was pretty snug on deck we went below to get clear of the spray & rain which was cutting us like hail-stones. Up to this time we had only anticipated a heavy gale as the barometer intimated nothing more. On going below I observed to O' Grady senior that it was a hurricane & he replied that it was. We had not been below more than two minutes when O' Grady senior after looking out of the companion way & then said come up Mr Hall, the vessel is dragging on to the mangroves. We immediately went on deck, when the vessel was dashed on to the mangroves with immense force, which caused the bulwarks stanchions & all to give way clean to the covering board, fore & aft. I then went to the pump supposing that the Vessel might be making water, O'Grady observing at the same time that it was useless pumping.
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