MARTIN'S BAY EXPEDITION.

Evening Star, Volume VIII, Issue 2160, 8 April 1870, Page 2

MARTIN'S BAY EXPEDITION.

The report of Captain Thomson, harbor master, has been placed at our disposal for publication. As, however, the greater portion of its contents has been anticipated, we sliall merely give extracts. At the outset, it appears that a disappointment was experienced, as on the Charles Edward putting into the Bluff, no passengers offered at Invercargill as was expected. This disappointment ;was keenly felt, because the strong winds then blowing would have been favorable to have gone North about, and thereby given an opportunity to land the passengers and cargo for the Northern porls on the West Coast, making Martin’s Bay the last port of call instead of the first, and also avoided the necessity that existed to hurry away from Lake M'Kerrow. Martin’s Bay was eventually reached, and how the steamer grounded at the entrance of the Holleyford, and afterwards became a wreck, is well known. Captain Thomson next describes the efforts that were made to communicate with Dpucdiii • and how Cagfain Holmes afterwards proceeded to Hokitika. On his way up, Captain Holmes camped with a party of diggers for two days, about twenty miles north from Martin's Bay, who, according to their own statement, were satisfied with their earnings ; and who, on learning that land was open for selection at Martin’s Bay, immediately travelled down the coast, and secured for themselves fifty acres each on the western shore of the Lake. They reported that they had found gold on the beach, about nine miles south from Martin's Bay, hut being difficult to get at with

stores, abandoned it for their present more accessible field. Gui led. by the favorable opinion 'of the district held by the diggers referred to, the crew of the Charles Edward and several of the passengers made application for very valuable sections oil the Hollyford River, and the shores of Lake MTverrow, which are so freely given away. Finding that he could not bo of imtch assistance at the wreck, and fearing that his office work would be falling into arrears, Captain Thomson returned to Dunedin, and on his way through he learned that at Hokitika there were nnny persons desirous to visit Martins Bay, and in consequence the steamer Waipara was advertised to take psssengers thither on hj r next trip to Big Bay where she continues to ply regularly. The remainder of the report is sufficiently interesting to he quoted : —“At the mouth of the Hollyford River it is high water at full and change five nruutes after twelve, and the result of the rise and fall of the tides from three weeks observation is as follows ; Spring tides rise five feet; neap tides, two feet three inches ; the flood begins to run in at the bar about one hour and a-half before high water, and continues to do so for an hour after ihe water has fallen, when not influenced by a fre-h in the river. Vessels entering the Hollyford should do so at tile last quarter fl od ; steamers drawing seven feet will then find it easy of access, but with sailing vessels precaution must he used if the wind is not quite fair and fresh in the offing, otherwise the high land ou the north side of the entrance causes it sometimes to be baffling, with intervening calms, and thereby troublesome and dangerous, unless the sea is so smooth as to admit of warping in, which could have been done frequently during my stay there. Vessels obliged to wait for the tide will find good anchorage in the Bay, in five fathoms ami about two cables’ length from the north shore; even with a fresh breeze blowing home, a vessel will ride easy in the outset that there is to windward from the river. In the channel close to the outer rock, which is awash at low water, there is twelve feet at that state of tide, and in a channel inside of that rock there is fifteen feet at low water, but fit for boats only. The rock referred to is about fifty yards from the shore, and if connected with the mainland by a wall of boulders, with which the beach is strewed (and which could be done at a small cost), it would turn the whole force of the current outside, that is at present about equally divided, the effect of which would be to wash away the end of the sandspit ou the opposite side, on which there is at present six feet at low water, and thereby widen the channel at least fifty yards. It would then admit a larger class of vessels than at present can safely cuter. Meantime a beacon should be erected on the rock, and vessels entering the river should steer in from the offing for the point of the sand spit, so as to pass the rocky point which forms the north head of the bay, about a ship’s length off—due allowance being made for bad steering if the sea is heavy. The vessel will then be running obliquely across the bar, but on a right line to pass through the narrows, which if desirable in cases of large vessels that cannot answer their helm quickly, that they should be in position before nearing the danger to make one course until rounding the sand spit in the river, which should be done close to, so that the inner rock, which is also awash at low water, may he avoided. The course then will be mid-channcl, in which there is three fathoms until abreast of a small island which lies close over on the east side of the river, and off which about one and a half cables length into the channel is a sunken rock, just awash at low water. Below this point sailing vessels waiting for a fair wind will find good anchorage. Here the waters gradually shoal to six feet at low water and the channel became somewhat tortuous until entering the second reach, where the river narrows and deepens to twelve and eighteen feet with no obstruction in mid-channel right up to Lake MTCerrow, in which there is from five to seven fathoms as far as the township; beyond that point the Lake appears to be deep, partaking very much of the character of the sounds to the south of Martin’s Bay. The sinking of the Charles Edward in the Hollyford River I consider was purely an accident, as the danger was hidden from the Judgment of Capt. Holmes an I myself. I regretted exceedingly that such a*u accident should have happened to the first steamer that entered Lake M‘Kerrovv; therefore, that a recurrence of such a disaster may bo prevented (as no doubt vessels will continue to ply there from this time forth to meet the wants of settlers already there and probably the towns at and near Lake Wakatip), I would respectfully recommend that a snag boat should be built there, and the snags removed, which in my opinion could all be done at a cost not exceeding L3OO. The shores of the lake and river present every facility for ship-building and saw-mills, there being a plentiful supply of heavy pines, and a variety of hardwood, consisting of birch, ironwood, broadleaf, and manuka; of the two latter kinds there is not an abundance, but sufficient to supply the crooks and frames for shipbuilding purposes. Before closing this report, and at the request of the owners of the steamer Waipara, I beg to state that they made an offer t» extend their trips to Lake M'Kerrow from Hokitika once in every two months, provided the Government of Otago would pay a small subsidy for such purpose. No figure was named, but as they receive a subsidy from the Westland Government to ply to Big Bay, they are in consequence able to do the work cheaper than anyone else if it should be found desirable to establish such communication.”