Untitled

Grey River Argus, Volume VI, Issue 440, 7 November 1868, Page 2

The schooner Spray, Captain Rnxton, from Kaiapoi, arrived off the bar on Wednesday, and was brought to the wharf by the p.s. Dispatch on Thursday about midday. Owing to the heavy weather encountered during the trip, it has been a long one, the Spray having left Kaiapoi on the 4th October, with S.W. winds. On the 6th she rounded Farewell Spit, aud on the 7th, when off Cape Farewell, caw the unfortunate schooner Fancy, which was afterwards lost ,on the South Head, Greville Harbor. On the 9th, when off the Heayhy River, a strong gale was met from theS.W, and the Spray bore up forTotaranui, where she anchored, the following day. Got under weigh again on the 12tb, with a fresh breeze, and on the 13th another heavy gale was encountered from the N.W., and as the Spray could not weather Farewell Spit, she bore up for Astrolabe Harbor, and anchored there at 5 p.m. , in company with with the Wild Wave, where she lay till the 20th, with both anchors down, a strong westerly gale blowing. While lying there on the morning of Sunday, the 19th, several severe shocks of earthquake were experienced. The first was at 10 minutes past 12 o'clock, when the vessel shook violently, and two heavy reports were heard, as if the rocks on shore had been rent, and in the morning huge pieces of granite rock were found which had been rolled down from the rocks on the mainland. Other shocks were experienced at 0.30, 0.45, and 1.10 a.m. The Spray was once more got under weigh on the morning of the 20th, but was compelled to run back the same evening before a strong westerly sale. Another stavt was made on the following morning, with an easterly breeze, and Cape Farewell was rounded on the 24th, with variable winds, and off Rock's Point was reached on the 29th. On the 30th, off Mohikinui, she spoke the schooner Jane Anderson, from Oamaru to Hokitika, with the only survivor of the crew of the Fancy on board. Another strong S.W. gale was met on tbe Slst, when she ran for shelter under Cape Foulwind and came to an anchor there until the weather moderated on the 3rd inst, when way was once more got on the vessel, and the following day she dropped anchor in this roadstead, and was brought in as above. The Gothenburg, Captain Underwood, left Hobson'H Bay at 8 p.m. on the 22nd ult ; cleared Port Philip Heads at 11 p.m., and passed Swan Island on the following day at 10 p.m. ; experienced fine weather on the run across, and made the Snlander at midnight on Tuesday, entering Bluff Harbor at 7 a.m. on the 28th ; discharged cargo and s.iilel again at 4.15 p.m., and had fire weather. Arrived at Port Chalmers at daylight on the 29th, landed 70 tons cargo, 20 valuable horses, and some first-class imported rams. Sailed for Lyttelton at 3.30 p.m. on the 30th, and arrived at 12 45 on the 31st. Sailed at 11 p.m. same night, and arrived at Wellington at 7.30 p.m. on the Ist instant ; encountered strong head winds during the passage. Discharged cargo, and sailed at 5.30 p.m. on the 2nd, and arrived off Nelson at 5 a.m. on the 3rd. Sailed at 10 p. m. same night, and arrived off Hokitika at 2 a.m. on the sth. Landed and embarked passengers, and sailed for Greymouth at 1.30 p.m. same day, and arrived, here same tide. The p.s. Persevere immediately ran out awl tendered her, landing her passengers • and cargo, and promptly despatching her on her return trip to Melbourne. The Wild Wave. Captain O'Brien, from Lyttelton, made tbe roadstead on Wednesday afternoon, and was brought in by the y.s. Dispatch on Thursday forenoon. She has made a very long passage, owing to the continuance of heavy gales. She left Lyttelton on tbe 20th September, and experienced fine weather to the 30th, when she had only got as far as off Cape Campbell. From thence contrary winds were experienced as far as the Farewell Spit, off which she met a heavy gale from the west, and was laid -to, and afterwardß got as far back as Stevens' Island, and anchored in Pelorus Sound, where she lay for three days. Then another attempt was made, Tape Farewell was rounded, and the Wave got as far down as off the Buller, when she had to be again hove-to for four days, during which time die drifted back as far as Cape Farewell, and bore up for Astrolabe anchorage, which, she entered in company with the Spray pn the evening of the 13th. ult. The two schooners left on the 20th, and have been beating about in company down the ennnt, except when the Spray lay under Cape Foulwind, and arrived in this roadstead within a few hours cf each otber. Th» s.i. Bangitota, Captain B.ax, from

New Zealand ports, arrived in the roadstead yesterday afternoon, and was immediately tendered by the p.s. Dispatch, which transhipped into her eighteen passenpers, and 2000oz of gold, .shipped by the Bank of New 6011 th Walea. The Rangitoto was very speedily on her voyage for Melbourne. The p.s. Charles Edward will arrive to-day from Hokitika, and will leave again this evening for Westport and Nelson. She bas been taken off the Auckland trade this trip. v/ Official information has been published in the Gazette of the existence of a sunken rock, having two or three feet over it at low water, lyin.tr midway between the north entiance of tho Three Steeples, off Cape Foulwind, and the entrance of the Buller River. We regret to state that the Unity cutter, the property of Mr Akersten, was stranded on the Boulder Bank on Saturday evening week. It seems that the cutter was coming from Pakawau, the wind blowing hard at the time from the south-west, and in trying to enter she misstayed, and ran ashore on the Boulder Bank, where we believe that she has become a wreck. — Nelson Mall. The schooner Sarah Barr arrived in the bay yesterday from Greymouth, from which port she sailed on the 26 th ult. The passage generally has been marked by a series of strong westerly gales, and on the 16th inst, the schooner had to put in to Hummock Island in a very heavy south-west gale. — Melbourne Argus, 22nd ult. An official inquiry has been held at Nelson into the wreck of tba p.s. Nelson. The facts stated in evidence were almost similar to those which have been already published, and the inquiry was adjourned until Friday morning last, when, as we learn from the Colonist, the Resident Magistrate delivered the following finding :— ' ' The steamer Nelson was accidentally lost in consequence of a sea striking the vessel whilst crossing West Wanganui bar and carrying overboard a large hawser which fowled the starboard paddlewheel and stopped the engines ; that at the same time and whilst the vessel was necessarily anchored to clear the hawser from the wheel, a large quantity of water wa? shipped, which flooded the engine-room and prevented steam being kept up, and so left the vtssel unmanageable ; that her anchor would not hold when let go, and that she drifted on to the rocks and became a total wreck. Further, that I consider the master and crew appear to have done all that they could to save the vessel. " The Resident Magistrate closed his remarks by saying that he considered some provision should be made on board steamers (not engaged in towing) trading to bar harbors, aud liable to be swept by heavy seas, by which no warps should be kept lying on sthe5 the deck. This was not the first wreck thiit had occurred through the screw or paddle of steamers getting entangled in a warp washed overboard in crossing a bar ; and it would be well if a practice prevailed of sending the cables below — usually coiled on deck — so as not to involve any danger to the vessel.