RIVERTON.

Southland Times, Issue 1629, 6 September 1872, Page 2

RIVERTON.

(FKOM OUS OWN CORRESPOND EXT. Sept. 2nd, 1872. On Saturday morning last, a fine whale was observed disporting itself on the bar, and though the whale boats have been laid up for some time, they both put off in pursuit of what at one time bade fair to be an easy priz j , and though the boats succeeded in getting very near to this " monster of the deep" two or three times, it at length pave a dive and disappeared from view. The non -success of the whalers was doubtless attributable in a great measure to the loss of time occasioned in hunting up the boats* crews, and getting the gear down to the beach. Iv future 1 am informed they intend keeping all this tackle in the boats, so that should such another chance offer, they will be in readiness, when it is to be hoped that they will meet with better success, and thus make up in some nn aaure for the bad season they have had. 1 am told that the late heavy snowstorms up-country have not only proved most disastrous to the lambing, but have also beentne means of destroying a great number of sheep. Iv some places along the line of the Jacob's River the drift show has been lying as deep as from 10 to 15 feet. Some runs seem to have suffered far more than others in almost the same locality. I hear of dead sheep being counted ou the surface of the snow by the hundred, which had been starved and smothered to death. Several yearling cattle and horses also appear to have suffered. It is hard to say what numbers may not be found when the suow clears away. It is to be feared that the squatters will find an alarming decrease in their flocks. At present they of course cannot well estimate their losses. It will no doubt be generally found throughout the country to have been a fearful lambing season, and returns from all quarters, where there has been an early lambing, can scarcely fail to show a very poor per centage this season.