‘Mary’, 1821

How is this for a wonderfully vivid description of the wreck of the ‘Mary’ in Twofold Bay on 26th May 1821??!!!

It appeared in the ‘The Sydney Gazette and New South Wales Advertiser’ on 23rd June 1821:

‘LOSS OF THE COLONIAL VESSEL, MARY.

The Mary, Captain Richard Heany, sailed from Port Jackson for the Settlement of Port Dalrymple (in Tasmania), on the 20th ult. with a choice cargo on board, the value of which was estimated at about £3,000. Five days after her departure Captain Heany made Ram Head (in Croajingolong National Park, Victoria), when the wind set in from the southward, and drove them back to the northward of Twofold Bay. In a short time the wind so much altered its course as to enable the vessel to get off Cape Howe (now the end of the NSW-Victoria border). The weather was so hazy, that notwithstanding they were within half-a-mile of the land, it was scarcely perceivable. About four in the morning a dreadfully heavy gale, accompanied with a tremendous sea, set in from the S E. It is too well known that any attempt to withstand those sudden squalls off our coast, which often continue with unabating violence for days together, would be useless.

Captain Heany was therefore compelled again to bear away for Twofold Bay, the nearest haven of possible shelter. The topsail was carried away by the violence of the wind and the vessel ran through the sea with such swiftness that she was soon moored to both anchors, apparently safe, within Twofold Bay. The gale increasing, and veering round to E. which was direct into the bay, Captain Heany deemed it advisable, becoming apprehensive for the safety of those on board, to lose no time in lowering the boat. One man reached the shore with a line which he made fast; the boat, in the interim, being overset, the two men that were in her, were compelled also to make for the shore. It was about 8 in the morning when they made the bay, and about 11 the larboard (the term is now ‘port’) cable parted, which was soon followed by that of the starboard, when the
little vessel quickly drove onshore.

Captain Heany, Mrs. Heany, with the servant maid, and the residue of the crew, were compelled to swim for their lives; and, providentially, all succeeded in getting to land. The vessel soon parted, and became a complete wreck.

The following morning the chief part of the cargo was lying on the beach, which was secured as commodiously as circumstances would allow. The natives delayed not in visiting them, and evinced much friendship, which was however of short duration, as will appear.

On the sixth day after the loss of the vessel, the natives crowded to the wreck. Most of the crew, which consisted of nine persons, exclusive of Mrs. Heany and servant, were fortunately under the shelter of a rock overhanging the sea, which happily saved them from falling victims to savage ferocity.

Huge stones were rolled down the rock, and a number of spears were thrown, which were not attended with any other effect than that of slightly wounding the cook and one of the seamen. Whilst one party of the natives was thus barricading in the shipwrecked mariners, another force was plundering the cargo, and after satisfying themselves, they decamped - leaving the spirits, of which there was a great quantity, wholly untouched.

No time was lost by the distressed Commander in getting the boat repaired and launched; in that one object being centred all their hopes of escaping a cruel destiny at the hands of savage barbarity, and of being restored to family and friends. The little bark being afloat, the crew, with Mrs, Heany, embarked; but the wind proving unfavourable to their departure, the boat was blown to the opposite shore, still keeping within the bay. The natives again made their appearance, and threw some spears, one of which entered a great coat worn by Mrs. Heany, and another passed Captain Heany's legs, who immediately fired at the assailants, one of whom fell, and the others betook themselves to flight.

That night they were compelled to lie off the shore, in an open boat only 15 feet overall, exposed to the inclemency of the weather; and in danger, every instant, of being carried on the shore with the heavy swell of the sea.

Daylight presented hosts of the ferocious tribes to notice; numbers were attired in the clothing they had obtained from the wreck; and they seemed, from being equipped with spears and waddies, to be in fond expectancy that the boat, with those on board, would soon be at their disposal; but a gracious and benign Providence, ever watchful of its creatures, hovered ever and preserved them. On the 9th instant, Captain Heany bid farewell to the scene of his calamity, and shortly after reached Montague Island off Mount Dromedary, where they remained a few hours in order to refresh.

Provisions soon became exhausted, having been compelled to leave the wreck so suddenly as to preclude the possibility of procuring a sufficient supply, or even thinking of it, when existence seemed to be dubious; and had abundance been their portion at this critical juncture, the boat was too small to admit any greater bulk than that it contained. So reduced the sufferers became at length, that they were constrained to subsist on shell-fish, or any other article that might obtrude itself on the beach; and what contributed to render their situation the more forlorn and terrific, was that of beholding the shores as they passed lined with the barbarous tribes.

On Montague Island some nuts were found in a native hut, recently abandoned; eagerly and ravenously were they devoured; but they disagreed with those that partook of them, so much so, that Captain Heany declares he has not yet recovered from the pernicious effects produced by them.

After a sustentation of remarkable hardships, in which hunger was a principal one, they fortunately succeeded in arriving at the Five Islands (near today’s Wollongong), which grateful occurrence happened this day week, after a miserably painful confinement of ten days and as many nights. On landing, Captain Heany proceeded (as well as he was able) to the farm of John Oxley, Esq. where Mrs. Heany with her servant maid was kindly received, and the famished and worn out crew comfortably lodged and hospitably entertained. To the overseer on the above Gentleman's estate, as well as all the men under his charge, every possible commendation is due; and it is Captain Heaney's wish that their benevolence and humanity should be recorded, which we feel happy in complying with.

Yesterday afternoon Capt. Heany, wife, servant maid, and three men, came to Sydney overland; and the boat, with the other six men, arrived at the King's Wharf in the evening - the whole of whom are, considering all circumstances, in tolerable health.

The Sinbad, Mr.Simpson master, we are informed, proceeds immediately to the wreck of the schooner Mary, in order to recover the cargo left on the beach by Captain Heany.’