SHIPPING.

Akaroa Mail and Banks Peninsula Advertiser, Volume 2, Issue 192, 21 May 1878, Page 2

SHIPPING.

PORT OF AKAROA. . ARRIVED. ;. May ; Donovan, from ILytteltoriA '• '••■■• • May 20—Hawea, s.s., Wheeler from Dunedin. Passengers—Mesdames Black, McGillivray, Messrs;- and Llewellyn,,. r A .; , , ,: : Z,:-\ ~,SAILED. ~.; , .,.. _ , May 20r-Hawea, s.s,, Wheeler,{for Lyttelton.., Passengers-rMesdames Hammond, ■Green, Bridge, Brittan, Munro, Moore, Brown, Ray, Misses (2), Messrs. Kenny, March Brittan,] Adams, Bridge, Bruce, and Black. :'

IMFORTS. ' Per Hawea—22 tons cargo, general

merchandize. Consignees—Billens," Gar--wood and Co., H. Watkins, ..Holding, Citron, Chadwick, Aylmer,- Davis, Daly, Bridge and ;Wiggiriß, Brown, McDonald, Black, Oborn, Beecher,_ and Reid.

Per XXX—SO coils wire, l*keg 11 cases kerosine, 1 cask, 1 bdle washboards, 1 box pipes, 12 pkgs, 11 bdls iron, 4 drums oil, 13 tins paint, Iton "_our,H9 cases, 6 sacks oats, 6 hhds, 6 kilderkins beer, 10 sacks potatoes, 2 sacas wheat, 2 sacks carrots, 40 sacks chaff, 6 cases ale, 2 quarter casks, 8 spirits, 2. parcels, 1 jar, '6 camp ovens, 1 pkg brushes. Consignees—Sunckell, Rhodes, Vangioni, Daly, Noonan, Knight, Bayley, Adams, Haines, Lee, Garwood and Co., .■■■■>' '' ; EXPORTS. '

Per HawearrFor Lyttelton—l2 casas, 4. bags wool. For Wellington—3 cases fruit: For Auckland—3 sacks bacon, 9 cases cheese. ■• Shippers'—S. Watkins, Rhodes Bros. <Daly.

PERILOUS POSITION-:OF THE XXX.

Captain Donovan, of the XXX reports leaving Lyttelton on Wednesday, May 15,, at 9 a.m. with light, and variable winds northerly. P.M.—Breeze freshening. At, 7.39. arrived : off Akaroa Heads, and experienced a heavy confused sea, with falling barometer, the wind moderate at N. ■B.3o.—Breeze freshening, the ketch at this time being under the, West Head, on the starboard tack,, with the harbor open. Prepared, to tack and lower the mainsail, while in stays, for reefing. The wind shifted to N.W. suddenly, heading the vessel, and bringing her nearly aback. Let go the main throat halyards, and while in the act of helping the vessel round with port helm and mizen, a heavy lea beam sea struck the hull and filled the decks. The foremast was seen now to be very .gradually falling over the port, so gently, that it has not left its mark on the topgallant rail, the vessel at the time being head to wind. As soon as we could get the jib clear of the forefoot, we let go the "best bower, and veered out to 25 fathoms, in 13 fathoms water, the vessel riding with that scope of chain until we secured the whole of the wreck, not losing a ropeyarn. We then rigged our head sails on t,o the mizen mast,, and waited for shift of wind,, which seemed, nigh, at hand by the indication of the barometer. At 10.30 p.m. we were all ready for the change. The wind had increased to a hard gale, the vessel riding with-40 fathoms scope to single anchor. Oh Thursday, at 3 a.m., wind shifted suddenly to the south, and before we could purchase our anchor, in consequence of the .heavy head sea, the wind veered back to S.W., and drew out of the harbor. We had no chance left but to.ride it out. as we had the best spot to lay. under, and were sheltered to some extent by the rocks off the Western Head, a terrific sea at times breaking over and .sweeping round the .reef, of which we need not complain ass to the share we received. The barometer rose as fast as it fell, and as the windweered back to the ;N.W. again, the- anchor received help from the, sea rolling in,, and thus we rode it out all Thursday. Thursday night, moderating, but no indications of the gale being done. On Friday, at 3 a.m. a boat from . the steam launch Pioneer came with offers . of assistance, in arty way they could be of use. As the vessel had been now riding over 30 hours in the heaviest of the sea, and the strongest of the gale with safety, ,I.deemed.it only common prudence to remain there until I could see a more favorable opportunity. The steam launch then returned to ; Akaroa, arid came to us again on Friday forenoon, to render assistance; but the circumstances being the same,,l.adhered to.my former, decision to remain where I was, after carefully.weighing the pros and cons of the case, and I conld not see that I was justified in lifting my anchor out of the only place that I considered.l .could'ride in, and letting it go in a worse place. I simply could not depend on the «teamer taking me.up. the. harbour, and I could not afford to go one -foot further out, unless I went out to sea entirely, and drift about with the mizen alone. The steamer then returned to Akaroa.--. \Ve watched, for the next shift of-wind. By this, time the sea had, become somewhat smoother, the barometer again falling fant, and at 1.1.30 p.m. on Friday, the wind shifted to the "south far enough .to-draw up. the harbour, so we manned the Windlass, but by appearances thought the wind would be back again before we ■could purchase our anchor. I therefore resolved to slip ihe chain, and make sure of getting past the narrows while the wind was fair in the.harbor, which we just succeeded in doing, when it shifted again to the S.W. This'was now a fair wind, and we arrived at. Akaroa wharf at 1 am. on Saturdaj% I may here say, I am very thankful to the inhabitants of Akaroa for their anxiety, and sympathy on our behalf, ,and to the owners, and volunteers in the Pioneer. I think they will agree with me, that " All's well that ends well." We hope soon to recover our, anchor, and 60 fathoms chain, with wharp attached as buoy rope.