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Grey River Argus, Volume VIII, Issue 575, 23 September 1869, Page 2

The as. Qraeo, from Nelson, was expected to arrive in this roadstead during last night. . If so she will be tendered this morning, and despatched with gold and passengers for ! Melbourne. From this port she will take between 12,0000z. and 13,0000z. of gold, the whole of which is the produce of the district, with the exception of 24390z. transhipped from Westpo.rt. The s.s. Alhambra., from Melbourne direct, is now due. It is probable, that she arrived j pff Hokitika last night, and will be despatched to-day with passengers for Nelson, Southern ports, and Melbourne. A company has been floated in Auckland, with a capital of L 12.000, for the purpose of purchasing the s.s. John Perm, and keeping her in the Thames trade. The p.s. Charles Edward is expected from Nelson and Westport to-morrow. Shortly after- arrival she will be despatched with passengers for Westport, Nelson, Wanganui, and the Manukau. In consequence of the heavy sea running on the bar yesterday morning, the vessels in the roadstead were not brought in. The p.s. Dispatch went out to the vessels, and found ten feet of water on the bar. In returning to port a gigantic green roller, rising ten feet above the deck of the tug, came in behind $ier, but fortunately did not break on board. Had it done so, it most probably would have swept her crew and everything off her deck. The B.s. John Perm, Captain Carey, from the Manakau, Nelson, and Weatport, arrived in the roadstead on Monday night, and at tide-time on Tuesday morning she pushed for the river, although a heavy surf was running on the bar at the time, and came alongside the wharf safely. She would have made a smart run down from the Manakau had it not been for encountering a westerly gale after leaving Nelson, which compelled her to return to that port for a fresh supply of coal. She left again on Sunday last, arrived in the Buller on Monday, and sailed the same day, arriving as above. Here she took on board a cargo of close on 100 tons of coal, and yesterday morning steamed for the bar. There was a nasty treacherous sea rum ing at the time- long smooths followed by a succession of pnormous rollers. The p.s. Dispatch ran out a short time before the Perm, and shipped several seas on the bar. When the Perm came to the narrow portion of the channel, it appeared from the shore that she did not turn sharp enough, and her. stern took the tail <>f the South Spit, where she hung for son>e time, s jvc a l , heavy seas breaking over lier. She was gradually worked off, but coulil not find ■ room in the channel to get her head round, and she was slowly worked astern. She then hung by the stern on the tail of the North Spit, right across the channel, but she was soon got off, and backed into the river, as the Dispatch was coming running at this time The Perm, steamed slowly up the river, and in passing, Captain Deare, of the Dispatch, informed Captain Carey that the least water found by. him on the bar was ten feet. The Perm was then headed for the bar and crossed in fine style, although she was deluged fore and aft by a succession of tremendous seas which broke over her. . She steamed away for the Hokitika roadstead, where sh« was to \> j tendered. Three of the fastest vessels on the Thames trade were offered' for sale yesterday by Mr. j C. Davis. The, Severn was sold to Mr Ebborn for L 30 0; and the Harriet to Mr Yates for L2GO. ' The Sumpter was withdrawn.—N; Z.Jlerald] Sept. 1. A gloom has been cast over the entire community for the past nine days by the distressing loss of life attending the wreck of the 8.8. Haya Maro, which occurred on the night of the 17-th inst, as the vessel was on her wjvy to Hibgo, barely two hours nfter her departure, and within twenty miles from the harbor. Twenty-two of the passengers and crew are believed to have been drowned ; only one of the missing bodies has been since found washed ashore, and conveyed to "i'okoliama for interment. The wreck was sold by public auction on Friday, tbe 25th inst^realising 255 dollars. At about eight o'clock on the 26th June, the second mate of the Hayo Maro arrived in Yokohama in a native boat, with the appalling news that the steamer,' vsrhich had left the port the previous day at six p.m., for Hiogo, had about two hours afterwards Btruck in the vicinity of tbe Plymouth rocks") and gone down with nearly all on board. The following are the accounts of the two passengers who -were saved out of seven:— The Haya-Marowas steaming at a speed of about 14 knots, whe i about 200 yards to the eastward of the Plymouth rocks she struck violently on a sunken rock. After striking, the vessel grated, surged to' and fro, and suddenly' stopped— out for an instant— from the shock : Captain Hill then gave orders to run her in shore, but the moment she was clear of 'the rocker three revolutions afterwards the stem took the water j and she went down bodily in about 40 fathoms. At the. moment she struck nearly all hands were oil deck, but perfect discipline and coolness were mtintnined, there being only a rush to the b iats on tbe part of the Chinese. Captain Hill was calmly giving further orders, in the hope of Saving his passengers and cargo, when he was accosted by the chief officer, who said, '.'You had' better look after yourself, Captain Hill, it is all over with the vessel," to which the brave man replied, '' Never mind me, look after yourself," and a few moments liter was eMgnifvd with bis ship. Oue boat

was lowered and got away in safety from the | wreck, picking up those of the survivors that they could find, and then making for the ■shore, their progress being, however, slow, aa. they /were 'pulling bnt 'two oars. Some went overboard with the violence of tlie shock when the vessel struck; one of the survivors was seated on the deck with, M r AVainwright, and went down with tha^vessol, but fortunately came up again ui™|pmed, and managed to swim clear of the w reck ; he then endeavored to make for the shore, but the current setting out rendered this apparently impossible ; so reserving his strength, he kept himself afloat for some time on an oar tbat had been given him in the water by one of the officers ; at one time he was puiled under the water by some poor, soul struggling for life ; the other passenger, who was saved was also pulled under water in the same manner and twice nearly drowned. They remained in the; water upwards of an hour, and at the moment when exhaustion was overpowering them were picked up by the boat, which had put off again from the shore to, the rescue. Nothing was found but a bale of cotton yarn, by means of which the chief officer had floated for a considerable time towards the shore, when he also was picked up. Two large native bojits were procured, and the coast, for three or four miles on eitber side of the bay, was carefully explored, but without any result. The rock on which the vessel struck was found to be about 6 feet below water, and about 200 yards to the eastward of the Plymouth rocks, with deep soundings i all round it, same account is given of it by the native fishermen, who added that at high tide it was covered by 12 feet of water. It is supposed to be the spot where the Ncpaul struck two or three years ago. On the charts there is merely "shoal" marked in the vicinity of tbe Plymouth rocks When, examined there were marks where the steamer had struck and shattered the rock. — Japan Herald, June 27.