THE LATE GALE.

Lake Wakatip Mail, Volume I, Issue 12, 10 June 1863, Page 4

THE LATE GALE.

QUEENSTOWN. We have had occasion lately in several instances to congratulate ourselves on the magnificent weather, considering the lateness of the season, that we have been favored with in this district, and wc were all utterly unprepared for the gale which visited us with such destructive violence on Monday morning last. Sunday was particularly fine, with a warm bright sun and a gentle breeze, giving the Lake and hills an aspect strongly suggestive of an excursion. Towards evening, however, there were symptoms, to an experienced eye' of bad weather, but it was not until after midnight that there was any change calling for special notice, when the wind rapidly increased till it blew a gale. It was quite warm and seemed to be from the north, but its true direction was so much disturbed by local causes that it was difficult to say with certainty from which point it came— chopping about from east to west with the greatest impartiality, and in sndden gusts. There soon might have been seen the aroused inhabitants in various stages of attire, assisted by their friends who had no tent of their own to attend to, endeavoring to hold down their tenements to the earth with ropes, or propping them up with poles, or strengthening the frail canvas by means of boards and battens. There was scarcely a man who was not holding on, tooth and nail, to his habitation, and hammers were going in every direction. Fortunately the moon shone brightly, and besides affording light to the workers seems to have proved an effective bar to the operation of the fjenus loafer. The fury of some of the blasts was almost incredible, and every thing in their palh, not of the strongest materials, w as levelled with the ground. Panes of glass, sheets of corrugated iron and zinc, empty bottles, gravel, and stones, were flying in all directions, with a running accompaniment of signs, boards, and strips of canvas Almost the first sacrifice to Boreas was the skittle ground in Beach street, the canvas ripping off with a report like that of a gun, and leaving the bare poles to brave the succeeding gusts. The flapping of canvas was something astonishing. A furious burst struck Thatcher's Hotel, and " cannoned " against the Albion, reducing the former to a wreck, and carrying the roof of the latter clean off, besides doing minor damage The roof of the All Nations Hotel was split, and the concert room of the Royal was likewise destroyed. While the gale was at its height, the new church, after giving due notice of its intention, lost its roof, which now lies alongside. To detail half the damage done to the different stores would be tedious, but there is scarcely one in the town which has not suffered in a more or less degree. The boats on the Lake, too, had their share of trouble, and were playing the most remarkable antics—one, possessed of more exhubcrant spirits than the others, turning three eomplete summersets. The Dora and the Wild Wave drifted away and lodged on the reef; the Jenny Lind ran foul of a whale boat, and after an exciting u mill," they separated, the former getting her side staved in, and the latter coming not undamaged out of the contest; the Pride of Dromore and Mr. Rees' schooner were driven ashore, but were otherwise unhurt; while petty injuries to other craft are almost innumerable. Many rumors are afloat concerning other boats which had sailed before the gale to different parts of the Lake, but in the absence of authentic information, we prefer remaining silent. No communication has arrived from the Upper Shotover district; but the effects of the gale at Arthur's Point are subjoined. KINGSTON. At the foot of the Lake the storm was felt in all its fury, and has left significant marks of its force. The buildings most damaged are as follows: Mr. Joyce's Royal Hotel, an entirely new building, was blown down; McGeorge's store has scarcely a stick left; the Criterion Restaurant was stripped, and considerable damage <^one; the iron roof of the Post Office Hotel is partially stripped off; a store belonging to Mr. M'Kenna, and containing a quantity of flour, was blown down; Cobb k Co.'s stables were stripped, and a large quantity of oats and chaff damaged; several others are only partially destroyed, am ng which we may notice Mr. Campbell's Exchange Hotel. The waters of the Lake were raised by the wind to perfect seas, and showers of spray continually poured do-vn into the township, adding to the discomfort and confusion. Among the craft damaged, we may mention the Escort, beached, and partially split up; the Arrow, smashed to atoms, and her cargo of four tons, consigned to Messrs. Spencely, considerably injured ; the Pride of the Clutha was driven on shore, her cable having parted, but very slightly hurt; a whaleboat was driven up the beach a distance of between

20 and 30 yards. The s.s. Victoria was several times covered with water, it washing completely over her, but with the aid of tarpaulins, and men constantly baling, they managed to ke#p her afloat. The steamer Expert has had her after-cabin and funnel carried away, and part of her deck staved in, when she sank bodily, and now lies on the beach, with her stem just standing out of the water. Captain O'Neill immediately set to work to repair his loss, and a contract has been entered into for raising her. The Wakatip was uninjured. The Victoria arrived on Tuesday evening at Queenstown, followed soon after by the Wakatip, but when the mails (due last night) will reach here, is an " open question," they having been sent by a sailing boat. ARTHUR'S POINT. Arthur's Point, Shotover, was on Monday visited by a gale, which caused considerable damage. About 2 a.m. the weather suddenly changed, and from a warm and serene atmosphere a really hot and terrific dust storm arose—the wind blowing in such fitful gusts down the leading spurs of the ranges as to endanger every tenement in the district. The Rose, Thistle and Shamrock hotel (late

the Theatre Royal) was literally stripped, and left with bare poles. Tents were blown down, chimneys twisted into queer shapes, and the residence of your correspondent was so severely strained that nothing saved it from destruction but the application to its frame of numerous rope lashings, hastily made, which were fastened to a strong stake sunk in the ground. When the wind had spent its fury the rain descended in torrents, and continued to fall till a late hour in the afternoon, by which time the river had risen to a considerable height; and lam sorry to record that several large breaches were again made in the embankment formed by the miners who are attempting to turn the river below the " falls bridge." Brown and party's race was again submerged, and all the lower workings were flooded. The bridge erected last week met with the fate of its two predecessors, and boats are being again used for crossing the river. The old horse-track by the saw-pit is impassable, and indeed almost obliterated, for the rush of water against the soft banks at that point has carried the soil away for a considerable distance in shore. Work for the present seems by general consent to have been suspended, and by the flood another check has been given to those who believe in the wealth which underlies their claims.—

From our own Correspondent. THE ARROW. Early on Monday morning this township was visited by a terrific storm, which I regret to 6ay has caused great destruction of property. The wind, in gusts, blew a perfect hurricane, and from all parts of the compass. The Post Office Hotel was the first large building to give way; it became a perfect wreck in a few minutes and is utterly destroyed. The Prince of Wales, Provincial, Olive Branch, Morley's new Albert, and other hotels, are unroofed and gutted to the rafters. Mr. Richmond's billiard-room at the New Orleans is destroyed, the hotel fortunately escaped damage; Brown's bakeries are completely ruined. Scarcely a store has escaped serious damage. The prosperous township of yesterday is now a picture of wretchedness and desolation. To fill up the measure of misfortune, the wind abating at daybreak was followed by heavy rain, which comes down in buckets full, and seems likely to continue, adding much to the misery of the unfortunate people blown out of house and home. The Arrow River has risen some feet and is still rising. The Government offices are all laid level with the ground, a clean sweep —Post Office, Court, Camp, &c. Not a tent is left standing, As there was no time to remove even the papers, no doubt many of consequence are taking the wings of the wind in various directions; such are the fruits of the senseless delay in completing the new buildings which should have been in use weeks ago, —From our own Correspondent.