A BOATING ADVENTURE.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume XI, Issue 71, 13 March 1876, Page 2

A BOATING ADVENTURE.

Our telegrams recently informed us of the recovery of two youths who had started from Wellington on a fishing excursion, and been given up for some days asloßt. The Times supplies the following particulars of their unpleasant adventure : — " Some weeks ago we announced that two young men, named Melville and Weddell had vone out in a boat on a fishing excursion, and were- missing,, fear a being entertained for their safety ; and aB nothing was heard of them afterwards, they were given np for lost. Yesterday morning the police clerk, Mr ' Eraser, was somewhat surprised by receiving a visit. Irom one of the supposed lost ones, i Melvillle to wit, who assured him that his mate as well as himself was quite safe, and thereafter related the story of their adventures from the time of starting from Wellington to fißh until they arrived. again in Wellington, a story which", as will be seen by the following particulars, is cot a little romantic. Melville and Weddeil, aged respectively twenty-one and' nineteen years, purchased a life-boat lor £19; and providing themselves with a couple of small loaves and three bottles of water, started on a fishing trip, the idea of carrying provisions being simply that, should they not catch any fish the first day, tbey might remain till- the next, and continue the sport. They went as far as the Beads, starting on Thursday. A8 it happened they did not catch any fish the first day, and remained till Friday, when the wind rose, and gradually increased . in strength. Both men had had some experience of the sea, and deeming it advisable to take Ihe 'boat into shelter, endeavored to get inside the Heads, but they could not make headway against the wind, and were ultimately driven some distance out to sea. both of them being wet through, for the lifeboat was half full of water. On Thursday night they stood io and out of Palliser Bay, but at length they found it necessary to let the boat run before the wind, which they did, taking down tbe jib, and reefing the mainsail They were thus driven a considerable distance, and at daybreak sighted the White Rock, which they tried, to reach with the use of the oars, hut Jailed, and were agiin driven out by the wind. Next day they sighted the Augusta, topsail schooner, bound from • Newcastle to Napier, with coals. She hove -to and picked them up, the captain treating our' waifs with more than kindness. They had* had nothing to eat or dunk for two days, and Melville 'describes their suffering from thirst as being very considerable. The water was-, consumed before they left Wellington Heads, and. the salt water, to use (heir own words, '■ put the set on the bread." Hence the nourishment provided for them on board the Augusta was much needed. Melville and bis mate. worked their papsage to Napier and an arriving there sold the boat for £9, a transaction by whirh they lost £8. The Kiwi was at Napier at the time, and they obtained a passage by her as far as Btackhesd, where they went ashore, as the Kiwi was not going to Wellington direct, and they thought they could arrive as soon by tramping it. This they did, and arrived . at the Hutt yesterday morning, footsore and a little stiff, but otherwise none the worse for their adventure.