["The Storm at Exmouth Gulf", The West Australian, Saturday 04 March 1893, page 3]

THE STORM AT EXMOUTH GULF.

FURTHER PARTICULARS.

SEVERAL LUGGERS LOST WITH ALL HANDS.

[By Telegraph.]

(From Our Correspondent.)

ROEBOURNE, March 3.

The following details of a disastrous willy willy at Exmouth Gulf reached here from Onslow last evening. There was a heavy gale on the 25th ult. The barometer was down to 29.40. The wind came from the east round to the north, from which point it blew with hurricane force. The schooners Ivy, Flowerdale, Dawn, Harriet, [? Annesree], and Cutty Sark, lying off Tourbridge, had very heavy seas and wind, but rode safely through the gale. The luggers Cis, Empress, Verona, Guinevere, and Sylvia all parted their cables, and went ashore, but can be got afloat again. They are comparatively little damaged. The Olive, Mabel, and Ruby are totally destroyed. Numbers of the luggers have lost spars, anchors, and chains, and have got into the creek for refuge. The tide, at high water, was 15ft. above spring level. Immediately after and ever since the hurricane, luggers have been cruising about the Gulf and the islands looking for the missing luggers. They have found the Mist dismasted and drifting helplessly about. The spars and dingies of the Agnes were picked up lashed together, but the lugger, containing two whites, Rudolf and Larsen, is supposed to be lost. At present the missing luggers are the Lameroo, Sea Queen, Smuggler, Gem, Emerald, Nelly, Florence, and also a large cutter.

Further particulars of the disaster were received to-day. The luggers Nellie, Gem, and Emerald are total wrecks at Nor'-West Cape. The crews were ashore three days without food or water. The luggers Florence and Rose still missing, and also the cutter Florence Hadley Harvey, and the aboriginal divers. Nothing later has been heard about the Agnes and the Smuggler, but they are believed to have sunk in deep water, losing all hands except one, who was in water thirty six hours and was picked up by a passing lugger. The Lameroo and the Sea Queen were safe at the Ashburton River during the blow. The Fanny Thornton, and twelve luggers are at Montebello, from whence we have not had any tidings yet, but they are probably safe, as there are secure harbours there.