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West Coast Times, Issue 333, 17 October 1866, Page 2

The P.N.Z. and A.R.M. Company's s.s. Egmont, J. V. Hall, junr., commander, left Nelson on the '10th instant, with light pleasant weather. On clearing Blind Bay she was met by Btrong S.W. winds and high sea, which prevailed, during her passage to Grey mouth. Arrived off that port on the llth instant, at 2 p.m., and signalled for a steam-tug, but as no answer was returned she tripped her anchor and steamed for Hokitika, arriving in the roadstead that night. Heavy weather aud an impassable bar prevented the harbor steamers from attending upon her until yesterd»y,_when the Yarra ran outside, and transhipped a portion of her passengers. The remainder will, it is expected, be landed today. The Egmont brings about twenty tons of cargo, and thirty-four passengers. She sails for Bluff and Duuedin to-day. ' Passenger list per s.s. Egmont: Saloon — Mrs Pearson, Miss Pierce, Messrs Carey, May, O'Brien (Irish Comedian), Taggart, Crate, Pearson. For Greymonth — Mr and Mrs Store.

Some doubts were entertwined j esterday as to the orobability of either of the harbor boats leaving the river, as the surf continued high and the channel looked anything but inviting. Still, compared with its appearance on the preceding day, a marked improvement was perceptible — the southern channel having much decreased in size, thus compelling tho greater part of the river water to make its exit to the northward, and in consequence the outlet in that direction had considerably enlarged, and, providing it contained a sufficient depth of water, was evidently navigable to a ateamer carefully handled. There is, however, an amount of extra risk attached to the first attempt to test the entrance after such a •pell of bad weather as that which has prorailed lak'ly, aud, accordingly, there was a very natural reluctance displayed by both the harbor boats to lead the way. As the tide made the sea slightly decreased, which encouraged the Yarra to get up steam in readiness for a start. At a little 1 past noon the whistle sounded, bringing passengdrs who had booked for the Egmont down to the wharf in double quick time ; in half-a^-hour afterwards, all being on board, sin; cast off and steamed slowly down the river. Hundreds of people watched her as she rounded the North Spit, and entered the break, and the utmost satisfaction was expressed when the little boat was observed to pass through it safely, not so much as shipping a bucket of water* She BQunded the bar when crossing, and, according to a pre-arrangemeni, notified the^depth by signal — nine feet being the result. This decided the Challenge to run out with the Isabella, which had undertaken to lighter the Gothenburg ; botli vessels gaining the roadstead without difficulty ": and, shortly afterwards, the s.s. Keera followed suit und pushed through the surf in excellent style. By thi3 time the Challenge was returning, with the J. B. Russel in tow, and as the lay of the ckUanel brought the sea on their broadside, they received a pretty severe duckiug ci f e the passage was effected. The tug then run out again with the Excelsior and the Yarra came in with 147 passengers from the steamers Egmont, Taranaki, and Gdthenburg. By the time theae were landed, the tide was far gone, so she decided not to leave the river again until to-day. Great difficulty was experienced in the transhipment, as-a nasty sea was running, and an unusually strong current set to the northward. As only a portion of the passengers brought by each of the large steamers was landed, the departure of either yesterday was prevented, which is much to be deplored, as the Egmont has already sullered a detention of five days Had there been another harbor boat at the command of the port, this delay would have been avoided, as the two could have easily cleared all three vessels, — a work which the Yarra alone found Impossible to perform. It is on such occasions that the sight of a useful vessel " piled upon" the beach is doubly aggravating, aud many was the wistial glance cast upon the poor little Persevere, wnich woidd " have done the state some service" had she been afloat instead of ashore. After conveying the Excelsior outside, the Challenge returned with the schooner Aurora. Both the YaiTa and Challenge reported nine feet of water on the' shallowest part of the bar. The channel runs about N.W. by N.

Wo see by the " Sydney Morning Herald " of the 3rd instant, that the cutter Elizabeth was advertised to leave that port for Hokitika on the sth ■ instant. The departure of the Sarah Pile for Dunedin, culling at Hokitika ■with passengers, was ulao notified. The P.N.Z. and A.R.M. 'Company's steamer Phoebe wai, according to the sitnio paper, to leave flydnov for the Weittond GQld.fl.eUln on or tm ft* JfitU iwtimt,

The ]N T :Z. S.S. Company's s.s. Taranaki, — Francis, commander, arrived in the roadstead yesterday, having made a clipping run of four and a-half dnys from Melbourne. Strong westerly weather was experienced throughout the passage. She brings 151 passengers and 20 tons of cargo. The schooner Aurora sailed from Dunedin on the 2ud instant, with light S.W. winds and' fine weather. .She ran for Cook's Straits, passing Cape Campbell and Stevens Island on the 4th, and, as the breeze followed her round, she was oif Cape Fo'ulwind on the 7th, and the next day came to in the. roadstead. She lay there until the 11th, waiting for the bar to clear, and then was driven to sea by a N.W. gale. Next morning found herself abreast of Abut Head, having been swept so far to the southward ,by a strong current. She was afterwards driven to the northward by a counter- set, and failed to again reach the roadstead until the 16th, when, arriving in time to, save the tide, was towed to the wharf by the Challenge. The Aurora is fully laden with a mixed cargo. She reports speaking the Volunteer, cutter (fromManukau), on the 12th instant, and was in company with the schooner Mary Jane from that date to yesterday morning. The schooner J. B. Knssel cleared Port Jackson Heads on the 3rd'iustant, at 8 p.m., with strong N.E. winds and hazy weather. The land had scarcely dipped when the breeze freshened to a strong gale, and (lie sea rose rapidly, bringing the schooner down,.to elosenvl'ed mainsail and foresail. The noxt day, at noon, sho hove-to, and immediately afterward* a heavy sea struck her, sweeping the decks fore and aft, and smashed the long boat. At 3 p.m. the g<vle increased lo a perfect hur ricaue, necessitating a further reduction of canvas to a balance-reefed mainsail. A 4 p.m. a tremendous squall threw the vessel on her beamends, and for two hours she lay in that position, the sea making a clean breach over her. The gale moderated at midnight, , the next day the weather settled, and up to the. 9th steady easterly breezes prevailed. On that day it hauled to the westward, and hence lo the laud winds from N.W. and S.W. prevailed. Bold Ilead was sighted at 6 p.m. on the 14th, and the roadstead reached on the 16th, and the dny following she was fastened to by the Challenge and towed inside. The J. B. Russel brings a full general cargo.