PORT OF HOKITIKA.

West Coast Times, Issue 265, 30 July 1866, Page 2

PORT OF HOKITIKA.

High Water Tub Day.— lo.sS a.m.; 11.28 p.m.

ARBIVBD. July 28. — South Australian, s.s , Paine, from Nelson. Euin, Houghton, aud Co., agents. Tararua, a.s., Fergusson, from Nelson. John White, agent. Lyttelton, p.s., Scott, from Okarita. Lioness, p.s., Whitford, from Greymouth.. July 29. — Spray, schooner, Ruxton, from Lyttelton. Cymraes, ketch, Perkins, from Greymouth. SAILED.

July 29. South Australian, b.s., Paine, for Melbourne. Tararua, s.a., Ferguson, for Melbourne. ENTEEED VS.

Tararua, 523 tons, R. H. Ferguson, from Nelson. Passengerß— Cabin : Miss M l farlane, Mr M'Beth.

Lyttelton, 49 tons, W. Scott, from Okarita. Passengers — Captain Tuvnbull, Messrs Cassius, Campbell, Kurtin, Thompson, Hankins, Green, Kennedy, Blundell. SouthAustraliiin, s.s., 436 tons, Paine, from Nelson. Passengers — cabin: MrEojlear.d family, Messrs Smili>, Knight, Nixon, tichrceder (mail agent), Thompson, Johnson, Lazarus, and 60 in th& steerage. . CLEABED OCT. Tararua, 523 tons, R. Ferguson, for Melbourne. Passengers — saloon, 2 ; steerage, 54. South Australian, 436 tons, J. Paine, for Melbourne. Passengera — 16 steerage. EXPECTED XBEIVAL3. Oamaru, from Oamaru, daily. Florence, Irom Melbourne, early. Dv iedin, from Dunedin, early. Katheraw, from Mulnourno, early. Jane Elkin, from Heathuote, early. Gothenburg, from Melbourne, to-day. Chireudou, from Melbourne, to-day. Albion, from Melbourne, early. Maid of Erin, from Melbourne, to-day. John and Jane, schooner, from Melbourne, to-day. Auckland, from Nelson, August Ist. TKOJECTED DEPAETUfiES. Auckland, for Sydney, August 2nd. ' Gothenburg, for Melbourue, August Ist. Lyttelton, for Okarita, to-day. VESSELS IK POET. Schooner — Spray. Ketch— Elfin, Qymracs. Steamers — Persevere, Challenge, Ljttclton, Lioness. I3CPOBTS. Per Tararua, from Nelson : 2 trunks, W. Allen; 2 bales paper, Harnett ; 1 case, Cashmore aud Co; 10 kegs butter, J. Solomon ; 24 kegs butter, order. Per Lyttelton, from Okarita : 3720 ozs. 15 dwts. 11 grs. gold, Bank of New Zealand ; 2390 ozs. 11 dwts. 17 grs. gold, Bank of New South Wales.

Per South Australian, from Kelson : 5 cases fruit, Dunning and Ross : 2 cases stationery, Munson ; 21 kegs butter, order. Per Spray, from Lyttelton : 15 cases hams. 10 do bacon, Hawkes'and Strouts ; 2do do, Walker ; 80 bags sugar, 20 cases sardines, 5 do kerosene lamps and glasses, 3 trunks boots, 15 cases lobsters, 10 kegs oatmeal, 8 casks do, 50 cases old torn, 40 do G-uinness' stout. 5 do bacon (Compton's), 5 do sardines, 7 do jams, 10 do liqueurs, 60 bags oats, 30 casks bottled ale, 17 cases cheese, 27 bags oatmeal, ,17 do do, 1 case drapery, 13 sides bacon, 5 caseß do (Canterbum), 16 kegs butter, 17 bales bran, 40 saoks oats, 40 bags bran, G. W. Binney.

dxpostjs.

