A turf tower erected by the survivors of the Strathmore so they could signal passing ships.
A turf tower erected by the survivors of the Strathmore so they could signal passing ships.
Sensational news broke in February 1876 with the discovery of survivors from the immigrant ship Strathmore which had been expected at the end of July 1875 in Dunedin and long since given up as lost.
The ship, with 50 passengers and 38 crew, had sunk after running aground in theforbidding Crozet Islands, a rocky archipelago deep in the cold and stormy Southern Ocean about halfway between South Africa and Australia.
Nearly half of those aboard survived, one of whom, George D. Crombie, described the night of terror when the ship hit the rocks thousands of miles from help.
"At a quarter to 4am on the 1st July, I felt the ship strike," he said. "She had bumped on a rock at one side and sailed in between two others and there got wedged."
In the darkness and fog he could see that part of the ship was submerged and the deck was lurching at a precarious angle as a big wave broke over him.
"As I hurried on deck, I heard the Captain call out to the passengers in the saloon, Goodbye to all; it is all over; save yourselves by the boats at once."
The Strathmore on the Crozet Islands, sketched by the carpenter of the ship.
By the time they were rescued by an American whaler, there were 44 survivors, 25 of whom were new New Zealanders.
For their admirable qualities - their discipline, courage and strength in the face of lonely adversity - they are our New Zealanders of the year for 1876.
