LOSS OF TWO LIVES.

Southland Times, Volume 2, Issue 98, 7 October 1863, Page 2

LOSS OF TWO LIVES.

(from our own correspondent.) Bluff Harbor, 6th October. On Monday afternoon, about 5 p.m., a calamitous accident occurred here, a boat being upset in the North Channel, whereby two men lost their lives— Mr W. D. Hall, master of the steamer Ituby, and formerly assistant pilot at this port, and a man named Henry Aspinall, the owner of the boat. Captain Hall, Aspinall, and two boatmen (whose names I have not yet ascertained) were going off to the steamer Ruby under canvas, when getting into the little rip in the North Channel, the boat, I believe, shipped «. sea which upset her. The two unnamed men succeeded in clinging to the capsized boat, while Captain Hall and Aspinall were swept away by the current. The accident was observed from the steamer, and ship Helenslee ; both vessels immediately launched their boats, the Ivuby's boat succeeding in saving the two men who were clinging to the capsized boat, and returned to ihe ship with them in safety. The accident was also observed from the shore, and immediately the cry was given of " a boat capsized," Messrs Fordham and Co. manned their boat and put off to the rescue, and succeeded in picking up the body of Captain Hall, and brought it ashore to the Eagle Hotel, when Dr Garjoiy, of the barque Harwoorl, used every exertion in his power to restore animation, but could not succeed. Up to Tuesday morning the body of Aspinall had not been recovered. Captain Hall leaves a wife with a family of four children utterly destitute; Aspinall leaves a wife only. A subscription-list was opened last evening at the Eagle Hotel, for the benefit of the widows and children, when amongst the few assembled we gathered the handsome sum of £22. I enclose you a list, and if you can succeed amongst j our numerous and, I trust, benevolent population to collect something for them, it will be an act of charity, and alleviate in some measure the affliction of the bereaved widows and family. The weather is very bad, blowing a gale of wind on Monday night and Tuesday, with heavy squalls of rain.