BOAT ACCIDENT OFF GRAHAMSTOWN.— THREE LIVES LOST.

Hawke's Bay Times, Volume 19, Issue 1387, 29 July 1872, Page 2

BOAT ACCIDENT OFF GRAHAMSTOWN.— THREE LIVES LOST.

| (From the New Zealand Herald, July 24.) It will be seen from our telegraphiccolumns that a most unfortunate boat accident happened off Grahanistown,. yesterday afternoon by which threejives wore lost. We are indebted to CHpt. EUh, of the wliicli arrived shortly- after 1(K o'clock last night, for the following partkaijars .ot the melancholy affair. It seems uhat yesterday morning a fisherman named George Hines, accompanied by his wife and three children, left Tapuy Greek (where they resided), to pay a visit W Grahamstown, where they havo sorao relatives and friends,--among them be* ing, we believe, a married daughter* The boat selected for the trip was a small flat-bottomed dingy, and as it was under the lee of the high land all tho way, no danger was apprehended, and sufficient sail was carried to take the little craft along at a spanking rate. The family consisted of the father (an elderly man), the mother (a middle-aged woman), a son aged about thirteen, a little boy about six years old, and an infant in arms. No doubt the little party were picturing the pleasures <]of their leception ai Grahamstown, when suddenly death arid desolation swept into their midst. A gust of wind coming down from between the hills« capsized the frail craft, and at once threw the whole party into the water. The accident was witnessed from the whaif, and signals made to the Golden Grown,, which was then lying some little distance out. Captain Ellis had a boat lowered and .manned, and steered her for the scene of the accident. The father and &on were seen clinging to the bottom of the dingy, while the other three—the little boy of six, and the mother clutching to her breast her infant in despair, were drifting away out to sea on the bosom of the water. Captain Ellis picked these up, and then rescued the father and son from their perilous situation. They were greatly exhausted ; the mother and two young children were found to be quite dead. Dr Croft did everything that nas possible to restore life, but without avail, and, after being retained on board the Crovn, the bodies were taken ashore. Life was almost gone from both father and son, but the unwearied attention of die doctor brought them round. It was not considered advisable, however, to move them in their exhausted condition and they were brought to town last evening. We are informed that the melancholy affair cast quite a gloom over Grahamstown, where an inquest will, probably, be held to-day.