OTAGO.

Hawke's Bay Times, Volume V, Issue 250, 10 April 1865, Page 3

OTAGO.

The Vovage of the Alhambra to the West Coast.— The steamships Alhambra and City of Dunedin returned on Saturday morning from the Okitiki or the Brunner Kiver, which is supposed to have been their actual destination with the passengers they conveyed to the West Coast diggings. Capt. Maclean of the Alhambra, having taken observations, and found that his ship, when anchored to discharge, was off the Brunner Biver, the Okitiki being understood to be a smaller stream some distance the southward. The Alhambra left Port Chalmers on Saturday week, and, notwithstanding the unpromising weather, Capt. Maclean proceeded to the southward, going through Foveaus Straits, and arriving at the Brunner River at 2 p.m. on Tuesday- After passing through the Straits, the weather improved, and the sail along the western coast of the Middle Island proved to be one of the greatest pleasures in the way of sight-seeing that any excursionists in search of the picturesque could desire. The scenery along the whole line of coast was magnificent, and near Milford Sound it becomes exceptionally grand. Beyond the river Wanganui the country near the coast line assumes more the form of a plateau, which is backed by an undulating or hilly country as far as the foot of the snow-clad Southern Alps, nearly the whole district being closely covered with large timber, Capt.. Maclean describes the whole coast lines north of the Wanganui as being a most likely tract of country for settlement, appart from anv mineral resources which it may possess. On arrival, the Alhambra.anchored at a safe offing from the shore, nearly opposite the mouth of the river, from which the soundings deepen gradually and regularly from one to thirteen fathoms. During the night the steamers City of Dunedin.and Bruce came to the anchorage, the Bruce haying previously discharged her passengers, which she had brought from Otago, and returned from Nelson with a second freight of sixty passengers at £6 per head. At daybreak she commenced to land her own passengers and those by the city of Dunedin ; proceeding each time in safety over the bar. Subsequently she conveyed to the shore the Alhambra’s passengers, the entire number from both vessels, amounting to about UOO, being landed at £1 a-head at the expense of the ship. 1 The Bruce also, landed a considerable quantity of cargo from the Alhambra; but a small portion of the heavier part of the heavier part of the freight had 10 be brought back. The landing of passengers had to be effected with bouts from the one steamer to the other, a considerable ground-swell prevailing, but for the goods the Bruce went alongside the Alhambra. The weather during the 36 hours of the 'Alhambra’s stay, was remarkably fine, though at the same time, both in Cook’s and Foveaux Straits, the weather was broken and severe. Previous to the Bruce leaving Nelson, the steamer Favorite, from Otago, had arrived all well. At the Okatiki, or Brunner river, whichever it may be, the steamer Storm Bird remained on shore, with little probability of getting her off, unless a heavy fresh occurred, to remove the soft and shifting sand banks which are the feature of the surroundings of the bar. The schooner Sylph had been carried out from the position in which she first went on shore, and was on the beach outside the bar, in a critical position. The bar, though easily taken by the steamers at the proper time of tide, is not always a safe one, as was experienced by a waterman who, in returning ashore contrary to orders, had his boat 'capsized, nearly drowning himself and some of the bands of the Alhambra, by whom he was accompanied. On the return trip from the port, the Alhambra spoke the cutter Trader, from Invercargill, off Jackson’s Bay, all well. The City of Dunedin brought no passengers, a contrast to the condition in which she sailed from Port Chalmers, when she was crowded to an extent that made the passage one of little comfort to the passengers, and of no small trouble and responsibility to Captain Boyd. In the Alhambra seven steerage passengers returned, and their report is that there are many more on the spot anxious to ship. One statement is that there are already hundreds waiting to be conveyed back at a small rate, such as their means can allow, and that in a few days their numbers will be supplemented until a return rush of considerable dimensions will ensue. Those returning in the meantime are only those who are able or willing to pay a fare much above what is likely to be charged in a few weeks; indeed, the statement is that there are hundreds on shore who are anxious to return to this-province, but who are destitute of the means, and that, before the expiring of the winter season, there will be experienced 011 these diggings an amount of privation and want never yet felt on any of the New Zealand gold-fields. The country is described as being covered with very heavy timber, and the closest description of undergrowth, among which it is necessary for the diggers to search for gold; and it is stated that only a few have earned amounts which may be considered small “ piles,” while the whole country , has been prospected for months. If not years past, and ascertained to afford only very ordinary “ tucker ground.” —Otago Times, March 27. ■