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Poverty Bay Standard, Volume XI, Issue 1302, 29 March 1883, Page 4

A somewhat exciting adventure (says the *' Evening Post”) occurred on the voyage of the schooner Aurora, which arrived from the East Coast on Saturday night. The schooner left here on Thursday morning with two passengers, Mr and Mrs Colseu. When off Pahau, there being no wind at the time, the boat was lowered in charge of the mate and two men to take the passengers ashore, at their request. The distance to be traversed by the boat was about four miles, and an hour after it had left the vessel a breeze sprang up. Presently the captain was horrified to see the remains of the boat floating outside the surf. There was no other boat and the only alternative left to Capt. Munro was to square away for Wellington, which he did possessed with the mournful conviction that the occupants of the boat must have perished. It came on to blow hard on Friday, and as there was only the captain and the cook left on the vessel they were unable to shorten sail, and had a hazardous passage to this port, which, however, they reached in safety. On his arrival in town. Captain Munro was gratified to find that the mate and crew were in Wellington, having made the journey overland. They reported that the boat capsized and smashed up on going through the surf, but that the occupants all managed to struggle ashore, although they had a very narrow escape, especially Mrs Colsen, who was much exhausted. The most wonderful race on record (says an exchange) was that between Messenger and Beach the other day in Australian waters Largan, the English sculler, was also in the race, but had his boat cut in two by a 14ft. open sailing boat shortly before the start. He, however, started in a borrowed outrigger, but retired after going 200 yards. The water was very rough, and, after changing places repeatedly. Messenger, who was lead, ing, had his boat burst open and swamped forward by a sea, the after part sticking up in the air about three feet. Beach, who had broken his alyde and was pulling on a fixed seat, then shot up to him and yelled out, •‘l’ve beaten you now.” Messenger was of course, inclined to give in, but the people on the steamer yelled at him to go on in hopes something will happen to Beach also. Sure enough they were right, for in a few minutes the stern of his boat sank and the bow cocked up at an angle of 45 degrees. Then Messenger, seeing hope once more, removed his feet from the straps, took off his roller slides and held them in his mouth, and then standing up in his boat, half of which was completely buried under water, he turned round and sat straddle legs across the boat his legs dangling in the water, a tempting bait for any shark in the vicinity. He faced the nose of the boat and after an hour’s hard row ing, during which the water was breaking over him, he rowed his boat stern first the last quarter of a mile, and passing the flagship a winner of one of the most singularly contested races ever recorded. After swamping, Beach gave up the contest. I