Per Tararua, for Melbourne : 2000 ozs. gold, Union Bank of Australia : 6000 ozs. gold, Bank of New South Wales ; 3 ozs. 5 dwts. gold, E. Bjan j 1 oz. 10 dwts. gold, J. K. Hughes ; 13 dwts. gold, J. Havos - y 10 ozs. gold, R. Wellington.

The s.s. South Australian, J. Paine, commander, -left Hobson's Bay at 5 p.m, on the 12th, and cleared Port Philip Heads at 8.30 p.m., with strong SE. winds and fine weather. The'next day, at 5 p.m., she took her last departure from Swan Island, the breeze and sea in the meantime having considerably increased, whilst indications of heavier weutUer were not wanting. On the morrow these were verified by a heavy easterly gale, accompanied by a high head sea. The steamer, however, made fair way until 4 a.m. on the 16th, when, through the severe strain upon her machinery, one of the eccentric rods broke, which mishap compelled her to heave-to for twelve hours to repair the, damage. This effected, she was kept away." At 4 p.m., the gale still blowing with unabated force, and being compelled to ease her steam, it was not until 8 a.m. on the 18th that she made the land about Chalky Inlet. The gale which during the lust two days had steadily increased, was now blowing a furious hurricane through the Straits, with a tremendous head sea, and against it 6he labored until 4 a.m. on the 19th, when, being well up with the Bluff, she slowed her 6ngines until daylight, and then ran into the liarbor. Left again at 9 a.m., arriving at Port Chalmers at 11.30 p.m. the same day. There she remained until the 23rd, leaving for Lyttelton at 7 p.m., and arriving there at 1.30 a.m. (?) on the 24th. Left at 6 p.m. for Wellington, and reached her destination at 10 a.m. the day following, again leaving for Nelson a< 5 p.m., where she arrived at daylight next morning, M 7.45 am. on the the 27th she left for Hokitika, and brought up oif the bar in 9 fathoms, at 3am. on the 2Sth. The South Australian brings 72 passengers to the port and a little cargo. She sailed for Melbourne yesterday morning. The P.N.Z. and A.R M. Company's s.s. Tararua, R. 11. Ferguson, commander,'left Sandvi.lge Pi^r at 3.30 p.m on the 11th, but« a heavy S.E. gale blowing in the Straits, anchored her for the night, inside the Heads. The weather moderating, she proceeded on her voyage the next morning, and cleared the Heads at 6 am., but found it blowing hard* outsido from the eastward. On the 15th the wind increased to a hard gale, which raised a high and confused sea, through which the vessel was driven under slightly reduced steam until the 17th, at 9 a.m., when, the tiolanders were sighted. The weather coming in very thick, and the gale still blowing hard, she anchored for the night, at 5 p.m., under Stewart's Island. At 7 p.m. tho next morning sho got her ground tackle on board, and started for Bluff Harbor, where she arrived at 11 a.m. Left for Port Chalmers at 2.10 p.m., with strong N.E. weather, and brought up off tho town at 8 a.m. on the 19tb, leaving for Lyttelton at 5 p.m. on tho 20th, arriving there at 10 a.m. the next day. She cleared out of Lyttelton at 3.30 p.m, with strong easterly winds and thick weather, and arrived at Wellington at 8.30 a,in., on the 23rd. Discharged mails and passengers, and left for Nelson the ne^t day, at 5 p.m., under orders, if possible, to rescue the shipwrecked crew of tbe schooner Deese, from off Farewell Spit. This she accomplished, and reached Nelson at 1 p.m. on the 25th, and after a stay of forty-eight hours left at 8 -i.m. on the 27th, for Hokitika, off which port 6hc anchored at 3.30 a.m. on tho 28th.

