RETURN OF THE DAPHNE FROM THE AUCKLAND ISLANDS.

Southland Times, Issue 1289, 5 August 1870, Page 2

RETURN OF THE DAPHNE FROM THE AUCKLAND ISLANDS.

The following interesting report of the cruise of flic schooner Daphne to the Auckland Islands, in search, of her captain and fire of her crew, the particulars of whose disappearance are jet fresh in the memory of our readers, has been placed in our hands for publication by his Honor the Deputy-Superintendent : — — - Bltfff-Habbob, 2nd July r 1870. Bis Honor the Deputy-Superintendent. Bib,— - 1 have the honor to submit for your information the following report of the voyage of -__ iWsrinnnerJDaphne to the Auckland Islands, in search- of her captain find otberßpnlio~ißffc her at Port Boss there on the 19th May last, in » boat, and did not return, and who, it was supposed, might have been cast away on some other part of the Islands. The Daphne left the Blnff at midnight of the nth Julyf with Ja-moderate breeze from N.W., which increased, with rain, as we crossed the Strait's-. "^When off Port Adventure, the wind suddenly shifted to 8., and blew strong. As no headway could be made against it, we stood in for Porff Adventure, and anchored at 10 tun. on the 12th. Srom this time till Sunday, the 17th, the "wiricl continued between S. and W., at : times blowing strong, with hail, rain, and sleet. On the morning- of 'tne"l7£h we weighed . anchor, and stood, to. sea with a. light breeze from IT.W; When aboufc-2 miles; outside of the Port, the wind again hauled to SjW., and increased to a strong, breeze with showers; We kept beating about between the Traps and Stewart's Island^ with a heavy southerly swell on, till the morning of the 19th, wbeifa'ligHt breezb sprung up from the northwar3.* A course was then shaped for the Aucklands. -We passed the Snares at noon on the 20th, and on the 21st anchored in Port Boss, at 6jp,m.. -We found H.M.B. Blanche at anchor, having only arrived from the south end of the island about an hour before we came in. She had arrived at the islands on the 12th, but had been unable to do anything until a few days previous to our arrival, owing to bad weather-^-heavy southerly gales. She had visited the depdts on the l East Coast,' and intended leaving next morn-, ing for Wellington. On learning the cause of our visit, however, her departure was delayed, ■and arrangements made that she should steam >■:' round the West Coast with the first favorable ■ weather,* sending boats to pull close along shore. On Saturday, the 23rd, a party, consisting of Dr M'Clure, Captain Gilroy, and myself,; and a boat's crew, consisting of Mr Angb'em and five men, with a boat, went on board the Blanche. At 7 Ban. she weighed and stood out of the harbor, weather very fine with a light breeze from North. The N.W. Cape was passed abont oneand a-hal£ milfis oif T and by the aid of good telescopes, anything the size of a man could be distinctly seen. At this point the weather became cloudy, with a light shower, and fresh breeze from S.W., but it cleared up before passing Disappointment Island, and continued fine during the rest of the day. After passing Disappointment Island, the steamer was headed in for the supposed scene of the wreck of the General Grant. Soundings were taken as she neared the shore — at 1 mile off, found bottom at 80 fathoms, and the small stoney beach where, in fine weather, a landing can be effected (described in Mr Armstrong's report), was distinctly seen. When within three quarters of a mile of the shore, every stone on the beach could be distinctly seen, and had anything the size of a man's hand been moving, it would have been discovered. When first getting on the West Coast, there was a breeze from S.W. which would have prevented the boats from pulling along feat enough, but as the beach was distinctly visible, it was considered unnecessary to send the boats inshore. The Blanche was then steered round the coast, at from a half to one mile off shore. The whole coast was closely watched with the telescopes, but nothing was seen to attract attention. She anchored in Oarnley Harbor at dust, for the night. . When the Blanche had been previously in Carnley Harbor, about the 20th,* some of her | officers heard what they supposed to be musketshots, and a slight search was then made, but nothing discovered. Captain Montgomery on this occasion, however* decided on making a stricter search, and for that purpose, on the morning of the 24th, boats were sent in all directions, and guns fired at intervals to attract attention. The boats returned at dark without having seen any indication of persons being about that locality. The supposed, guns are easily accounted for by the peculiar concussions occasionally made by the waves in the hollow rooks. At daylight on the 25th, she again weighed anchor, and steamed round to Port Boss, where our party left her, and she proceeded to sea without dropping anchor. While steaming round the island, a running survey was made by her officers, which, when published, will be sufficiently

