TEE SEARCH FOR THE CREW OF THE OCEAN BIRD.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume VII, Issue 116, 16 May 1872, Page 2

TEE SEARCH FOR THE CREW OF THE OCEAN BIRD.

o Mr. Morris Levy, who was despatched in charge of a search party on Friday last, returned yesterday, and has sent in a report to the Superintendent, from which we make a few extracts. After going round Stephen's Island aod the Rangitoto Islaads, and finding no traces of the missing men, Mr. Levy says : — At 2 p.m. on Saturday the wind commenced to blow from the N.W. Seeing a fire on one of the hills near Port Hardy, we made for Mr. Prichsrd's Station to make enquiries, where we met with Mr. George Gasson, the Overseer, who, on learning our errand, told us that he took particular notice of the Ocean Bird on Saturday (did not know the date) being out of the usual track of all vessels, the wind blowing a living gale from the S.E. The vessel was running close in shore, very deep, and evidently in difficulties, under reefed canvas, having come through the Rangitoto Islands. She then passed between the Tower Rocks and D'Crville's Island, and on nearing Cape Stephen she was seen to be making no headway against the ebb tide and frightful rip that was running. They saw them making more canvas to push through it, the vessel at the time being out a quarter-of- a-mile, and endeavoring, as was supposed, to get into Port Hardy. The whole of this was seen from the top of one of the hills between two and three o'clock in the afternoon, which time corresponds with the captain's watch found in the cabin, it having stopped at 2.55. Mr. Gasson turned away for a few minutes, and on looking again found the vessel missing. It is his opinion that no boat of any sort could have lived in the terrific gale that was blowing, which was so strong that though he and his man were not five yards apart, they could not make themselves heard by each other. I have to thank Mr. Gasson for his kind assistance, and for the kind manner in which he treated the whole of us. .«4Jsunday, May 12. — From information received from Mr' Gasson, I deemed it advisable to search Port Hardy, so set sail at 7 a.m., with wind S.E,, and searched all the beaches at Sandy Bay, where we found remains of numerous wrecks of vessels from 20 to 1000 tons, and saw pieces of the Ocean Bird, but they were not of any use, as our boat leaked so badly that it kept one man constantly baling, and any extra weight would have made her worse. Monday, May 13. — Started to search the coast, but boat leaked so much that we had to run for New Harbor to endeavor to patch her up, the weather being very dirty, and blowing hard from the N. W. Tuesday, May 14. — Started at 11 a.m. for Nelson, a gale blowing from the N. E. with very heavy cross sea. Arrived in Nelson at 9 p.m., the weather having been very bad the whole time with heavy rain, and no tent to cover us. I must thank the crew who behaved as one man, doing everything willingly and with a good heart the whole time. 1 have, &c, Mokris Levy. I