FROM DUNEDIN TO HOKITIKA BY THE EGMONT.

West Coast Times, Issue 47, 21 September 1865, Page 3

FROM DUNEDIN TO HOKITIKA BY THE EGMONT.

(CONTRIBUTED BY A PASSENGER.) Our misfortunes begun at Dunedin Jetty, whore wo had to wait two hours for the steamer Golden Ago to convoy us to tho Port. By tho way, flvo shillings for every packago of luggago seems rather an extortionate charge, but yet it is mado by the owners of tho above-named steamer. For my own part, travelling as usual with littlo luggage— merely, in fact, two boxes — one containing matches and tho other tobacco, I escaped scot frco, but nevertheless could sympathise with thoso moro heavily encumbered who underwent the skinning process. Being transferred to tho P.N.Z. and A.R.M. Company's s.s. Egmont without accident, bar that which happoned to a poor fellow who fell between the steamors and cut his head open, tho anchor was tripped and wo stood bravely down channel, but soon came to grief by sticking fast in tho left bank' whore wo had to remain a whole tide. From thenco next day to Lyttelton, a distance of 225 miles, occupied nearly two days, notwithstanding the weather was fine and calm. This rate of progress inclines ono to put some faith in a paragraph which recently made the round of the papers, to tho effect that somo wonderful drawings had beon found in a hole in the Great Wall of China, or some othor remarkable locality, said drawings unmistakeably evidencing that so long ago as 3000 yoars tho Chinese woro far moro advanced in tho art of shipbuilding than we are at tho present day* By-tho-way, I don't know how it is, but oveiy now thing that turns out appears to havo beon well known to the Chinese 3000 years ago — they must have been aremarknble peoplo about that time. In renewing our voyage, after a stay at Lyttelton, tho machinery broko down in starting, causing the delay of another day, and losing us a fair wind. When wo did start tho wind had changed, and tho speed of tho powerful steamer Egmont camo down from five knots to nothing at all tho following day, when she encountered a stiff nor- wester. Tho wind falling on tho afternoon of tho second day, enabled us to get within about twenty miles of Wellington as night came on, when our old coffee-grinder again broko down, leaving tho captain to get in tho best way lie could by help of the scanty sails. In a few hours it camo on to blow from tho S.E. About threo miles off tho light tho captain attempted to make for tho entrance to the harbour, but finding the vessel would not steer well, hauled off again, with the determination of making for Cook s Straits. Our position then became very hazardous — a dead leo shore — a disabled steamer, and a furious southeaster. Fortunately the Egmont proved herself an excellent sea boat, and spars and canvas all held good. Giving hor three knots an hour through tho water, a few hours only would docido her fato. The weather was so thick that nothing could bo seen of tho much dreaded land under our Ice, and when the given time had expired without our seeing it, a groat relief was felt by all on board who woro aware of the danger. I, for ono, after examining tho chart, fully expected tho Egmont would eharo the fate of the City of Dunedin in the same locality, and believe it was only tho current setting us along and off shore which saved hor. Haying safely passed through this, tho captain, who showed great judgment and coolness, boro away for tho strait, which he hit very nicely, for soon after we could just make out "bold Wellington Heads looming through tho mist about a couple of miles under our leo, passing tho Brothers afterwards and then shaping a course for Stephens Island at tho entrance to Blind Bay, tho gale all this time blowing furiously, but tho vessel sitting the sea like a duck. Getting under tho leo of Stephen's Island at 6 p.m., on tho 10th, we stood close hauled to make as good a course as possible up the Bay ; but next morning found us at tho entrance of Massacre Bay, having mado in tho night a great deal moro leo than headway. At six o'clock, however, tho engine was again got into working order, ana we managed to get into Nelson tho same afternoon, leaving that port again on Tuesday, the 12th, after another nor-wostor, and also encountering a sou-wester by way of a chango. We arrived off Hokitika on tho ovening of tho 14th, and next day being fine were carried safely over the bar by the jolly littlo Btoamor Bruce and landed at the township. The Egmont is a fino sea boat, but too slow for passengers, and in that way quito unsuited to the lino which sho has taken up. The trade between Dunedin and Hokitika requires a powerful steamer, which would make two trips to tho Egmont' s one, and at the same time bo much safer. It is also a mistake to mako the passage via Cook's Straits and wasto timo by calling at intermediate ports, the best route being south about.

