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Grey River Argus, Volume VII, Issue 454, 10 December 1868, Page 2

Lately it has been our unpleasant duty to record a continuance of very boisteious weather on the coast, which in the early part of the week put a complete stop to shipping transactions, and has resulted in several shipping disasters, which we record elsewhere. The surf driven up on the bar continued very heavy throughout Tnesday, by the strong N.W. gale which blew on Monday night, and although the day was comparatively fine overhead, the steamers were compelled to remain at their moorings. That night the gale backed up again, and blew with great violence, accompanied by rain, hail, and thunder and lightning. The storm did not last long enough to make any difference on the bar, and as the weather improved as the morning advanced, the surf fell rapidly, and the steamers got ready for a start. The heavy rains had caused a considerable fresh in the river, but the s.s. Kennedy, fully two hours before tide, started from the wharf from Hokitika, and took the bar in fine style, crossing without shipping a bucketful of water. When outside she signalled 12 feet of water in the channel, and this at little over hab%tide. At six p. m. the Charles Edward threw off her moorings, and also srossed the bap without the slightest difficulty, bound for Westport and Wanganui. Since her arrival, on Friday last, the brig Magnet has received quick despatch in landing her cargo, considering that the boisterous weather lately experienced must have greatly retarded thig operation. Her large cargo of 250 tons has already been all landed in ■plendid condition, and yesterday afternoon she was towed np to the coal wharf, where she will ship a cargo of coal for Melbourne. The jb. s Gothenburg is now hourly expected from Wellington, and on arrival she will take passengers to Melbourne direct. The a.B. Lord Ashley is shortly expected from Nelson, and is announced to sail for Sydney direct on Sunday. The s.s. Wallabi has been detained at Wanganui through stress of weather for fifteen days. This accounts for her long absence. The sohooner Ann, Captain Dunlop, from Charleston, was reported off this bar on Saturday last, when she made an attempt to •ail in, bnt was ordered to stand to sea. In the dirty weather which succeeded she waa much knocked about, and became leaky, from the effects of some rough usage she received while lying in Charleston harbor. On Tuesday, as there was no appearance of the sea going down, the master determined to run for Port Elizabeth for shelter, but as the Jeak was gaining on the crew; the vessel was there securely beached, without much damage. On the same day she was visited by Captain AUardyce, the harbor-inaßter, and others, and it was found that the •chooner is only slightly injured, and lying so that she can be launched at very little cost. She is the property of Messrs Kennedy Bros, of this port, and it is probable that the Dispatch will run round and tow the schooner off the first opportunity. The vessel which was sighted off the bar on Monday, and reported as the Sarah Ann, from Melbourne, has since been supposed to be the brig Clarendon, which was wrecked at the Arahura the same evening. The brigantine Waterman was towed into the Hokitika river on Saturday last. Captain Moore reports a most distressing accident which occurred on board his vessel whilst in the offing. After making Hokitika light the vessel was hauled to the wind, her head being then S,W. At thirty minutes past midnight, John M 'Donald, the second mate, fell overboard from the bowsprit and Was drowned. Every effort waa made to. save the unfortui:ata man by throwing lumber overboard, but he was never seen after he fell off the bowsprit. At the time the night was very dark, and the deceased was engaged in shifting the big jib for a smaller one, and whilst he was out on the bowsprit, the vessel made several heavy plnnges, and it is supposed he had lost his hold of the clew of the inner jib, which he was seen holding by. It is but right to say that the mate bad called him to come on board several times before the accident occurred, and the deceased did come in part of the way, but again returned— it is thought to complete some necessary part of the work, bat the night was far too dark to see what he was about. The poor fellow leaves a wife and faniily in Melbourne to mourn his loss. —W. C. Times.