["The Wreck of the Solveig", The West Australian, Tuesday 31 March 1903, page 3]

THE WRECK OF THE SOLVEIG.

ARRIVAL OF THE CREW AT FREMANTLE.

THE STORY OF THE WRECK.

The captain and crew of the barque Solveig, which was wrecked at Cossack last month, arrived at Fremantle by the steamer Sultan on Sunday. The crew were accommodated at the Sailors' Rest.

Captain Ostreddt states that the vessel is a total wreck, and that there is no possibility of her being re-floated.

The story of the disaster, as detailed to a reporter of the "West Australian" yesterday, may be briefly told. The cargo, which consisted of long piles for the new jetty at Port Sampson, was about half unloaded. At about 11 o'clock on the morning of the 17th ult. a fresh breeze was blowing from the north-east. The wind then dropped, and the sea became as smooth as glass, with the rays of the sun striking down with a fierce heat, and reflected with a blistering glare from the surface of the water. This lasted until about 4 o'clock in the afternoon, when, without any warning, the hurricane came down on the barque from the south-east. As darkness came on the heavens seemed to open, and, with thunder and lightning, the rain poured down in torrents. It was an anxious night for those on board. Sleep was impossible, and all remained on deck waiting for daylight. The cables stood, however and day broke with no diminution of the fury of the tempest. All that day the storm continued, and in the middle of the night the starboard cable parted. The spare anchor was got out, but shortly afterwards the barque broke adrift, and was heading straight for the shore. As the timber had been discharged from the bow parts, the Solveig was deep aft, and she swung round bow on to the shore. She had been anchored about a mile off, but had dragged in considerably, so that it was not long before she struck the ground heavily huge seas breaking over her. In the morning it was seen that she was high up on the shore, and with a swiftly receding tide the men were able to walk to dry ground.