Thank you very much Paul it now makes perfect sense to me. The Paperwork of the inquiry in East London from 4 witnesses is 51 handwritten pages that I have worked through and your interpretation fits in well. Regards, Albie -----Original Message----- From: Paul Benyon [mailto:pbenyon@pbenyon.plus.com] Sent: Thursday, July 30, 2015 2:48 PM To: Albie; mariners@rootsweb.com Subject: Re: [MAR] Terminology and understanding Albie I think it might have been easier to answer the questions if we had the full context in which the words were used, But FWIW here goes .......I understand that the "James Gibson" grounded, and like so many vessels which have come ashore on that coast couldn't be refloated and was lost. I would hazard a guess that the lighter in question, taking into account the fact that the "James Gibson" broke adrift, was a small simple vessel being used to transfer cargo from the ship to shore or vice versa ; lighters vary in shape and size around the world depending on the cargo being moved, and the waters in which it is being operated ! My understanding of the surf line is just that ie the line in the water, fairly close in shore, where the water is churned up by breaking waves which create the surf ? and I imagine that, in order not to be overcome by the heavy surf that often comes up on those beaches, and perhaps drown, they let go "on" the surf line of what ever they were tied to, presumably the "James Gibson," as it came ashore ? and were thus able to get back out to sea and join a passing ship ? You see why it would be easier if we had the full story...I wouldn't be guessing what might have happened! Other interpretations welcome ;-) Paul On Thu, 30 Jul 2015 12:43:06 +0200, Albie via <mariners@rootsweb.com> wrote: >Hi All, > >I need some help in my effort to summarise the outcome of a court of >inquiry about the wrecked "James Gibson" O/N 19881 barque, near East >London, South Africa on the 6th of December 1874. I will be grateful >for an explanation of what happened here in laymen's language: > > > >1. Louis Klein reports that while they were in the boat running the "surf >lines" the "James Gibson" broke adrift (anchor stock missing).They >missed the "Lighter" and let go of the surf line and apparently joined >a passing ship. ( surf lines and Lighter?) > >2. It seems that the "James Gibson" to be en route from London but I >cannot find the intended destination in the British Paper archives. Any >advice where I can search for this information? > > > >Regards, > >Albie Gibson, South Africa > > >------------------------------- >To unsubscribe from the list, please send an email to >MARINERS-request@rootsweb.com with the word 'unsubscribe' without the >quotes in the subject and the body of the message 50° 33' N, 2° 26' W http://www.pbenyon.plus.com/Naval.html