Hawke's Bay Times. Nullius addictus jurare in verba magistri. MONDAY, NOVEMBER 21, 1870. DREADFUL BOAT ACCIDENT LAST EVENING. FIVE LIVES LOST.

Hawke's Bay Times, Volume 16, Issue 872, 21 November 1870, Page 2

Hawke's Bay Times. Nullius addictus jurare in verba magistri. MONDAY, NOVEMBER 21, 1870. DREADFUL BOAT ACCIDENT LAST EVENING. FIVE LIVES LOST.

A reeling of deep gloom has been cast over this community by a melancholy accident which occurred last evening, by which out of a pleasure party of six who left the town in a boat in the morning, only ' one survivor ia left to tell the tale. The few particulars we give below were mostly furnished to us by Mr Henry Hollo way, who owes his life, under Providence, to the fact of his being a powerful swimmer, and to his havi g retained his presence of mind to the last. He informs us that the party left Napier in a small boat about 10 a.m. yesterday, with the intention of enjoying a picnic on the Western gide of the harbor. Besides himself, there were Mr Martin McNalty, publican, and John JAcNalty, his son ; Mr .Robert Brenton, architect, and his son Alfred j and Mr Henry L. Yates, printer. The party reached their destination without accident, and after staving some time on shore, prepared to return to town. On the way back much delay was caused by the boat getting repeatedly aground on the mud flats, so that jt was evening before f hey came abreast of Mr Beukers' Ferry Hotel. Here a squall suddenly blew off the cap of one of the little boy?, and Mr Brenton, who was rowing, lifted nis oar from its place, and stretched cut 10 re-ch jc. In doing so he knocked out the rowlock, which fell into the water and was lost. At this moment the boat was drifting into the current, which was selling strongly out to pea, and great coniu.jon ei.sued am uigt the party, all of whom, excepting Mr Holfoway, were quite unacquainted with the management of a boat. There was no surf to speak of, but a Blight swell was breaking on the bar. As they swept past Mr Beukers' house they called loudly to him for assistance. The current carried them almost under the new wharf, and seeing one or two persons about, they called again, stating that they were disabled, and were drifting to sea. Strange to say, little notice was take 1 of them, except by Mr Beukers, wbp at once put off iu his boat to their assistance. Very few people at that time were on the beach or near the WW; the pilot and a great number of the Spit residents being then present at the evening sor»iee which was being field in the Port Church by the Bev G-. Morice. ' Mr BeukeiV boat reached the party as they geared the bar, and he called to them, f'fiet

in, all of you j one at a time." This was done, they jßcrambled in as best thev could, b,ut as did so the boat reached the bar, and became half full of water. Mr Holloway and »Mr "V ates baled, but without avail, for the boat rapidly filled, and then capsized. Mr Holloway jumped free of the boat as it turned over, and swam around it to see if any one were clinging to it. It righted again, and one after another got hold of it.. In swimming around he found a boy in the water —he does not know which boy it was—and drew him to the boat by hiß hair. The other pne must have sunk, for he was seen no more.

The next thing that attracted his attention was the position of Mr Brenton, who was lying across the boat, his head in the water. Swimming to him, he found he was quite dead.

He now told those who remained to cling quietly to the boat, as it was their only chance. Mr McNalty and Mr Yates, however, with the instinct of drowning men, were constantly trying to get in, and as often losing their hold altogether. For about an hour Mr Holloway was thus employed,—holding to the boat till one of the party or another loosed their hold, when he would swim tp them and bring them back. Mr Beukers all this time was holding to the boat, but found it as much as he could do to retain his grasp.

At length the boy's hold pave way, and he was carried some distance from the boat. Mr Holloway swam to him, but finding himself unable to support him in the water any longer, was forced to let him go He returned with great difficulty to the boat, and shortly afterwards, a wave striking it and turning it half round, both Mr McNalty and Mr Yates sank to rise no more.

Mr Holloway then called to Mr Beukere, " How long do you think you can hold on ? " " About five minutes," was the reply. Mr Holloway answered, "I 'hinkl am good for a quarter of an hour yet; let us try to paddle for the Challenger,"—which vessel was then not many hundred yards ahead. It was now dark, but they heard the sound of an approaching boat, and oryi-g out once more, were soon lifted from their perilous position by the captain and some ot the crew of {he Challenger. Five minutes afierwards the pilot boat arrived at the spot, and they were taken on board and brought to land. We are informed that a boat, manned by three or four men, left the shore a considerable time before the pilot boat—in fact, just after the party were capsized—but after a long and fruitless search, returned to land. Mr Kraeft reports that on leaving church he was informed of the accident, and at once put off in the pilot boat After pulling about for some time, he heard a faint cry, and pulling in the direction from whence it cime, he found the Challenger's bo it, which had just taken the survivors on board. After bringing them on shore he went off again and searched in vain until 11 p m. for some trace of their missing companions. Captain Lov'ei! reports that at ».40 p.m. he heard cries for help in the direction of the shore. £ome of the men said it was drunken men shouting on the Spit, but thinking differently, he called all hands and turned the boat off the deck house. Putting two or three men in the boat, he pulled in the direction from which the cries proceeded, and found a boat sunk full of water, with two exhausted men clinging to it. Ho gave them up to the pilot boat, and towed the sunken boat to the ship. Also picked up 9 dog swimming in the water.

Mr Holloway says that a constant shouting was kept up by all four until Mr Yates and Mr M'Nalty were drowned, and that then the survivors called out at inturrals.

Mr Holloway is now very weak from the accident, and Mr Beukers, we believe, is seriously ill. Had it not been for the promptitude of Captain Lovell of the Challenger-—to whom too much credit can scarcely be given—we doubt whether a single survivor would ever have returned.

Mr 'Brenton, Mr M'Nalty, and Mr Yates each leave a wife and family. As yet, so far as we are aware, none of the bodies havo been recovered, though a search along the beach has been instituted.

To-day, in town, all the shop windows were half shuttered, and the mournful event was the general topic of conversation.