SEAL-HUNTING ON THE WEST COAST.

Grey River Argus, Volume XIII, Issue 1619, 13 October 1873, Page 3

SEAL-HUNTING ON THE WEST COAST.

The following particulars of the season's seal-hunting on the West Coast, and of the loss of the cutter Mary Ann, and her master, Henry Paramatta, at Two-thumb Bay, have been supplied to the Biverton correspondent of a Southland paper :— The Mary Ann was one of four boats which left Biverton on a sealing cruise to the West Coast early in June last, carrying amongst tbemacomplement of twentyfour men, mostly natives and half castes. They had a fair wind round to Preservation Inlet, where 1 they got sixty seals. From thence they went on to Dusky Bay, where they expected good hunting, but were grievously disappointed, only picking up four more Bkins, the rookeries there having apparently been deserted. The Mary Ann was left here, and the other boats proceeded to Dagg's Sound ; killed 128 seals, when one returned with the skins to the Mary Ann, and 'the other two pushed on further to the northward— making ihe favorite spot Cascade Point, where the boats all met again. "Very stormy weather prevailed tfiere for a week or more, so that they were able to do nothing. They consequently decided on working South again, and had got as far aa Two-thumb Bay whon the accident occurred. They arrived there at night, anchored the Mary Ann in the bay under the lee of an island, and took the 'lighter boats into the river. 'At'midnightit came on ! to blow, with a' heavy sea furining^n; 'The crew of the Mary T Ann| fiiiding ; it some-; what unsafe where they Were, 'determined to run round to George's Sound <b'efbre the wind got too strong ; but, from overconfidence in their boat, delayed starting until the wind and sea were pretty, heavy. About four o'clock in the morning they attempted to make a start, but just as they were hoisting sail and lifting anchor, the latter caught on a reef, preventing the' craft from gathering way, and a big sea coming up at the same moment, threw her up on the rocks, which' knocked the bottom clean out of her. The three men got upon the rocks,,, and, cooeyed for assistance to their mates on shore. Being in danger of getting washed; off, Para-, matta, the master, went on, board, the wreck and clung to the mast, sayinghe could hot swim. Almost as he was speaking" aroller diished over them; taking the wreck and Paramatta out into the bay. The' other two men then struck out for the shore. The men on shore had heard their cries; arid launched ia boat with great difficulty. 6ri" pulling but, they came upon old BUly, another of the crew, perched upon the hatchway of the Mary Ann, which he had come across. He cried out, "Me all right, boys ; goon, look for Bob." They went on, and found Bob swimming towards them . among pieces' of t the wreck, but could see or hear nothing of Paramatta. They then pulled into the river again, nearly losing 'their boat in doing so, as a heavy wave caught her and threw her clean 1 up on the top of some big boulders in mid-channel. At daylight; they went to the beach and found Paramatta's body— ' close to where old Billy had been landed 1 on his hatch— and occupied the day, in picking up all they could:,bf the wreck. They obtained the sails; anchors, ropes,) and chains, and every piece of woodwork that came ashore was collected,, piled in a ihespY and burntj- in accordance with "Maori cnatom. Four days afterwards,22nd July, they buried Paramatta on a gentle slope on the opposite side of the river to the usual camping place, his grave being marked with a pole at the head. The gale continued for some days longer, during which a hundred of the skins were washed ashore and picked up. With the first slant of wind they took the, gear saved down to Caswell's Sound and stowed it there in a cave. Here they waited three weeks for fair weather, as they found that when loaded with pro-: visions, 200 skins, and the eleven of the party— two of the boats, it should be mentioned, had gone off on' a separate lay sometime before the wreck occurred— the boat floated just one plank free, and was therefore unable to encounter either a swell or a breeze. Before leaving the scene of ■ the wreck, they had erected a board on the beach stating the loss of the Mary l Ann 1 andjParaniatta; as a directory to* the other boats, when. 'returning down ! the 1 coast, tojkeep a look but for signals' on ' *hbr<?, as they thought it very pro- 1 bable "they themselves would get cast away in their over-loaded, state. They succeeded, however, in coasting down in safety, and nearly reached home, being in Price's boat harbor, when the other boatsi were seen coming along. Signals beings made, the paßßing boats hove to and took on board each some men, the. whole soon after arriving safely at Wakapatu. Our correspondent adds :— " This ! is the first accident of any note that I have heard of amongst the Maori sealers for over 20 years; and his mates say' that had Paramatta used his usua caution on this occasion— run for better shelter before the weather became too bad— he would have escaped the mis

fortune to his vessel and saved his own life. He was a thorough sailor and a3 good a whaler as ever threw a harpoon. He knew every crevice almost of tho coast, having, in addition to his sealing cruises, accompanied, on several occasions, Dr Hector and other scientific gentlemen in their explorations. One incident of the wreck may be worth preserving, as showing that courage and devotion are not confined to either sex or condition. The Maori woman mentioned as being with the party was standing on the sand when old Billy and his hatch were chucked up bya wave. She asked him where Bob Cooper was, ( and being told * Swimming about out there somewhere,' plunged into the surf and swam out into the darkness in search of him. The attempt nearly cost her her life, but she was fortunately picked up before quite exhausted."

A printer remarks that he has never been able to give a proof of the pudding till it was locked up in his form. An lowa Justice of the Peace refused to fine a man for kissing a girl against her will, on the ground that Hannah could have bitten, him, but did not.

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