DYK L., v. -1895 :: V. DYK F. -1895 :: KRYNAUW C. -1895
Wit Rivier - 23 May 1895
At midnight the first rescue party set out, led by a Mr. Walter Ferguson and Miss T. Campbell.Another party was organised by a Mr. Schaff, a Wellington dairy farmer who had been a sailor. Schaff had the forethought to take a long rope and a basket with him.
Among the rescuers,besides the ingenious Schaff, were several brave young men - Christiaan Krynauw, Lourens
van Dyk and his brother Francois, and Izak Joubert. Dr. E. F. du Toit also played an essential part in the rescue.
Other active members were Messrs. Willie van Wyk and A. Coaton.
The rescuers arrived at the Witrivier at two in the morning, finding a raging torrent. First of all, attempts were made to throw a light rope across the river. All those on the far
bank had suffered from exposure so severely that their hands were too numb to hold the rope.
Christiaan Krynauw then swam across with the rope at great risk. Ferguson, Lourens and Francois van Dyk and Izak Joubert then crossed safely with the aid of the rope, taking food and brandy. After they had revived the girls to some extent, they decided to take them across one at a time. Lettie de Jager, an 18 year old pupil who had been the life of the mountaineering party, volunteered to go first.
In midstream a rock offered a dubious refuge for the three exhausted men. They managed to push the girl on to the rock, while they clung desperately to the rope.
Francois van Dyk saw the peril they were in, and re-entered the water with the idea of
helping the girl and his brother. He reached a large bush, lost his grip on the rope, and could go no farther. The
brothers Lourens and Francois were helpless. Lourens was seen pointing to the girl, appealing mutely to the other member of the party to save her. As they watched the girl was swept away. Lourens van Dyk went after her, although he must have been almost at his last gasp. Within a few seconds the torrent had carried them out of sight and they were drowned. Krynauw had reached the rock by this time, but the water surged round him. He soon became unconscious and was swept off. Last to die was Francois van Dyk.
The only relic of the disaster to be seen today is a memorial stone on the path leading to that
tragic spot on the Witrivier, bearing these words:
"In memory of the daring and heroism of L. van Dyk, F. van Dyk, C. Krynauw, Lettie de
Jager. Witrivier disaster. May 23, 1895."
source: https://vandykregister.com/histories/Beyond%20the%20City%20Lights,%20the%20Witrivier%20Tragedy%20(by%20Lawrence%20G.%20Green).pdf
contributed by: Olga Birch
viewed 69 times
