On August the 13th 1909 Captain Moore of the Insizwa signalled the Cape Agulhas Lighthouse that he had sighted four bodies off the Bashee River drifting south west with a large number of birds in the same direction. When the Insizwa finally anchored one mile out in Table Bay, a Mr. Blenkin from a Cape newspaper was the first to board her in the dark early morning. He managed to get an interview with Captain Moore while he was dressing in his cabin. Captain Moore told him: I have not, "he said, the slightest doubt that they were bodies of human beings. Two were clad in white and two in dark cloth. There were birds as far as the eye could see, flying in the same direction. There was no wreckage about, that happened at nine o'clock in the morning. The bodies were floating in close proximity of the ship, and I was able to see two of them out of the cabin window. The others were observed on inspection from a higher point." When Mr. Blenkin asked him why no boat was put down retrieve the bodies he gave two reasons, one, he had lady passengers on board and did not want to upset them. Two, that the cargo had shifted giving her a slight list, and it would have been dangerous to bring her about in the heavy running sea. Mr. Blenkin then went ashore and reported the interview to his paper and to Sir David de Graaf a Union Minister. At first this new evidence was accepted, but only at first. In his cabin with only one witness Captain Moore, had been very positive. When he saw his own words in print he began to have doubts. Mr. Blenkin who was upset by the discrediting of his story believed there was more behind the captain's change of face more than mere doubt. Mr. Blenkin wrote," was someone in authority in the company that owned the vessel, who immediately realised that if Captain Moore persisted in his statement both he (the captain of the steamer) would be held up, and the service of the line disorganised by compulsory attendance of himself and some of the crew at the Cape inquiry which had been forecasted?. Even though his statement was later backed up by the crew of the steamer Tottenham who also sighted bodies, the Court of marine inquiry dismissed bodies being in the sea. There is no doubt in my mind after studying certain facts, that there was bodies in the sea and in my new book I have given my reasons where they probably came from. In the above photo of the Insizwa she is heeling to port, she could well have sailed like this or she could be rolling from the beam swell encountered at the Durban bar. On one occasion going over the bar in a very heavy swell and rolling severely I did have some deck cargo break their lashings which took some time to secure safely, quite a dangerous operation for the crew involved.
