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Hawke's Bay Times, Volume 13, Issue 694, 24 June 1869, Page 2

Fatal Accident. —On Tuesdi e\ ening last a sad accident occurit jin the Bay, by which two pewoi lost their lives We understand thi two soldiers of the 18th Begiruei and a lad, son of one of them, to been collecting drift wood along tl Petane Beach, and returned to tl Western Spit soon after dark, at tl time when the ebbing tide wasrtf ning out very strongly. In additw to the boat they were in, they to also a canoe in tow—both being & of firewood. It seems they lan« e on the Western Spit, and called 2 Beukers' to enquire about the ti* and were told that it would not o slack water till midnight, urf which time it would be dangerous" cross the harbor. However, aiW waiting a short time they resold to make the venture—a man i Q n employ of Mr Beukers instructs them as to the course they show steer. When about half-way acroj finding themselves drifting very'* they cast off the canoe, which attached to the boat by the pain w Having run the boat close in W

one of the men leaped out, intending to pull the boat still closer by the end of an oar, which the other was to hand out to him—tfie only bit oi r ope they had having gone with the canoe. The man on shore failed to catch the end of the oar as was intended, and the current catching the boat carried it rapidly out into the ]3ay. The alarm having been raised, Assistant-pilot Kraeft had the lifeboat manned, and proceeded in search of the poor fellows. After cruising about for a considerable time, ihey at length discovered the boat floating keel upwards, and the driftwood that it had contained floating all about, but no trace ot man or boy. Jt is most probable that the boat upset on the bar, on which there was a nasty sea breaking. During yesterday a party of soldiers made a search along the Western Spit, but were unsuccessful in finding either of the bodies. The names of the poor fellows was M'Nally—father and son. We hear that the unfortunate man leaves a wife and young family to mourn their loss.