NARROW ESCAPE OF THE STEAMER YARRA WHEN CROSSING THE BAR, AND LOSS OF LIFE.

West Coast Times, Issue 232, 16 June 1866, Page 6

NARROW ESCAPE OF THE STEAMER YARRA WHEN CROSSING THE BAR, AND LOSS OF LIFE.

A frightful surf lnshed the coast on the 6th insfc. — bo heavy, in faot, that the usual signal, " bar pnßSfiblo," was not- displayed" .at tidetimo. Tho Rangitbto, however, having arrived from Melbourne, with nearly 100 pasBongors on board for this port and Groymouth, it was considered advisable to attempt communicating with hor by eroamer ; and at noon, accordingly, tho p.s. PorßOvere, bound lo tho Grey, drosded tho bar, and ran alongside for any " stray waifs" whoso destination was that port. She effected the passage safely, and after shipping some twenty pas--sengors, departed on hor way northwards. In tho meantime, tho surf had much inoreosod, and it was considored doubtful by those on board tho Rangitoto whethor tho Yarra, which wns to follow tho Persevere for the Hokitikft passengers, would leavo the river. Leave, howovor, she did, and lileo her predecessor, pushed through tho '* broak" unscathed, but tho heavy wostorly swell compelled her to. hang astern of tlio Company's Bteamer, and tranship by tho uid of the ship's boats. This much dolnyecl hor, and it was not till oousidornbly aftor <t p.m. that sho cast off and steamed for tho river, and on arriving abreast the ontranco tho day had so much waned that the beacons woro hardly visible and to add to the poril of " crossing, tho Biirf was rolling— line aftor line— in fearful Walls of" water, and breaking quite a milo from the ehorp. The first two or threo seaa vnoroly swopt the stenmor with lightning rapidity onwards, but boing compelled to sheer her broadside to it, to reach clear of tho point of the North Spit, tho next rollor — a boistorous green soa, overtopping her deck by feet — broke on board, crushing in hor starboard bulwarks, starting tho cabin skylight, swooping tho galley overboard, and flooding tho decks with water to a lovol with the port roil. In the midst of the confusion that prevailed, tho fearful ory of" a man overboard " wns raised, and tlioro, battling for 'his life in tho midst of tho bojling surgo, an unfortunato fellow was observed, but quite put of tho reach of help from those on board, for tho Yarra having taken the ground sop, after sea poured over her, rendering the situation of those on bonrd perilous in the oxtreme.andcoranellmgthem to hold on foreand aft to avoid sharing a similar fate. After about ton minutes of dolugo and suspense, which seemed an ago to tho passengers, tho steamer was washed by tho surf into deepor water inside, and steamed up the river without further mishap, savo tho loss of soveral boxes of luggago, which were hove overboard to lighten her. On arriving at tho wharf it was discovered that tho missing party was a Mr Dalton, who, under tho alias of Cfraham, had taken a cabin passnge in Sydney, per City of Melbourne, to join the Rangitoto in Molbourno, which was advertised to sail for Hokilika on tho Ist instant. Tho unfortunate gentleman was en route for ISngland, purposing, after transacting certain 'business hi this town, to join tho ICaikoura in Wellington, and proceed homewards, by the Panama route. His plans, however, havo beon thwarted in tho abovo lamontablo manner. This is tho first ofttas-ti-opho of tho kind which has over occurred in tho annals of Hokitika, for although our harbor steamers have orossed tho bar ot various times under tho most disadvantageous oiroumsf nnccs, tho attempts havo novor rosultodinloss of lifo. That such a calamity has at last resulted is deeply to bo regretted; and although we fool unwilling to attach any bliuuo to cither captniir or agents, wo cannot help passing a. few strictures on tho folly of permitting vessels to loavo tho rivor in tho faco of suoh a soa ; and, watching, as wo did, the passage of tho Yarra from tho North Snifc, wo only wOudor that all of her deck pussongors wore not swept away Thoso bolow woro almost in equal poril, far, through, tho starti-g of tho skylight, the cabin was half filled with wutor, and a fow more seas would havo in all probability extinguishod tho fires, and thou tho cousequences might havo boen fatal, to all on board. It cannofc bo denied that in thn midst of imminent danger, tho captain of 'tho Yavra behaved with judgment and coolness, and handled his boat well j and tho affont of tho Yarra (Mr Jionar), and tho Panama Company's agent (Mr White) both oxortod themselves to tho uttermost to koop order and rostoro conlldonco amongst tho afFrjghtod orowd on board. Of this wo aro assured by several of tho passengers.