Shipwreck & Survivor Photos of the 4-Masted Barquentine "St. James" at Pitcairn Island
n.p. 1918. Loose Photographs. A captivating group of five original photos, all with a story to tell and a survivor's explanatory ink caption on verso. They variously show the shipwrecked 4-Masted Barquentine "St. James" after she struck a reef and became lodged on a sandbar at Oeno, in the Pitcairn Islands, on Dec. 16th, 1918, then, shortly after, the crew and passengers are pictured rowing to safety in small boats and finally, meeting with a large group of Pitcairn Islanders gathered on the beach. The survivors had rowed themselves to Pitcairn on Dec. 18th and one month later, departed on the steamship "Port Augusta". Ref. Norfolk online news dot com. Five gelatin silver photographs, all measuring 3.5 x 5.5 inches wide (or reverse) and all with ink captions verso, e.g. "This picture was taking [sp.] at sea - we are starting to leave the ship - she is pounding herself to pieces, she is riding the coral reef. This reef is the graveyard of the Pacific. No ship ever got away from this reef. The water around this island is invested [sp.] with sharks. 1918." and "This picture is of me in a life boat leaving the mothership. I am 15 years old [in] the year 1918." and "All these people are South Sea Islanders except the three men on the right hand side. The heavyset man is our captain Anderson, the second one second mate Mr. Jensen, the third man is a seaman. They are off the wrecked barkentine St. James 1918". Photos w. minor wear and finger soil to versos. Very Good. Item #3539
"Pitcairn Island is arguably the most isolated inhabited spot on Earth. Yet despite tricky ocean currents, often lethal surf and sudden gales, the island's standing as the home of the descendants of Fletcher Christian and his mutineer cohorts from H.M.S. Bounty has drawn thousands of ships to its shores." The "St. James" was carrying a load of lumber from Vancouver to South Africa and was a total commercial loss - the only exception being on June 20th, when the Pitcairn Island Council decided to share out with all island families the salvage of the "St. James". Ref. Pitcairn Island as a Port of Call : A Record, 1790-2010, 2d ed. by Herbert Ford.
Price: $800.00 CAD other currencies