19[Coppin, Christopher W., "A North-West tragedy: the big blow of 1887", Early Days (Western Australian Historical Society), December 1947, Vol. 3, pp37-40]

A North-West Tragedy

The Big Blow of 1887; written, from information supplied by Mr. Christopher W. Coppin, of Mundaring, Mr. H. W. Baker, and read to the W.A. Historical Society by Mr. I. T. Birtwistle on 27th June, 1947.

The paper you are about to hear was compiled by the Research Officer of this society after a series of interviews with Mr. Christopher W. Coppin of Mundaring, who was born at Bunbury in 1862 and recently celebrated his 85th birthday. Mr. Coppin is possessed of all his faculties, has a retentive memory, and can look back on a life full of incident, lived in a bygone age with which there are few remaining links.

...

The Natives Panic.

When the seas grew mountain high and frightening, a crisis occurred. The natives became terrified. All came on deck stripped, ready to dash into the water and swim 15 miles to the shore. That I knew to be an impossible feat for the wind was against anyone who swam in that direction. But the natives knew that the boat would sail further out to sea and the distance would eventually become impossible for them if they had to swim for it. This was something I had not bargained for, and it made me do some quick thinking.

Instead of protesting to them about the folly of their intention, I joked about the idea of the boat coming to grief, and worked upon their common sense until they became convinced that I knew better than they did, even though everything pointed to the contrary. Just as well they did, too, for it was not long before all hands and the cook were needed to pump out the water which had gushed into the ship. It took 18 hours of hard pumping before we emptied her and then the storm lulled, and the lull was followed by a change of wind and a rise in the barometer. At daylight on Saturday, April 23rd, the storm was over, and we steered south for land, which 24 hours later we sighted off Mount Blaze at Banningarra Creek.

...

[more to be transcribed]

Early days = the journal of the Western Australian Historical Society

LISWA entry:

Author Coppin, Christopher W.

Title A North-West tragedy : the big blow of 1887.

Imprint 1947

Details

Subject Cyclones -- Western Australia -- North-West

Pearl industry and trade -- Western Australia -- North-West -- History -- 19th century.

Found In Early days Vol. 3 (Dec. 1947), p. 37-40, 994.1 .b13704989