PORT OF BLUFF HARBOR.

Southland Times, Issue 633, 18 February 1867, Page 2

PORT OF BLUFF HARBOR.

AEEIVED. Jan 17— P.N.Z. and A.R.M. Co.'s s.s., Rangitoto, 700 tons, J. W. B. Darke, from Mcl bourne. T. G. Tanton, agent. Jan 20 — Bengal, 600 tons, Jamieson, from Newcastle, N.S.W., with cattle and horses. Morison, Law and Squires, agents. Jau 22— Otago, s.s. 1000 tons, Simmonds, from Dunedin, with passengers and cargo. T. G. Tanton, agent. Jan. 24 — WiUiam Miskin, s.s. 145 tons, Hepburn from Dunedin. Jan 21 — WiUiam Miskin, 115 tons, Hepburn from Dunedin. Jas. Waddel, agent. Jan 25— Kate, 40 tons, Clarke, from Biverton, with 90 bales wool, 6 bales skins, for ship Water Nymph ; 1 case, Lonsuet. Jan 26— Ann, 30 tons, Hunt, from Riverton, with 24 bales wool for ship Water Nymph. Jan 27— P.,N.Z. and A.R.M Cos. s.s. Phcebe, 700 tons, E. Wheeler, from Hokitika, kc. T. G. Tanton, agent. Jan 27— P..N.Z. and A.R.M. Cos. s.s. Airedale, 500 tons, W. H. Meikleham, from Northern Ports. T. G. Tanton, agent. Jan 31 — Mary BriUiard, schooner, from Stewart's Island. Jan 31— Nelly, cutter, from Stewart's Island. . Jan 31 — P.N.Z. and A.R. Mf. Co.'s s.s. Tararua, 7TO^oTTO;-JTTElagiey,--^rw~» lUU<»»> ai«»at. T. G. Tanton, agent. Feb 2 — William Miskin, s.s. Hepburn, from Hokitika. . Feb 7— Albion, s.s., 500 tons, Kidney, from Dunedin, with cargo and passengers. J. Waddel' agent. Feb 9 — Omeo, ss, 800 tons, J. Edwards, from Melbourne. Dalgety and Co., agents.. Feb 12^r-Wellington,Yss, 500 tons, Renner, from Dunedin, with cargo and passengers. T. G. Tanton, agent. Feb 14 — Chile, ship, 800 tons, Stringer, from Dunedin in ballast. Dalgety Rattray and Co., agents. Feb 14 — Taranaki, s.s. 550 tons, Francis, from Dunedin with ca,rgo and passengers. Dalgety, Rattray and Co., agents. SAILED. Jan 17— P.N.Z. and A.R.M. Co.'s b.b., Rangitoto, 700 tons, J. W. B. Darke, for Northern Ports. T. G. Tanton, agent. Jan 17— P.Z.S.N. Co.'s s.s. Taranaki, 500 tons. H. B. Francis, for Northern Ports. Dalgety and Co., agents. Jan 22— P.N.Z add A.R.M. Co.'s s.s. Otago, 700 tons, W. J. O. Symond, for Melbourne. T. G. Tanton, agent. Jan. 24 — Bengal, 600 tons, Jamieson, for Newcastle, in baUast. Oan. 24 — WiUiam Misken, 145 tons, Hepburn, for Hokitika. Jen 24 — WiUiam Miskin, 115 tons, Hepburn, for Hokitika. Jas. Waddel, agent. Jan 27- — Kate, 40 tons, Clarke, for Ruapuke, in baUast. Jan 27 — Dorcas, 5 tons, West, for Ruapuke, in baUast. Jan 27 — Ann, 30 tons, Hunt, for Riverton, with sundries. Jan 27— P..N.Z. and A.R.M. Cos. s.s. Phcebe, 700 tons,- E- Wheeler, for Otago and Northern Ports. T. G Tanton, agent. Jan 31 — Ann, schooner, Hunt, : for Riverton. Feb I— P.N.Z. and A.R.M. Co.'s s.s. Tararua, 700 tons, J. Hagley, for Northern Ports, Panama, &c. T. G. Tanton agent. Feb 2 — William Miskin, s.s., Hepburn, for Dunedin. ]? e b 7 — Albion, s.s., 500 tons, for Melbourne with cargo and passengers. J. Waddel agent. F e b. 7 — Dorcas, 5 tons, West, for Ruapuki. Feb. 7--O.S.S. Co.'s s.s. Albion, 700 tons, E. Kidney, for Melbonrne. Morison, Law and Co., agents. Feb 10 — Ann, 20 tons, Hunt, for Riverton, with sundries. ;p e b 10 — Omeo, ss., 800 tons, J. Edwards, for Otago. Dalgety and Co., agents. Feb 12 — Wellington, ss 500 tons, Renner, for Hokitika, with cargo and passengers. T. G. Tanton, agent. Feb 14— Wm. Miskin, s,s. 150 tons, Hepburn, for Hokitika : with cargo and passengers. J. Waddel, agent. ; , Feb. 14— Kate, 40 tons, Clarke, for Ruapuki. Feb 14— Water Nymph, 584 tons, E. S. YBabot, for London, with 1451- bales wool, 15 bales skins, and 7 passengers. Morison, Law and Co., agents. ♦ The barque, Witch of the Tees, from London, via Hobart Town, arrived at the New River on Saturday, Feb 2nd. She left Hobart Town on the 27th izlt., and encountered Ught winds nearly the. whole way. She' made the passage in less than six days. She is consigned to Messrs M'Pherson, and Co. The Water Nymph, the "first wool ship of the season, is now ready to put to sea, " a fuU ship." We have not yet received our report of her clearance, but from other sources we can give our readers a statement of her cargo, with an approximate estimate of its valae. Calder, Blacklock and Co., 470 bales, 141,103 lbs, -£11,005 ; Dalgety, Rattray and Co., 474 bales, 83,736 lbs, £10,378; Morison, Law and Co, 290 bales, 99,014 lbs, £5948; M'Pherson, and Co., 207 bales, 74,532 lbs, £4266 ; 'Whittingham Bros.j 10 bales, 3272 lbs, £221 ; 15 bales sheepskins^ £143. Ihe following are passengers by this ship— - Cabin: Misses Butler (2), Dr Butler, Misses Baillie, P. L. Francis, Masters EUes (2).

"WbEOK OS *HB Gk>tfißWaiEl!rT STBAMKfi Pioneeb, a« T&ksvXkXt.-— The Sovihem Cross, of the 26th ult.j gives the following account of the wreok of tbe Colonial -Government steamer Pioneer t — " The Pioneer, it appears, was moored at Port Waikato, on the 3rd of November, by Captain Fernandez, for the purpose of having her stern wheel displaoed, and being fitted with the side wheels and engines of the Sturt. On the night of the 23rd inst., her nioorings were* examined by .Mr L'—der, engineer and manager of the Waikato Ste n Transport Service, at two a.m. and four a.m., ard both anchors were found safe. Shortly afterwards, one of the workmen informed him that the Pioneer had drifted away, and was on the bar. Mr Lodder, finding this to be the case, at once caUed upon Captain Breton to assist him, as he had not a boat which was capable of taking the bar. The request was immediately compUed with ; but owing to the bar being too heavy, the party in the boat could not leave until about seven o'clock a,m., and by that hour the Pioneer had drifted seven mileß out to sea. Two boats were manned; Captain Breton taking charge of one, and Mr Lodder of the other. The Pioneer was overtaken at about ten a.m., wher she was found to have made a good deal of water An attempt was then made to work her, anc steam was got up with the view of returning U Port Waikato, but it began to blow from tt( south-west and a heavy sea was met with As I the anchors could not be cleared, it wai found nesessary to slip both, and, left thus t< the; mercy o^ the waves, she graduaUy drift*: towards, the Manakau Heads. The heavy Beas ~ — . — , —^ — j-r^uucciTa-^,^,^. i„ TuvorAr carriec away the stern wheel and almost fillea her -vwr-i water, when the order was given to desert her and it was with the greatest difficulty the ere*? and officers saved their Uves. A landing wa happUy effected near Awhitu ; and an attemp was to be made to roach Port Waikato vii Waiku,. The desertion of the vessel had to bi offected. so suddenly that the party only landec in their trousers, and shirts. Shortly after th party reached the shore, and whdlst resting fron their laborious exertions, the Pioneer appeare< suddenly to spUt in the middle, and sank out o sight. Her sternpost could afterwards be seen a low water as she lay on the middle bank, opposib the pilot station, Paratntai. Wbeok op the basque Cambodia, on th] Manuktta Bab. — We are enabled to state thi circumstances attending the lobs of the Britisl barque Cambodia on the Manukau, briefly aUu ded to in our last issue. The vessel's name wai then unknown, and she was beUeved to be oattli laden from New South Wales. We now find however, that she was from Bombay, bound t< the islands for guono, and was a large Sunder land-bufit barque of 811 tons register, hailing from Topsham, Devonshire. Her last trip wai from Cardiff to Bombay, laden with patent fuel after discharging which she left for the Guam Islands to load for Cork or Falmouth, intending to ! call at Plymouth for orders. She had som< 400 tons of baUast on board, and left Bombay ii October last. Falling short of provisions, owing to the protracted passage, caused by light windi and calms, Captain Craft proposed putting intc Auckland for provisions. Having only a genera chart on a smaU scale, he experienced some difficulty in making out the route, and on sight ing land, at 5 p.m. on Tuesday, was some fortj or fifty mUes off the Manukau Heads, bearing N;E. The vessel was then scudding before thi wind, which was from the southward and east ward, and had aU. sail set, with a moderato breeze. The captain gave orders for the vessel t< be steered east-half-north, and shortened sail When about ten miles off the land a signal wai observed from the pUot station, hut was perfectb unintelligible to the captain of the vessel ; anc after every effort to ascertain its meaning Captain Croft continued its course until th vessel reached ten fathoms of water. Thi was about eight a.m. on Tuesday. The vesse was then put about with a view of waiting for i pUot to come off to her, Captain Croft ver naturally feehng afraid to run into a port witl which he was unacquainted, and respecting which his chart afforded only very meagre in formation. It was his intention to stand off anc on until assistance came, dud when an -attomp was made to stay the vessel she missed stays anc would not come round. The captain thei ordered her to be wore round and braced shar] up. The yes then lay to the westward, ant breakers on he?* lee, and finding she would no weather them tae order was given to tack. Thi vessel failed to answer, and would not come tc the wind, when it was discovered that there wai not room to wear her again. A few minutei afterwards she struck on the sand-bank, and thi anchor was at once let go. When brought rounc by the anchor, the stern struck on the bank, anc the vessel bumped heavUy. Had the captaii been able to read the signals, he would havi taken the south channel earher, and so have avoided the disastrous consequences which en sued. During this time the signals intimatec that the vessel was steering too much a-star board. Shortly after striking, the order wai given to cut away the mainmast, with i view "of Ughtening the ship, and to pre vent her bumping and straining so heavibj with the rough sea on the bar. The mizen top and top-gaUant yards went over ih< side with the mainmast. Everything wai started, and the decks were lifted as the yes sel bumped on the bar. She then dragged hej anchor over the shoal and drifted in, the sea maLing a clean breach over her. The water in her hole was rising above the ballast, when the order wai given to launch the the pinnace and long-boat and the ship's dapers and a few other valuable! having been secured, the crew, numbering twenty one, deserted the vessel in company with the captain and officers about mid-day on Tuesday Alter proceeding some distance tiie boats were met by the Uttle s.s. Halcyon, which had put of with Captain Wing, the pUot, to the assistance 6: the vessel. Captain Croft was taken on boarc and the crew came up to Onehunga. In the even ing the Aalcyon went down to the vessel, and succeeded, in towing her out of her perilou* position to a place of safety inside the Huia She was towed aground, fuU of water, and wher left the tide was flowing over her. Captaii Wing, ahd Mr Brewer, of H.M. Customs, wehl down to visit the wreck yesterday, but had not returned up to a late hour. . last evening. It ii not expected she wiU float again. The CambodiE is a 13-year ship off. the letter, and re-classed fo] nine years. Her owners are John Holman anc Sons, of Topsham. She iB insured in th« Western Clubs for £7000.— Southern Cross Dec 27. The Rona. — The Notobious Captain Hates again. — The New Zealand Herald of the I6tl ultimo reports: — "A brig signaUed yesterday morning anchored outside Rangitoto Reef shortly before 9 a.m:, and, hoisting no number, remained a perfect stranger to the pubhc until about 1] a.m., when two boats were seen puUingup harboi from her, and observed to go alongside the Bells Maria coal-hulk. Shortly after this they came uj to the Waterman's Stairs, Queen street Wharf when two gentlemen and a lady landed. One di these represented himself as the captain of the brig; and furnished the foUowing report (which but for the circumstances detailed below would have gone forth to the pubhc as a correct one) : — " The brig Hayward, 250 tons, Captain Hall, from Adelaide, bound on a trading voyage to the South Sea Islands, .put .._ in for provisions. She left Adelaide on the 4th December, bound to the South Seasj. and experienced very bad easterly weather after leaving and almost until reaching this coast, which greatly retarded her passage ; and Captain HaU, finding his stock running short, determined to put in here for necessary supphes." Upon Captain HaU coming in contact with Captain WiUiams, boarding officer, and searcher of H.M.s Customs, his explanation was not quite so satisfactory, and the suspicions of the authorities were aroused. Captain WiUiams and Mr Hewson, H.M.C., with a fuU boaf s crew, at once started down for the brig, and upon their reaching the north end of the Rangitoto observed the brig getting under weigh ; this further gave rise to suspicion, chase was at once given, the vessel overtaken and boarded by the authorities. They had scarcely gained the main deck, when, judge their surprise, they found the stranger not

to be the fiayward, Captain Hall, from Adelaide, but the Rona, Captain Hayes, (of Black Diamond notoriety) from Hokitika. The vessel was searched, but nothing found in her } her papers were examined and found all oorreot, bearing date lßt January, 1867. Captain Hayes, in answer to their enquiries, stated that tho Captain HaU was his chief offioer, and that he ought to have known better tban to have given the vessel a false name, as he (Captain Hayeß) had sent ' letters up to town by him to influential merchants here who knew better. Also that the reason he got underweigh again was, because he had only the cook and another man left on board, and tne vessel was dragging too near shore. Before, however, the Customs authorities left the brig i they turned out eight able-bodied seamen, stowed : away forward.. The Ron* left Hokitika on the ' 2nd instant, came through Cook's Strait and i finding he had Hot enough provisions to carry him L on to Tahiti, bore up for this port for a fresh supi niy, but why with such a motive as he did we > aTe at a loss to know. During aU this time ; the, mate had obtained an ample supply of j necessaries, &c, (and for which, we believe, cash i was paid), and was returning to the vessel, when j . about half-way down he was confronted by the 1 officers in the returning Custom House boat, and j upon being closely interrogated and reprimanded b by them for making false declaratidns, confessed .. everything. Captain Hayes is weU known here s among our Auckland merchants and others — as t> also, as it wiU be remembered, from reports that 1 have appeared at the South, i, ■———■■