correct for allpractical purposes. (All the charts in our possession are full of errors.) On the day following the departure of the Blanche, the 26th, we visited Enderby's Island, and did some slight repairs to the house ; left sorne medical stores, and searched the beaches for any remains which might have drifted ashore, that could indicate the fate of the missing men. On the 27th, a partj , consisting of D r M'Glure, i Mr Angliem, and myself, with five meorstarted overland for North Habor, takinjgfJpth us a tent, and three days' provisions, «f search the beach there. We got there at 4 pun., after a rather rough journey ; searched the* beach, but I found nothing. Camped there for the'night, and returned to the vessel at 1 p.m. next day. This ended our search. On our return journey, while proceeding up in almost dry watercourse, we discovered w hat were taken for human footprints. There were two tracks, the prints in one being apparently those of a large boot, the other much raidler, measuring about seven and a half inches, lhey were seen in several places, but were lost altogether on emerging to the grass land at the head of the creek— the marks did not appear more than two months' old. At one place we observed the tracks take into some scrub, but emerge again, as if defeated in forcing a way. On the 28th, the day we got back to the vessel, it blew hard from E.N.E., with rain. On the 29th, the wind fell light, and hauled to the northward, with very thick weather; next day the At 10 a-m., got under weigh, and shaped a course for the Bluff, and arrived here on the 2nd inst., after a good run, with rather heavy weather. The search party of the Daphne gave every satisfaction, and should there ever be occasion for another such expedition, Captain Gilroy, Mr Angliem, and their crew, would be found of great service," on' "account of their khowledge'of the Islands. I have also to mention that, while on board the Blanche, we received every attention and kindness. Since leaving the Bluff on our trip, I have learnt the description of boat in which the missing men left the vessel, and am of opinion that she had swamped with them before reaching their destination. Before we left the Blanche, Captain Montgomerie called Mr Cousins — one of the original crew of the Daphne, and the person who navigated her from the islands to Invercargill — and stated, in the presence of myself, Dr M'Clure, and Captain "Gilroy, that he did not consider Mr Cousins to blame in not making further search than he had done, previous to his leaving the islands with the vessel after the departure of the boat. I append the report of the Blanche on the state of the dep&ta. The cask referred to therein, which was missing from Port Boss, had been broken into before the arrival of the Daphne in April last, and the articles left exposed to the weather, so that they got all destroyed, excepting a boat-compass, which I had cleaned and put into a cask, with other articles left by us. On comparing the list of articles left in the cases at Epigwait (No. 2 depdt) with the original list, I find that the following article* have been taken away, viz., clothing, blankets, boots, stockings, preserved meat, bread, matches, flint, steel, and tinder. The articles mentioned in the list were put in by the Blanche, and the case securely nailed up. Our men, assisted by some of the Blanche's crew, re-thatched the house, and left everything in good repair. Before closing this report, I would draw attention to a fact mentioned in Mr Armstrong's re^ port, namely, that in Imray's general chart of 1851, the Auckland Islands are placed 35 miles to the south of their true position, and_ it is my opinion that many of the wrecks which have occurred at the Island may be referable to that error. I have compared the chart alluded to with a great many others, and find it differs with them allin_tbisjresnect^_ Subseauent .charts nublished Tfcjylmray also place the Islands in their correct place, but as the Australasian trade suddenly acquired great dimensions in the year named, it is quite likely that the chart of that year is still in use on board many vessels trading in these seas. I trust that the utmost publicity may be given to this important matter. Articles left by the Daphne. At Port Boss. — 1 gun, some caps, powder, shot, needles, twine, matches, bread, tobacco,., tea and sugar; also, medical stores, consisting of lint, plaster, ointment, and calico for bandages. A packet of garden seeds, sent by Messrs Cooper and Co., was also put into the cask, and some shallots planted near the depdt. At Enderby's. — Lint, ointment, plaster .and calico. — I have the honor to be, Sir, your obedient servant, Thomas Thomson, Harbor Master, Bluff. In charge of the Daphne Search Expedition. The following is Capt. Montgomerie's report on the state of the depots on the Islands :— Pig Point, Port Boss.— Found the case placed by Amherat, brig, intact. A gun, &3., and two, casks of bread, left by H.M.V ships Falcon and Blanche, we're in good condition and well sheltered. A cask containing articles, including a gun, for castaways, that was seen last year under the tree, with the name of the " Victoria, colonial steamer," &&, painted on it, has been removed. The rigging of the mast was renewed in 1869 ; rigging blacked down, and mast painted in 1870 < by Blanche. j Enderby Island. — Case left by the Amherst intact, and well sheltered; house in moderate repair. " Saddle Hfll " of Musgrave, and " Granger " of Admiralty Chart. — Case left by Amherst intact, well sheltered ; boards at the point, and over depdt, in good order; the latter was repainted in July, 1870, by Blanche. Epigwait, Carnley Harbor. — Case had been broken open, and no care bestowed on it to prevent wet getting at it. House put into good repair during Blanche's visit. Remains in case's chisels, 3 axes, 1 adze, 1 spade, 2 gimlets, 1 auger, 1 tin of nails, 3 hats, 3 pannikins, 1 bible, chart of Auckland Islands, 1 box of newspapers, 3 cases Holloway's ointment, 1 boafs compass. Left by Blanche, in addition to foregoing — 1201bs biscuit, 241bs cocoa, 12lbs tea, 36Ibs preserved beef, 251ba sugar, 6 blankets, sail needles and twine. The above are in the house, well sheltered from weather. j