Captain Pottinger's Death.

Sailors are, or were, very superstitious, and a very interesting story has been told me by Captain F. A. Macindoe, of Wellington, concerning the death of Captain Pottinger on board the Rangitiki at Napier in the year 1897. Captain Macindoe, who made several voyages with Captain Pottinger as second mate, is at present secretary of the Wellington Merchant Service Guild. the Rangitiki left London in ballast a day after the well-known New Zealand trader Halcione, and the ships did not sight one another until off Cape Aguilhas, South Africa, where they were so close that the two crews could exchange small talk over the side. That was the last the ships saw of one another. the Rangitiki was bound for Otago Heads for orders, and got instructions to go to Napier to load. When passing Cook Straits she met a heavy gale, and it was afterwards learned that the same night their old friend the Halcione was wrecked at Wellington Heads.

Bad luck seemed to dog the visit of the Rangitiki to Napier. First of all the mate (Mr. Porteous) was injured while the anchor was being lowered. Now we come to the part of the story that touches an old sailor-superstition. On a Thursday evening a cat that belonged to no one knew whom, jumped aboard the ship from a wool-lighter, and started to make itself at home; but as it was not of cleanly habits it was not popular. Next morning the stewardpage 257 found the cat in his room, and called out to the second mate, but before the latter could come along pussy had jumped through a porthole. The second mate went on deck and saw the cat floating away astern.

Quite pleased at having got rid of the animal lie told the Story to the Captain at breakfast; but the Captain was very angry, and after giving the second mate a verbal keelhauling, told him that if he had done his duty he would have lowered a boat and picked the cat up. That night (Friday, as superstitious folk will note) it came on to blow from the eastward, and at two o'clock next morning the second anchor was let go; but in spite of the fact that all the cable was out the ship was dragging towards the shore. At about nine o'clock in the morning the Captain and the second mate were standing on the main hatch just abaft the fore-house, discussing means of easing the heavy strain on the windlass.

"My God, look out!" suddenly cried the Captain, and hurrying down on the labouring ship came a tremendous sea. The second mate, rushing to the bulwarks, grabbed hold of a stanchion just as the huge sea crashed on board, carrying away the after end of the house and filling the decks.

A yell from the steward, who put his head out of the pantry port, told the second mate and the Captain's son that somebody was floating in the water that filled the deck aft and was waist-high on the starboard side, the ship having taken a list. Rushing aft the second mate and young Pottinger got hold of an arm that was seen above water. They pulled out Captain Pottinger, and carried him down into the saloon, where it was found that his neck was broken—death having apparently been instantaneous.

It is remarkable that although the gale continued to blow hard the ship did not drag any longer.

The body was carried ashore and buried at Napier, and the ship was taken Home by Captain Baker, formerly mate of the Turakina.

The mate of the Rangitiki was ill during the ship's stay in Napier, but he recovered, and the first time he came up to relieve the second mate—it was midnight—his greeting was, "I hope that is the last time I'll see a cat drowned!"

Captain Pottinger was only 54 years of age, and of the thirty-five years spent at sea he had been with the N.Z. Shipping Co., first as mate of the Waitangi and for the last six years in the Rangitiki. Captain Pottinger was a capable seaman and a man of high sterling qualities, which had won for him the esteem and admiration of all with whom he had business or social relations.