WRECK OF THE BRIG GUIDE.

New Zealand Spectator and Cook's Strait Guardian, Volume II, Issue 69, 31 January 1846, Page 3

WRECK OF THE BRIG GUIDE.

Intelligence reached town on Thursday afternoon that the brig Guide, from Sydney, had been wrecked during the previous night near the pa at Wakapuaka, about fifteea miles from Nelson, on the eastern shore of the Bay. The Collector of Customs, and Cross, the pilot, accompanied by two or three gentlemen, immediately proceeded to the spot; and on the following morning, at six o'clock,, about thirty of the militia, who had volunteered for the purpose, went down by land, accompanied by the Captain Commandant, Lieutenant Bell, and the Rev. C. L. Reay. The return of the first party this day enables us to give the following particulars :— rThe brig Guide was anchored in Taranaki road* stead on Wednesday, and her owner on shore. In the afternoon, the weather wearing a threatening aspect, the captain determined to. come . on to Nelson, as he had cargo Tor this place, and accordingly set all possible fail, and fan.for Blind Bay. At midnight he took in sail and hove to, as he believed himself to be welldown and in the middle of the bay ; as the vessel had steered badly, he was mistaken in, the last supposition. About two o'clock a cry of land was given, but the wind, which was now blowing a heavy gale from the north, made it impossible to get sail on the vessel, nor could snch an old cranky ship stand against it. An opening was seen in the hills, which the captain believed to be either the French Pass or Croixelles, and he had therefore, as he states, no alternative but to clap on sail and run in. Tfie vessel was carried safely by a' high sea over the bar into Wakapuaka harbour, and beached within a hundred yards of the pa, where at low water she is high and dry. When the first party from town reached her on Thursday evening, neither ship nor cargo had taken any damage ; but the slight bumping she received, as the tide rose during the night, loosened several seams, and she now makes a few feet of water at each tide, which leaves her again at low water. Had the vessel been of ordinary strength this would not have occurred ; instead of which, she is well known as being old and scarcely seaworthy, requiring the constant use of the pumps all the time she is at sea< The greater part of the cargo has been landed safely and -placed in the pa, from which it will be removed in coasters to this place. The cattle have been driven into the Happy Valley, but the sheep were too weak to accompany them. Messrs. Beit and Sons, the consignees, are exerting themselves in repairing the ship, that an attempt may be made at the next spring tides to get her off and bring her to Nelson, where, we suppose, she will undergo a survey. The number of ca tie and sheep shipped was, of the former, 48, and 34 of the latter. Of those, 35 head of cattle were landed, and 26 sheep. The cargo consists mostly of flour, sugar, ricp, manufactured goods, and general merchandise. The flour, we believe, has received the greatest amount of damage. It is perhaps a fortunate circumstance that one of the resident chiefs at the pa Parramatta, well known as a turbulent character, is from home, or he might have caused some trouble. The natives present there exerted themselrei in the most praiseworthy manner in assisting to unload the vessel and in, .taking care of the cargo.