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A slight stroll past the foghorn down to this cache that forms part of the Shipwreck Series. For the series methodology and more info visit SS: Shipwreck Series via the related web page link.
Unfortunately Danger Point is only open between 10:00 and 15:00 on weekdays. They used to be open on weekends, but apparently the officials do not want to pay staff overtime which is a bit bizarre as most visitors would come during the weekend.
The Birkenhead was an iron paddle steamer of 1400 tons, and was launched in December 1845. She was intended to be a warship for the Royal Navy, but later a poop deck was added and she was converted to a troop carrier capable of carrying five hundred men with all their equipment.
At the time, England was engaged in the Cape Frontier War in South Africa, which had become a major drain on the British Army's resources. In addition to the troops there were thirty one children, twenty five women, one hundred and twenty five crew, and various military and Naval Officers, in all making a total of six hundred and ninety three personnel. There was also supposed to be a shipment of gold valued at a quarter of a million pounds, which was to be used as payment for the troops serving in South Africa.
On 23rd February, 1852 the Birkenhead, commanded by by Captain Salmond, anchored in Simon's Bay. She had been battered by a terrible Atlantic storm after leaving Cork in Ireland the previous month, losing three women in premature labour and a fourth who died of tuberculosis. Taking on fresh water, provisions, wine, 350 tons of coal, horses and straw, the Birkenhead steamed out of Simon's Bay at about 18h00 on the evening of 25 February bound for Algoa Bay with drafts of the 12th, 74th and 91st regiments.
It was a perfect night, and the Birkenhead made good progress. At 02h00, in the early morning, she suddenly shuddered to a halt with a terrifying crash. The Birkenhead had become hopelessly impaled on an uncharted rock. Twenty feet either way and she would have been safe, but now her hull was ripped open just behind the foremast, opening up her engine room to the sea and exposing her forepeak.
Many of the soldiers in the lower troop deck were drowned while they slept. As confusion reigned throughout the ship, Captain Salmond, made what turned out to be a fatal error. Under the impression that his ship was about to break up on the rocks, he gave the order to go astern. The ship was torn right open, and water flooded in in torrents. As the Birkenhead writhed in her death throes it became obvious that the ship would have to be abandoned. The horses were blindfolded and pushed into the sea, where they were immediately attacked by a frenzy of sharks which hacked the poor horses to bits.
Captain Salmond then gave the order "Get the women and children into the second cutter and save them!'
Of the eight lifeboats on board only three could be lowered successfully, and soon two soldiers were assisting the women and children into the boats.
Lined up on the poop deck, hundreds of soldiers stood barefoot, their eyes fixed on Alexander Seton and his officers before them. Lt. Colonel Seton stood with his sword drawn in case any of the troops tried to rush the boats. His stance was completely un-necessary as not one of the soldiers or sailors attempted to get into the boats aside from those ordered to man the lifeboats oars.
The ranks of troops stood fast. Not one man tried to save himself. As if on cue the Birkenhead gave an almighty shudder, and then the sea started to wash right over the deck. Still the soldiers and sailors stood firm, heads held high, as they prepared themselves to make their final sacrifice. Throughout this tragic event the courage and self discipline that these men showed was to be forever recorded in history, and became known as the Birkenhead Drill.
In the end it took just twenty minutes for the Birkenhead to sink, leaving just the mast to mark her passing. The sea around the ship was littered with debris, and the bodies of those that had jumped into the water as the ship sank and were now struggling and calling out to the three lifeboats that had managed to stay afloat. Since these were crammed full of women and children there was nothing they could do but pull slowly for the shore.
Towards noon the following day , the schooner Lioness picked up the survivors in two of the boats in addition to at least forty men that she had found earlier still clinging to the Birkenhead's mast. In all she managed to save one hundred and sixteen men, women, and children. Sixty eight men survived by hanging on grimly to the ships wreckage and were washed up on the beach, and the third lifeboat managed to round Cape Hangklip and finally beached at the mouth of the Bot River where they were given food and shelter by some local fishermen. Some bodies washed up on the shore horribly mutilated by sharks.
Out of the six hundred and ninety three people on board, four hundred and thirty eight lost their lives.
Additional Hints
(Decrypt)
Frpbaq evqtr bs ebpxf. Gb gur onpx naq yrsg bs n yvggyr bireunat ng sbbg yriry.