SUPPOSED DEATHS BY DROWNING IN AUCKLAND.

Hawke's Bay Times, Volume 6, Issue 329, 4 December 1865, Page 1

SUPPOSED DEATHS BY DROWNING IN AUCKLAND.

(From the Southern Cross, 23rd November.) Qrap: a gloom was east over the shipping portion of the community yesterday as it became known that two masters of vessels had been missing, for twelve and twenty-four hours respectively, and that circumstances combined to confirm the fear they had met with watery graves. On Tuesday we were informed that Captain Stanton, of the brig Emma Prescott, from Melbourne, had been missing since half-past twelve on the previous night, and it was feared some accident had befallen him ; but in the hope of his appearance yesterday, we abstained from mentioning the fact until to-day. From inquiries yesterday, we learn that Captain Stanton was in the company of several friends, amongst whom were two other captains, on Monday evening, and was last seen on the wharf about 12 30. He left Capt. Kiddy of the brig Princess Alice, at the waterman’s stairs at the time named, and proceeded in the direction 0t r lB !'! a ,! cssel ’ which wa s lying alongside the outer 1 ballasted and ready for hauling out into the stream. The night was very dark, and the water rough; so much so that Captain Stanton endeavored to disuade Captain Kiddy from going on board his vessel, which was lying in the stream, but to remain on board the Princess Alice. This was the last that was seen of him. He had with him during the evening, and when he parted with Captain Kiddy, a favourite Newfoundland dog which was found in its place on board ship next morning. A Chilian seaman on watch on board the barque Onta, which occupied the opposite of the i, was interrogated yesterday morning respecting the circumstance, aud was confident in the belief that he heard a heavy fall and a splash, in the water about the time indicated, but did not think of inquiring into the cause or name his suspicion to any one. The painful inference, therefore, is that Captain Stanton was stepping on board his vessel and missed Ids footing falling heavily against the side or piles, and becoming insensible to his fate. The water was low at the time, and the vessel’s deck consequently some feet below the level of the wharf. The captain had also lost the use of his left arm, owing to a gunshot wound sustained when young. He was known to many friends in Auckland as a steady temperate man, possessing many excellent qualities, and had. been captain of the Emma Prescott a brig owned by Messrs Lewis, of Melbourne for the past 11 years. He was 44 years of age, and visited this harbor some 17 years ago in charge of a vessel. Since then he has chiefly been trading to Melbourne, where he was well known and respected, and where his wife and two children now reside.

Ihe other case to which we allude is that of George Pago, master of the cutter Watchman, one of Captain Casey’s cargo-boats, which usually trades between Auckland and Low and Motion’s flour-mill, up the river. Page was last seen on the wharf, between 11 and 12 o’clock on Tuesday evening, when he took a dingy, in order to puU from the waterman’s stairs to the cutter, a distance of only about 100 yards. Neither man or boat has since been heard of.

The water police were busy yesterday dragging for the bodies, but no tidings of them were ascertained up to a late hour last evening.

(From the Southern Cross, 24th November.) The master of the cargo-boat Watchman George Page, respecting whose safety grave fears were entertained, was picked up yesterday morning off Brown’s Island, by the cutter Harriet. In our last we stated that Page was last seen at the Waterman’s bouse, where he left in a dingy for bis cutter. It appears that shortly before reaching the boat he lost one of the sculls, and, attempting to recover it capsized the boat, and' lost the other scull. He narrowly escaped drowning by clinging to and righting the boat, although somewhat the worse for liquor at the time. He then found himself in the dingy which was halffilled with water, drifting rapidly down the harbor in a helpless condition. On passing pretty closely to the coal hulks Page cried for help, 'but was speedily carried onward with the tide out of the reach of all available assistance. He states that he afterwards fell asleep in the boat, and when he awoke found himself stuck on Brown’s Island. He left the boat, and laid himself down for the night, with his clothes saturated with water. On the following day he was unable to hail any assistance owing to the strong winds and heavy sea stopping traflic. Early yesterday morning he perceived the cutter Harriet coming out of Drunken Bay with ballast, and improvising a scull out of a piece of timber belonging to the dingy put off to her, and was picked up by Devenport the master, and brought on to town, after being on the island two days and a night without food. (From tlie Southern Cross, November 25.) No tidings of the missing captain of Ihe brio’ Emma Prescott have yet been heard, and there can be little doabt that the worst'fears respecting his fate will be realised. The testimony of the seaman of the Chilian vessel who stated that he heard a heavy fall and a splash, about the time Captain Stanton was known to have gone down the wharf, and the further testimony respecting the bowling of his dog at the same time, go to prove the probability of his death by drowning The vessel will bo taken on to Melbourne, via Newcastle, to-day, in charge of the chief officer.