In the morning at daylight, it was rumoured on board that the Captain intended to run for Port Stephens. Between nine and ten o’clock on Thursday morning something occurred to the safety valve. The fires were drawn and the second engineer repaired the damage. It was quite trifling.

A little after eleven o’clock we made out the land just in the bight near Newcastle. About twelve o’clock the Captain made out Nobby’s. Before this I heard it rumoured that the Captain intended to go into Port Stephens or Newcastle, whichever he could make. Just after we sighted Nobby’s there came on a very heavy squall. We lowered the fore-trysail and as soon as the squall was over we attempted to set the fore-staysail. It blew to pieces in attempting to set it. We then set the fore-trysail. Shortly after one o’clock we bore up for Nobby’s. When we were near Nobby’s the Captain gave orders to see both anchors clear. The port anchor was clear. The starboard one was on the forecastle deck, and the cable unbent. We had no time to get the starboard anchor ready. At this time we lowered the fore-trysail down. In rounding the reef at Nobby’s we set the jib. That blew away as soon as set. We were setting the fore-trysail when the ship broached to. We couldn’t set the sail properly on account of the seas breaking over her, which filled the fore cabin. She went ahead into the breakers. Those on deck ran aft to clear away the starboard boats – to save crew and passengers. I did not hear the Captain order them to do that, but he pointed out some smooth place where we might land. There was ‘no signal of distress’ hoisted on board and the fires were not out at this time. I never heard any order given to stop the engines, but I think they were stopped. Two of the quartermasters were at the wheel at the time she drifted out of the breakers into smooth water. The Captain gave orders to loose the fore-sail, and throw the deck cargo overboard. He called upon the passengers to assist in doing so. He ordered the head-yards to be braced aback, but immediately after he countermanded the order to loose the sail and gave orders to go full speed ahead. I suppose the Captain intended going to sea, as the ship’s head was pointed that way. He made use of the words ‘Lets get out of this’ when he gave the orders to go ahead.

We steamed seaward. Several very heavy ones broke aboard the Cawarra. The first sea struck her aft-wards and in a very short time filled the stoke hold and put her fires out. It was blowing very hard at the time. A squall struck us on rounding the reef, and continued over us this time. From that moment many on board gave it up for a bad job. Everyone ran aft onto the poop. The Captain ordered the crew to clear away the boats. As the first boat was being cleared away some chinamen got into her. There were a lot of people in the port lifeboat. The Captain told them to come out. It was not fair as there were women on board the ship and that they should have the first chance. They left the boat. The Captain ordered two of our own hands to clear her away for lowering. Before she was cleared they threw a woman into the boat. I think she was a saloon passenger. After that a lot of men came into the boat. After the boat was cleared she almost directly capsized and swamped, the inmates of her of course, being left to the mercy of the remorseless billows.

I never heard any screaming. There was of course a slight confusion on board, but very little apparent terror. Everybody seemed to take it coolly and calmly, and appeared perfectly resigned. I have often witnessed far more confusion and fright when there was much less real danger. Even the Chinamen got out of the boat immediately they were ordered to do so by the Captain. There was an expectation that the lifeboat would come and the Captain said ‘ take it coolly lads, the lifeboat is coming’.

Another man and I in obedience to the commands of the Captain made preparations to clear away another lifeboat and we jumped into her. The after-tackle of the boat was either let go in mistake or carried away. I managed to scrambled on board the steamer; the rest fell into the water. I was the only one that got back on board. The chief mate was in the boat and gave me a knife to cut the patent lowering apparatus, instead of working it.

I climbed into the main rigging. The second engineer was alongside me in the main rigging, and a number of other people. I held on there until the funnel went overboard. The next sea washed me out of the main rigging. I swam to a piece of the wreck, and changed from one piece to another. I caught hold of a large plank and got out from the wreck. I saw Mr Fountain, chief engineer, on a piece of the wreck and several others – say twelve or fifteen in number. I spoke to a man who was on a piece of the wreck, and who was within some three hundred yards of the beach, but which turned out to be the Oyster Bank. It is likely that he and those near him perished in the surf.

I was drifting in towards the harbour and was picked up near the red buoy by a small boat and taken to the fisherman’s hut on the beach at Nobby’s.

The vessel was in proper trim. The steering apparatus was quite perfect. No order was given to let go the anchor when she got into smooth water. The last time I saw Captain Chatfield was when he gave orders to clear away the boat. He seemed cool and collected. There was no confusion and all the Captain’s orders were obeyed. The Cawarra carried four boats – two life boats, one cutter and one dingy - of which the two life boats were supplied with the patent apparatus for lowering. I heard someone on board say ‘the life boat is coming’ but I did not see the lifeboat myself. I saw a small boat – it was a smaller boat than the lifeboat. It may have been the boat that picked me up. I should think if the lifeboat had been there it would have saved some persons from the floating wreck."