THE RIVERTON BOAT ACCIDENT.

Mount Ida Chronicle, Volume VI, Issue 320, 17 April 1875, Page 3

THE RIVERTON BOAT ACCIDENT.

A gloom was cast over the town and district by the intelligence that fears were entertained that the Government whaleboat, with a crew of six men, which left Orepuki on Tuesday morning in search of the body of Memphis, was lost, and that all her crew had perished. Later on, news came to town that d portion of the boat had been picked up, and that there were but slight hopes of the safety of the men. A search party left Riverton early on Thursday morning, proceeded towards Orepuki by the beach, and at Paihi Point, about four miles east of Orepuki, they came across six of the bodies. It was 1 then discovered that there had been two Job n Thomsons in the boat (Little Johri arid big John, as they were known by their fellow-miners), which made seven, instead of six, as at first reported, and that Charles Davis's body was missing. The names of the other unfortunate men are James Parsons, Robert Cupples, James Donald, and John Dawson. All the men, with the exception of James Parsons (long and favorably known as "Deaf Jimmy""), were in the prime of life, and the pick of the district. One of the men 1 leaves a widow and family, another was a j widower, and leaves four children, and ' several of the others had relatives depen- I dent upon for them support. The party I were warned by experienced men against ' attempting to go to sea in the boat in such weather; but, at the ..earnest entreaty of Mrs., Memphis to seek for the missing body of her husband, they were prevailed upon to embark upon such a perilous cruise. Mr. lienry Lyon has been placed in possession of a cheque of £2O by an anonymous contributor, for the relief of the relatives of the deceased men.—Star.'