EXPORTS.

Grey River Argus, Volume VII, Issue 464, 5 January 1869, Page 2

EXPORTS.

Per Spray, for Lyttelton— 7o tons coal, D. Maclean and Co ; 1 case apparel, RevelL

Three of the regular Nelson traders — the ».s. Kennedy, s. s. Murray, and p.s. Charles Edward — arrived in the river on Friday, the $wo former in the morning and the latter in the evening. The . Kennedy left Nelson on Monday, but had to put into Totaranui, where she lay until late on Tuesday, and arrived on the following evening at the BulJer. The Murray and Charles Edward left Nelson on Tuesday evening within half -an* hour of each other, and the Murray arrived at the Bailer at 7 p.m. and the Charles Edward at 8 p,m, on Wednesday evening. They all discharged cargo thereon Thursday, and arrived here as above. The Murray left again on her return tripfor Nelson, on Saturday, the Kennedy for Hokitika on Sunday, and the Charles Edward for Wanganui direct with 31 recruits for the Armed Con? prtabulary Force, Thes.6. Waipara arrived in, the river on Friday from Hokitika, and left again for Brighton, Charleston, and Westport on Saturday. The ketch Elfin, Captain Shipman, was lowed into the river by the p,s. Dispatch on Sunday afternoon, after a long and boisterous trip from Lyttelton. She left that port on the 26th November, and had light and variable winds to Cook Straits, where she encountered the full force of the late dirty weather. Strong westerly gales prevailed, jmd the ketch continued knocking about from one place of shelter to another until the 2nd inst, when she got a strong easterly breeze, and made good use of it, arriving off the bar pn Sunday, and being towed in the same day. The schooner William and Mary, Captaih Clarkson, arrived off the bar on Sunday, and was brought in on the tide by the p.s. Dispatch: She has made a very long trip of it fhi« time, having Jeft Kaiapoi on the 10th November. She encountered a succession of JitftYy gales and high tea?, and wa? compelled

to run into Nelson for shelter. When tbj weather moderated Bhe made anothe* start, but only to mee,fc heavier gales, and had to run from one P or * P? shelter to another. From Totaranui x she made several attempts to round the Farewell Spit, but was always driven back until the 2nd inst., when she succeeded, and ran down the coast, arriving off this bar on the following morning. On Saturday last, she spoke the schooner Wild Wave^ off Rock's Point, bound for Charleston. The cutter Volunteer, from Westport, was towed in by the p.s. Despatch on Sunday, in ballast. During a recent thunderstorm, Messrs ■ Maclean and Moran, of the lighter United Brothers, had a very narrow escape from being struck by lightning. To avoid a wetr ting they both took refuge in the forercabm of the vessel, and while there, to use the words of our informant, " the lightning, or rather a ball of fire, the size of a,n orange, passed down the hatchway, and exploded near the stove with a report like that of a cannon, but sharper and louder. Both of us were stunned for the moment ; on recovering, we remarked a strong smell of fire, which hung about for some time. Going on deck we found that another portion of the ele.ctric fluid had apparently travelled in-board from the bowsprit, along a cbajn cable, and thence ' tcfthe fco; of the foremast, one of the wedges of which was driven out, and the canvas covering apron rifted up for half its circum? ■ ference." Traces of scorching were visible. but fortunately no further damage than that described wag done, The Brothers was 1 loading timber on the western shore of the 1 estuary (Mr Fraser's sawmills) at the time. — Southland Times.