The Cymraes left Greymouth for this port on Saturday morning, and reached tho roadstead in the afternoon, but too lato on tide. Yesterday morning sho was towed inside by the Challenge. Tho Cymrac* reports that the Qrey bar was in excellent pondition, which.

enabled her to dispense \vi L tho uorvicc of a steam-tug, and run out under canvas. There were five vessels in the 'river when she left, viz., the Tambo, Falcon, John Mitchell, Wallaby, s.s., and Yarra, p.a. Tho schooner Spray sailed from Port Cooper on the 23rd instant, with light south winds and fine weather. On the 25th was abrest the Kiakoras, when the wind becoming scant and very light she was delayed off the Peninsula two days, sighting in the meantime a schooner, supposed to be tho J. B. Russell. On the 27tli the breeze again settled into the south, and the Spray coutinued her passage, passing Farewell Spit tho next day. After rounding the Cape the wind hauled more to the eastward, and hence to Hokitika continued light but steady. The Spray reached the roadstead at high water yesterday, and was at once fastened to by the Challenge steam tug, and towed safely inside. Throughout tho passago tho weather was delightful, not a stitch of canvass being taken off her during the run. She- brings a full general cargo on tho ship account, which will bo disposed of at auction. We arc sorry to hear that the p.s. Bruce is still aground at, Okarita, and that her position is somewhat precarious. The information we received at the commencement of lust week led us to hope that in a day or two she would be safe in the river ; but through a grea 1 ; mistake on the part of those who superintended the relaunch, the liltle boat has stuck hard aud fast clone to the wafer, from which po.Mtion nil attempts to move her havo failod. Mr Greer, came up in the Lyttelton, states that, the overland passage was made without * difficulty, but the launching ways were not laid high enough, and the Bruce in consequence stuck fast (lacking the necessary impetus) with her bows in the river and her stern out. Warps were now run out and screws b.'onght to heLr upon her, but into the river she refused to go and through the tides mak ing on the springs, aud their rapidity, the vessel silted up considerably every tide, thus undoing the work effected during low water. It wus therefore deemed advisable to wait for the neaps before raising her and laving down fresh ways. Much, however, depends upon the weather ; as the Bruce i 3 exposed to the j full set of the tides nnd not sufficiently sheltered from the surf, and wo very much fear that a heavy westerly gale and sea would strain her seA r erely, if not break her up altogether. At the same time, we trnst that her former good fottune will not entirely desert her, and that in a few days wo shall hear she is safel > afloat and ready to proceed on her voyage Dunedin wards.

The p.s. Lyttelton returned from her first trip to Okarita on Saturday last. She made an excellent passage there aud back, having been only two days away from this port. She brings back a full load of passengers and 6102 ozs 11 dwts 17 grs of gold dust, shipped by the New Zealand and New South Wales Banks, the former contributing 3712 ozs, the latter 2390 ozs 11 dwts 17 grs. The Lyttelton leaves again for Okarita this morning.

The P.N.Z. and A.R.M. Co.'s s.s. Rakaia left Panama with the first mails from England by the new routa, at 2 p.m., June 24th. During the first half of her voyage across the Pacific she experienced fine weather, and ran the distance in twelve days and a-half; but, after passing Pitcairn's Island, she encountered a succession of westerly gales, which delayed her arrival at Wellington until midnight on the 23rd instant. The Rakaia left England on the 2Jt=t of April, calling at St. Vincent and Rio de Janeiro on her way out. She experienced strong weather throughout the voyage, having been hove-to for forty-eight hours in a pampero off the River Plate, and when in the Straits of Magellan was compolled, by a heavy westerly gale, to anchor for twenty-four hours. Tho 18,000 miles of water between England and Panama, via the Straits, Avero traversed by her in three months, including stoppages, which amounted in the aggregate to seventeen days. Tho Rakaia is a fine steamer of 1000 tons register and 330 horsepower (nominal) j She was built expressly for the Panama Mail Service by Messrs Randolph, Eldert and Co., of Glasgow. Five passengers shipped in her at Southampton for Wellington.

