TO CAPTAIN FRANCIS HEPBURN, S.S. Wil. MISKIN.

West Coast Times, Issue 344, 30 October 1866, Page 2

TO CAPTAIN FRANCIS HEPBURN, S.S. Wil. MISKIN.

Dear Silt— After a somewhat protracted voyage, we, the undersigned passengers, being nbout to leave you, should be much wanting in gratitude did we not express our thankfulness.

Your extreme attention to your ship— often in peril — your nndoviating kindness to all, has made impressions on our minds not to be forgotten. We wish you every blessing, and that your efforts may be always successful. * Tnos.' It. A'dijie Geohge Wilson, M.K.C.S.Z. Cecilia Aduie Mary C. Dick Andeew W. Collijjs Mary Burns Jame§ M'lntosii.

' S.s. Wm. Miskin, October 29th, 1866, To th.c Passengero per s.s. Wm. Miskin —

Ladies and Gentlemen — 'Allow me to return my very hearty thn'nks for the flattering testimonial you have this day presented me with. Our passage round from Duuedin hus been, indeed, moat trying ; such an one, in fact, that I einceMy truafc none of us may ever experience again. I cannot sufficiently acknowledge the fortitude and good feeling you displayed throughout the trip, which not a little tended to lighten the rare and anxiety which I naturally experienced under the circumstance?. With best wishes for your future welfare and happiness, Believe me, ; Yours sincerely, Frijtcis llkpbuuk.

The ps. Nelson, Captain Whit well, left Nelson at midnight on the 27th inst, with calm but. very thick weather. Rounded the Siind Spit nt 5 p.m., and when off Cape Farewell, picked up a moderate S.E. breeze, which as Bhe ran the const down veered round to N.W., and north by South, Passed the Buller at 5 p.m. on the 28th, and came to an anchor oil" llolutika at 4 a.m. the next day. She brings sixteen head of cattle, and several to.is of miscellaneous cargo and twelve passengers. Jlepoi'ts passing the s.s. Claud Hamilton oil' West Wanganui at 11 a.m. on the 28th. An exceljpnt pn.fr.-i.nce, combined wjth lovely wcatlier, favored the arrival and departure of the several vessels which crossed the bar yesterday. To the Yarra foil the libn's share of the work, us sljp left tho river three times, towing to nea on her first two trips the schooners OHengarry and En>ma Jane, the former bound to Greymouth, whilst the destination of the latter was Onehunga. The Ynrra then conveyed passengers on board the Phcebo and Albion, and - returned to the wharf laden with cargo from the former vessel Tho Challenge ran outside with the Volunteer in tow, and, having east off her charge, fastened to the tiny twelve-ton cutter Hope, from Hoburt Town, and conveyed her in- i le. The Yarra reported a good channel the lead line giving two fathoms an hour before high wnter. The little fatter 110pe,12 tons register only, arrived in the river yesterday, after; a passage of fourteen dnysfrom HobartTown. She made very fair weather dining the trip, but once was somewhat knocked about, in a S.E. pule which blew some of the sails away. The Hope arrives in ballast trim, and is intended for the coasting and lightering trade. After a very successful trip to the northward, which, with the exception of one blow from the S.E. was marked by moderate but thick Lazy weather, the p.s. Bru r p returned to her old mooring place at the wharf yeßterday at 4 p.m. As we stated 411 a former issue, she left this port on the 26th, and arrived at the Grey the same day. On the next she towed three vessels to sea, and then with fifty passengers, and. about fifteen tons of cargo, and over a hundred Bheep on board, steamed for the Buller at 2 p.m. Was abreust of the Pakihi Diggings at 8 p.m, ; but the night being extremely dark and thick she made no attempt to land the freight which was on board for that place, but pushed on for the Buller, and came to an anchor off the mouth of that river at 9 p.m. