GREYMOUTH.

Southland Times, Issue 1013, 31 August 1868, Page 2

GREYMOUTH.

ABUTTED. Aug 27 — Rose of Eden, from KaiapoL Aug 28 — Bangitoto, b.s., from Holritika. Aug 28 — Don, from Brisbane. Aug 28— Charles Edward, from HoMtika. Aug 29 — Wallaby, p.s., from WanganuL Aug 29 — Egmont, s.s., from Wellington. SiXEED. Aug 27 — Kennedy, p.s., for Nelson. Aug 28— Bangitoto, a.s., for Nelson.

The a.B. Gothenburg, Captain Underwood, left Hobson's Say at 3 p.m., 22nd inst. ; passed Fort Philip Heads at 6, and Cape Schanck at 8.30 the tame night, and Swan Island at 5 p.m., on 23rd ; experienced light northerly and westerly winds throughout the passage; made S.W. Cape at daylight on 27th ; and entered Bluff Harbor at 1 pan. same day ; discharged about 65 tons cargo, sad sailed at 5 p.m. on 28th, for Dunedin. Stt*kbmk<js op a. Ship's Cbew. — Mr C. T. Bennett, a Newfoundland merchant, of Bristol, has received details of the sufferings of the crew of the Queen, of Swansea, which was lost off Cape St. John, in December. The Queen struck on Gull Island on the morning of the 12th Dec. The captain and ten others got on shore by means of a hawser ; and other four went off in the ship, and must have met a watery grave. On the morning of the 21at of April the schooner Selina was off the island sealing. One of the men in a punt wounded a duck, which he followed into the core, and he there found the remains of the unfortunate people. There can be but little doubt that the last to die must have subsisted .upon human flesh. Two of the bodies were perfect skeletons, all the flesh being eaten from the bones. Another one had three- stabs near the heart, and a number of slices had been cut from his breast and arm. On the person of Capt. Owens were found two notes, in both of -which he speaks of the dreadful sufferings he and his men were enduring, and tells how they had given up all hope of deliverance. ' W. and G-. Hoskins,' in a letter to ' Dear father and mother, sisters and brother,' says, 'We have been fasting 108 Hours j but do not grieve for us j we are giving our devotion to prayer. There is no one dead yet, but getting very weak all hands.' A letter was found on the person of Mr P. Dowsley, addressed to his wife, in which he says, •We were dragged up the cliff by means of a rope tied round our waists. Hot one of us saved a single thing but as we stood, not even a bite of bread. This is our

filth day, and we have not hid a bite or sup, not even a drink of water, there being no such thing on the island. It is void of everything thai would give us any comfort S it ft "so barren ana bleak that we canMt get wood to make a fire to warm us ■; our beds arc on the cold rocks and with & piece of thin canvas full of glitter to covrer uls. You may fancy what my sufferings have been and are ; you know I was never very strong or robust. My feet are all swelling and lam getting very weak. I expect that if Providence does not send us a boat or vessel along this way to-da3 r , or to-morrow at furthest, some of U3 will be no more, and I very much fear I will be tlie first victim. If so you will not have the gratification of getting my body, as they will make use of it for food. lam famishing with thirst, I would give the 20s I took with me — yes, all I ever saw, for one drink of water. If I had plenty of water I know I would live much longer. I feel a dreadful feverish thirst, and no means of relieving it. . . I plainly see that in a few hours I must shortly appear before nly God. Whilst I am writing this under our little bit of canvas I am shivering with weakness and cold from head to foot ; I don't know how I have written what I have, but this I can say, the facts are worse than I h ive named.' In another letter written two days later, Dowsley says : — •' We have had no relief; our case is now hopeless; our sufferings are becoming unbearable."

PSKIKSTTLAB AND -OEIBHTAIr FiEET;— The latest addition to the splendid fleet of steamships owned by the Peninsular and Oriental Company — viz., the Trayancore, a vessel built and engined by Mr Jchn Key, of Kirkcaldy — was taken out fora trial on Wednesday. She left the Southampton Docks at half-past eleven a.m., proceeding direct to Stokes Bay, where one run was made on the measured mile, and then steamed round the Isle of Wight, returning into Southampton water at six o'clock. The Travancore is a screw steamer of 400-horse power nominal (indicated power during the run, 1,405) ; her gross tonnage being 1,899}, and registered ditto, 1,185; length, 281 ft. 6in. ; breadth of beam, 35ft. sin. ; and depth of hold, 27ft. Bin. Her true mean speed when on the measured mile, with a strong sou«r -rly wind blowing, was 12.245 knots; steam 241 b .; vacuum,^ 22in. ; revolutions of engines, 59. She had 754 tons weight of coals, water, and stores on board, and her draught was 16ft. 6in. forward and IBft. 2in. aft, the mean being I7ft. 4in. There was a large party of ladies and gentlemen on board, including Captain Cuming, E.N., Admiralty superintendent at Southampton ; Mr Frank V. Scudamore, one of the secretaries at the Posfc-oG-se ; Mr Chetwynd, accountant-general of the Post-office ; Mr Key, builder of the ship ; Mr P. Hado«v, (the recently-elected chairman) ; Mr Thornton, C.By; Mr L'EstraDge, Mr James Allan, and Mr Henry Bayly, directors ; Mr A. Lamb, Captain Engledue, and other officials. The Travancore, which is commanded by Captain R. Methven, one of the oldest officers in the service, leaves to-morrow with the outward India, China, and Australian mails, and on her return from this voyage she will be despatched to the other side of the isthmus of Suez for service on those stations. Two large screw steamers, of 3000 tons and 600-horse power each, are now in progress for the company, viz., the Magdala, constructing by Messrs W. Denny Brothers, at Dumbarton ; and the Hindostan, by Messrs Day and Co.. at Southampton. The Magdala is expected to be ready for sea in about six months, and the Hindostan in about thirteen months. — -The ' Times,' June 12*