THE LAKES.

Dunstan Times, Issue 463, 3 March 1871, Page 3

THE LAKES.

(from our ows correspondent.) Queenstown, Feb. 28

On Friday evening last we were all quite taken by surprise as the Antrim steamer rounded the Jetty by perceiving on board sailors in genuine man-of-war rig. It was difficult to conjecture the presence of such a 'spruce looking crew on the deck of our local steamer, and had Captain Hicks only have appeared on the bridge of the paddle-boxes, attired in cocked bat and sword, we could only have concluded that the vessel had been properly commissioned as a man-of-war, and that presently we should see her guns trained, and the citizens presently Q.alledVupon to defend the Breakwater, or the Town Hall, or, possibly the august persons of the Mayor and Council. The volunteer’s were all in qui vive, but they were unable to do anything but muster. They could not assist themselves not being supplied with arms, except those which nature gave them. It now appeared, howeverj that no JElussians or Prussians were coming; the crew of Antrim retained their own rig, while the cargo was a peaceful load of timber, not to fortify the town, but to increase its dimensions. The strangers were seaman—two in number—who had accompanied Dr. Hector overland from Martin’s Bay. Her Majesty’s Ship Clio, with His Excellency the Governor, and Commodore Stirling on board, having struck on a rock in

High Sound, on the preceding Friday. The worthy Doctor appeared to bo in capital health and spirits, and but little fatigued. He looked, however, somewhat older than when he came overland from Martin’s Bay in 1863. It appears that the Clio, which is an eighteeen gun sloop, had, on the morning of the accident, Friday, the J 7th instant, steamed up to the head of Bligh, and on her return aDout 5 p.m. when about half-way down the Sound suddenly struck upon a sunken rock on the port bow. The lead was being hove both from the port and starboard bows of the vessel at the same time. On the Starboard the lead showed no bottom, tin the port it gave a quarter less ten or nine and-a-half fathoms at the same moment as the ship struck. She was then going at the rate of about seven knots an hour. The engines were instantly reversed, and she was then backed off into deep water almost immediately. It was then found that she was leaking badly, and notwithstanding the united efforts of the steam, and the ship’s nine 4-inch pumps the water gained at the rate of seven inches per hour. A sail was got under the ship so as to stop the leak as much as possible and as a precautionary measure she was run head on to a sandy beach, and made fast. At eleven o’clock, p.m. the same night, Dr. Hector and a boat’s crew were despatched to Martin’s Bay, but owing to bad weather they did not reach there until Sunday morning last. A fter obtaining some refreshment the Doctor and two of the men proceeded overland for the Head of Lake Wakatip, where they arrived on Friday morning last, and reached Queenstown at 7 p.m , the same evening. Dr. Hector telegraphed at once to Wellington for the assistance of Her Majesty’s steam frigate Virago, which it is believed, would reach the scene of the wreck on Monday night last. Dr Hector and the two sailors left the next morning for Clyde and Dunedin. Sandflies are reported as exceedingly troublesome—the vice regal par,y being much annoyed by them.