ANOTHER SAD TALE FROM THE AUCKLAND ISLANDS.

Hawke's Bay Times, Volume 16, Issue 806, 21 July 1870, Page 2

ANOTHER SAD TALE FROM THE AUCKLAND ISLANDS.

We take the following account of the disr appearance of a portion of the crew of the schooner Daphne, at the Auckland Islands, as already reported by telegraph, from the Southland News of the 9th insfc.:— *

The schooner Daphne, which sailed from New Elver on the 26th March last, bound for the Auckland Islands on a sealing and salvage cruise, returned last Friday night manned by only three of the crew, viz,, James Cousins, R. Boyd, and Robert Seeman (a Kanaka). Pending the official enquiry, we place before our readers the following particulars obtained from the men named :-r-The only event on the run from New River was that when about 75 miles from Port Ross, the schooner was thrown on her beam ends by a squall, but speedily righted without further casualty. She came to an anchor at Port Ross 13 days after leaving New River, and preparations were at once made to carry on the sealing enterprise. The maintopraast and foreyard were struck and taken on shore, together with tanks, drums, and cans for receiving oil. From that time up to the 10th May, the crew were employed in the usual routine of sealing. On that day at 4 p.m. they were called to niau the whale-

boat, for the purpose of proceeding round the west coast of the island to the wreck of the General Grant, from which it was intended, if possible, to recover the pjold that was on board when she went down. The party consisted of Captain Wallace, part owner; Joseph Moss, mate, (a half-caste native of Stewart's Island); David Ashworth, second mate, also part owner, and a survivor from the wreck of the General Grant; James Cossar, carpenter and diver; Frank Leinster and James Bailey, ordinary seamen. The men left on board were those whose names were given above as having brought the vessel back. About one week's supply of provisions—consisting of potatoes, meat, bread, and biscuit—* was placed in the boat, together with two fowling pieces, powder and shot. Tanks and sheet lead were also kept in her against the emergency of a sudden leak. The diving dress was not taken, the object of the party being simply to reconnoitre and return to the vessel for a larger boat, built expressly for the purpose of carrying on the diving operations. The whaleboat left the ship about 4.30 a.m., with a fair easterly wind, and was not lost sight of until rounding a headland, distant about three miles (the moon being just past the full.) The weather remained fine until noon of the next day, when it began to blow from the westward, and so continued for some days with heavy sea. The men left on board state that they often went aloft to look for fires or other signs of thoir shipmates; and at the end of the week they attempted to go in search of them with the large (and only remaining) ship's boat, but it was too heavy for tliem to manago by means of oars, and they did not like to depend upon sails as it was so squally* They searched the beaches in the vichdtj on foot but found no traces, and eventually, after waiting five weeks longer, resolved to make sail for the last port of departure (New Eiver). The anchor was accordingly weighed on the 21st June, and after a passage of ten days, during which the vess.l had to be repeatedly hove-to, she was boarded by the pilot, Mr Clare, and brought up to the Lower Pool, where she now lies.

It will be remembered that in the fore« going narrative no mention is made of any memorandum having been left at Port Ross, or of any attempt to reach the west coast or place of General Grant's wreck on foot. These measures, that one would suppose must have naturally presented themselves, did not appear to have occurred to the men in charge, whose peculiar position can scarcely excuse the oversight. Cousins, who was rated as cook and steward, had been a master mariner. Boyd is quite a youth, learning seamen's duty, and the Kanaka an ordinary seaman. Public opinion here is much divided on their conduct. Some nay they should have taken th« vessel round by the west side of island, while others argue that they should have made more search on shore. But it must be remembered that cither of these courses might have involved the loss of the ship and their own live&, and that they no doubt acted to the best of their judgment. That no record was left at Port Ross is a matter of serious regret, for it would have afforded a clue to those on board H.M.'s s.r. Blanche, if—as recent telegraphic advices lead us to suppose —she has visited the | Auckland Islands, in search of traces of the Matoaka, pursuant to orders from the : Home Government. A memorandum of particulars would also have furnished* an additional incentive, if any were needed, to minute search.

The young man Boyd, whose parents reside here, states that while the party were engaged sealing at Port Koss they found five skeletons within a short distance of where one was discovered by Cross, the master of the Flying Scud, when she went to relieve Captain Musgrave's party, and that they duly interred these sad relics, which they supposed were those of people from the Invercauld (the second vessel known to have been lost at the islands). The whaleboat was an old one about 28 feet long, and although apparently in good repair, had invariably leaked a good deal after sustaining the strain of cross seas, or the tide rips met with on the coast. The men, he sajs, disliked her; but, as we have seen, their misgiviugs did not deter them from putting to sea in her. Moss, the mate, was well-known here as an expert whaler and boatman, and the others were experienced hands. Ashworth was relied upon to guide the party to the scene of the wreck of the General Grant, and was very confident as to the result. Boyd further slates that the dej.ot of stores at Port Boss had been opened and the tinderbox, matches, fish-hooks, powder, musket, &c, left exposed to the wet, which had spoiled them. (Captain Beatson, of the Oreti, reported somewhat to this effect ou his return from the Auckland Islands iu March last.) The articles were taken on board the Daphne, and it was their intention to have replaced them by others; but it was frustrated by subsequent events. If by any chance the boats crew survive and have reached,Port iioss siuce the Daphne left they could have no great difficulty it\ obtaining food, as rabbits and pigs abound* and goats are met with occasionally,