PORT OF HOKITIKA.

West Coast Times, Issue 278, 14 August 1866, Page 2

PORT OF HOKITIKA.

HictH Water Tins Day. — 11.55 a.m. ; ©.20 p.ui. ARRIVED. August 13. — Wallaby, s.s., Palmor, from kelson via Greymouth. N. Edwards and Co , agents. SAILED. Nil. ENTERED IN. Wallaby, s.s. 89 tons, A, Palmor, from Nelson and Greymouth. Passengers — Mr nnd Mrs Brown, Mr M'Larcn, and Mr Wiesenhavern. CLEARED OUT. Nil. IX THE ROADSTEAD. Excelsior, schooner, from Auckland. Two ibre-and-aftcrs, names unknown. EXI'ECTEI) ARRIVALS. Charlotte, sehtfo-aer, from Lyttelton, 11th inst. Dunedin, from Dunedin, early. Katlu'ian*, from Melbourne, early. Francis, schooner, from Hcatheote, early? » MaidofErin, from Melbourne, parly. Sea Bird, from Newcastle, NJ3.W., early. Albert, schooner, from Melbourne, early. Rambler, bchooncr, from Melbourne, early. Alma, barque, from Melbourne, early. Hett >r, brigantiue, from Mol'jourue, early. Jano Lockhavt, from Sydney, daily. SusanaU Booth, from Sydney, early. Elizabeth, cutter, from Sydney, early. PKOJECTED BEPAKTUUB6. • Gothenburg, fdr Melbourne, to-day. Emma Jane, for Okarito, to-day. Keera, s.s., for Grcvmouth, to-day. John Mitrfiell, for Uroymouth, to-dny. Wallaby, for Nelson, this day. VESSELS IV TORT. Brig — Clarendon. Schooners — Tambo, Emma Jane, Falcon, Wince Consort, John and Jane, lona. Ketch — o>ifiraes, John Mitchell, Jane Elkiu, Flying Squirrel. Cuiter — Sea Shell. Steamers — Persevere, Lioness, Challenge, j Kcora, Wallaby. A3HOKK. Schooner Bonnie Lass. rarouTS. Per Wallaby, from Nelson : 4 cask's nuts, 1 case raisins, 4 libds. cgjs, 1 tank malt, N. Edwards and Co ; 1 cuse cigars, Wiesenhavcrn ; 36 sacks carrots, 10 bags bran, A. Boyle and Co ; 5 bags oysters, ordor ; 4 pltgs drapery,' order; 1 case drapery, J. Manson.

The s.s. Wallaby sailed from Nelson on the 4th. instant, with moderate weather, but on reaching the Sandspit, found a whole gale from the SW. blowing, so jvm back, and anchored in Totiivuuui Eay. Remained there until the morning of the GUi, when the gale having apparently broken, she got her anchor and steamed for hea. Bounded the Spit, and in the reef h of a stiff SW. breeze which, as-she neared the Cape, increased to a hard gale, with a heavy head sea, so she again came-to for tlie night under " Farewell." Got- steam up at 9"v.m. the next day, und proceeded on her voyage, arriving oil 1 the Buller on the evening of the 7th, and crossing tho bar next morniug. Discharged cargo " that day, and shipped betweeu 200 ozs. and 300 ozs. of gold and" several passengers, and left for Greyrreuth on the evening tide. Entered the Grey River tlie following day, and, through -fetltf labo ftu«<l» ttntL-inipivaaablc . cttkfco -o£. -tlia bar, was kep: a priso'/er inside until the I3th, when, at 11 a.m. she left for Hokitika, and arrived in the roadstead at 12.30 p.m., -nearly two hours after lu'gl\ water. Not to be ifbterred trom entering l>£ the heavy outflow^ of water between the Spits^ >\e Wallaby took the bar, and after a hard pnsK for it in the " pincli," reached tlxJ wharf snfeJv. She brings about 20 tons of cargo for this pxjrt, and 12 passengers, and will sail again for Nelson tin's day, at noon.

As m we "anticipated, none of the harbor steamers left tlie river yesterday, the fresh being far too heavy to warrant such a course -with safety. It wasnot so much the difficulty of reaching the roadstead that kept them inside, for the surf ■"•■as not heavy, whilst the channel was wide, deep, and straight ; it was vtitlier the fear of not being able to return, vhich actcd-as the deterring cause, as the river still ran like a tide rip between the spits, pouring out a tromendous volume of water that fairly drove back the surf. It is true th»t the Wallaby succeeded iv entering, but it was a touch-and-go with her; for once she discovered a decided inclination to .turn tail to it when the heavy current cavight her on the port^bow. Although the delay of twentyfbur houi'3 to the Gothenburg is a serious matter, we think that justifiable prudence was discovered in not attempt ing to communicate with her. To-day f his will be easily ejected, as there was every indication of a change in the weather last night, and tho river was falling rapidly. Captain Palmer, of the Wallaby, reports that tlie entrance to the Grey River is much improved by the lute floods, there being plenty of water on the bar, whilst the channel has a more direct course. There is, however, a very heavy current pouring through it.

At sundown lust night night, there was a decided improvement in the appearance of the roadstead. The sea was completely smooth, whilst the deep muddy tinge which on the preceding night dyed the surf had given place to a brighter tint, indicative that the outflow of storm water from the different rivers on the coast had much decreased. Far to the northward, the Gothenbuig could be seen under full steam for the Grey roadstead, whilst by casting the eye more seawards two-foro-an'd aft schooners might have been observed hioying.lazily along under easy canvas. One of them bore a very suspicious resemblance to our old friend the M;iid of Erin. Another fore-and-after was crawling up from the southward, and ju^t as the dny closed in, her number was made out, and it was known that the smart little Excelsior was again off the bar, she having been absent from the roadstead during the day.

The Gothenburg rode to her anchors iv the roadstead during the greater part of yesterday, and at 4 p.m. left for Greymouth to ship whatever gold and passengers might be there waiting for her. She will, if Hie Grey bar be passable, receive her freight this morning, and at once return to Hokitika, take in gold and pussengers, and then leave for Melbourne. We bflieTe the Gothenburg will carry away ber j twecn 25,000 and 30,000 ounces of gold-dust from the two ports, and this amount would have been very considerably augmented if the Lyttelton had returned in time from Okarita, as there must be heavy parcel* on hand there awaiting shipment. Loss of Life in the Wjieoks at Newcastle. — The following is a statement of the loss of life from the wrecks that arokuottn to have taken place ou the 12th and 13th instant, at Newcastle and the adjacent coast : — Caivan-a, 59; William Watson, 2 ; ketch, supposed to be the Arthur, 3 ; Seagull, 8 ; Mary and Rose, B ; and two belonging to the barque Kedar, drowned by the upset I ing of a boat in .the larbor on the night of thcl2(h; total, 79. Of these 4G had beeu recovered up to Wt light, leaving 33 still unaccounted fo 1 , — ' Standard." On Thursday, the schooner Mary Stewnrt irrivfd off the b:u', and fiv.iu lu-r nupeiir.uiii'o t wp belipvfrt aht> was in ft fiiuHin.^ condi*

tion, as ench plungosho made-iu the heavy sets soonu'rt almost to nvonvh *l"i li<m\ Sin* signalled forSi stOimtT, but al'le. wards nut to sea again, in company with another crafl lying outside. Although tho impression "was veiy prevalent flint she was in clanger yesterday, we cannot loam that such wns actually the ease. Wo believe she was signal lod to run on the beach, but such a courso would appear not to have been necessary. — ".Grey River Argus," August 11.