The " Lyttelton Times'' informs us that the ketch Jane EJktn sailed from Hcathcote, with a full cargo for Hokitika, on the 25th instant. The Tararua and Taranaki had a fair race between Dunedin and Lyttelton, which resulted in a victory to the former boat. They left the Heads stem and stern, but very shortly the Tararua drew ahead, and gradually dropping her antagonist arrived at Lyttelton two hours before her. The "Wellington Independent" contains a paragraph concerning this race, out of which we can make nothing ; but our statement -is based upon information received directly from a gentleman who was a passenger from Dunedin in the Tararua. The schooner Deese, we are sorry to say has been wrecked on Cape Farewell Spit. The circumstances attending her loss are as follow : — This vessel left Newcastle (New South Wales), on the 30th of June, bound to this port with a cargo of coal, and after experiencing light winds and calms for over ten rlaya, she sighted and spoke the schooner Princess Alexandra, from HokiHkn, bound for Sydnoy. On tho lOtli July the Dcese enrorintpreil freeh easterly gales, which lasted through the tliree following clays. The weathiT aftoi-warda clra-od up, tho gnlc bivnlrinjr from a south- wostev'y dilution. On July 19 the land to ih> westwa'd of CipoFnrewpll u-ss sichterl. On the following day (Friday. flic 20Hi), the wind cliod away. and at sunset the bearing of Cape was S.W , di«taiit five miles, a light bvee.'.s 'Springing up at tin's time. Two steamers, whose niraes were not known, pas ed between tho schooner, and the land whilst she lav in this position At ten p.m the wind sniffed round to tho easlward. The vessel was at once put about, and ! stood for the south-east. At 11.30 the schooner stdrlenlv took the ground. A portion of the cargo was at once thrown overboard, in orierto lighten hpr, but the vessel, notwithstanding the efforts of the crew, and encircled by breakers, remained fast; aground. Captain Scott, finding his efforts hopeless to get the schooner afloat, determined to abandon her. At 230 a.m., on Saturday, the 21st, aftev allowing the crew sufficient time to enable them to get together such articles of clothing and provisions as were nee'essary, all on board embarked in one of the ship's boats, and, after pulling for half an hour on the inside of the Spit, they succeeded in gaining the shore. At daylight on the 21st, tho schooner was seen to have struck near the extromo end of the Sandspit. The shipwrecked men, on reaching tbe shore, hauled up tho boat, and with some difficulty got on to the high J ground, where they made a camp, and raised a ] passing signal of distress to a.tract tho notice df | vessels. Tho wreck was to be occn at this time. Her masts had gone by the board, and the vessel appeared to bo breaking up fast. At onep.m.,on Sunday, tho 22nd, tho Lyttelton passed, steering a westerly course ; tho weather at this time was thick — and those on board the Lyttleton were not likely to distinguish tho signals hoisted on shore. On tho following day another steamer — the Keera, bound from Hokitika toDunedin — passed close to that portion of the Sandspit where the wreck had taken place. This vessel, fortunately, obsorved the signals on shore, but, owing to the surf which was breaking at the time, those on board wore not able to communicate with those- on shore. Tho Kieora stood on for Wellington, and, on arriving at that port, reported the circumstances of the wreck. In the meantime the crow, observing a schooner in Mas-s-acre Bay, endeavored to dvaw tho attentioa

of thoso on board of her to their position, but in this they failed. Meantime, tho stern of the Deese had been smashed in, and the mainboom, gaff, and other gear, washed up on the beach. The news of the wreck lmviug readied Wellington by the Keera, and tho departure of tho Tavarua takinp placo shortly afterwards, Captain Benson, the General Manager of the P.N.&. and A.R.M. Company, directed Capt. Ferguson to proceed to tho Saudspit, on his <vay to Nelson, and render what assistance to tho shipwrecked men was in his power. The Tararua, on reaching the Sandspit yesterday morning, at daylight, sent a boat on shore, and took off tho master and crew of the schooner, six in number, and brought them on to this port. — " Nelson Exuiniuor," July 26th,