A prospectus has been issued by a new gold company, called the Glanmife Gold Mining Company. The capital is £40,000, in 20,000 shares, of £2 each. The company is formed for the purchase and working of tho minoral lands on tho Glanmire Estate The purchase money is £27,000, of which £16,000 is to bo paid jn cash, and the balance in 6500 paid-up shares, and this will leave a working capital of £13,000, which it is believed will be ample for all purposes. Tho proprietors of tho estate agree not to receive any dividend on their paid-up shares until the other shareholders shall be in receipt of a dividend of 10 per cent, per annum. 10a. per share is to bo paid on allotmont, 10s, per share in ono month, and 10s. per sharo in three months from dato of tho second instalment, and the balance as may bo notified by tho Board. Tho shares are to" bo allotted pro rata, and applications will be received until tho 31st inst. — Sydney Morning Herald, In the Supremo Court fit Dunedin John Itiorrdan Ims been sentenced to six years penal servitude for an attempt at arson. Before sentence was passed, the prisoner mado tho following statement :— " I hope your Honor will take into consideration that I have been in prison now five months ; that, up to tho present time, I have always borne a good character, and I have been in the colonies upwards often years. lam a married man. My wife, for tho past 12 months has been lost to all reasou ; but she has recovered sufficiently to comprehend my position ; and I fear that the sentence passed upon me will drive hor back again to her lost stale I have aged parentH, who are now, I may say, on the brink of eternity, and who only wait your sentence on mo to crush thorn into the grave ; or, perhaps, they might have hopes, if that sentence was a light one, to gee mo once more. I liavo nothing moro to say, except that it has beon a case of circumstantial evidence against mo altogether."

A Yankee Advocate. — The following specimen of a spread-eagle lawyer's oloquonce needs no comment : — " Gentlomon of tho jury — tho Scriptures saith, ' Thou shaltnot kill!' Now, if you hang my client, you transgress tho command as slick as grease, and as plump as a goose egg in a loafer's faco. Gentlemen, murder is murder, whether committed by twelve jurymen or an humble individual liko my client having killed a man ; but is that any reason wliy you should do soP No such thing, gentlemen; you may bring tho prisoner in guilty j tho hangman may do his duty, but will that oxonerato you. No such thing. In that case you will bo murderers. Who among you is prepared for the brand of Cain to bo stamped upon his brow to-day. Who, freemen— in this land of liborty and light P Gentlemen, I will pledge my word not ono of you have a bowio-knifo or pistol in your pocket. No, gentlemen, your pockets aro odoriferous with the porfumes of cigar-cases and tobacco. You can smoke the tobacco of rectitude in tho pipo of a peaceful conscience ; but hang my unfortunate client, and tho scaly alligators of remorse will gallop through tho internal principal animal viscora, until tho spinal vertebra) of your anatomical construction is turned into a railroad for the grim and gory goblins of despair. Gentlemen 1 Beware of committing murder ! Bowarc, I say, of meddling with tho eternal prerogative I, Gentlemen, I adjure you, by tho manumitted ghosts of temporal society, to do no murder. I adjure you by tho name of woman, tho mainspring of tho ticking timepiece of Time's theoretical transmigration, to do no murder ! I adjure you oy tho love you havo for tho esculent and coddimental gusto of our native pumpkin, to do no murder ! I adjuro you, by tho stars sot in the flying ensign of your emancipated country — I adjure you by tho American eaglo that whipped the universal gamecock of creation, and now sits roosting on tho magnetic telegraph of Time's illustrious transmigration, to do no murder I And lastly, gentlemen, if over you expect free dogs not to bark at you — if you over expect to wear boots mado of tho Rocky Mountain buffalo — and, to sum up all, if you over expect to be anything but a sot of sneaking, loafing, rascally, cut- throated, braided, small ends of humanity, whittled down to indistinctibility, acquit my client, and save your country." Tho prisoner was acquitted.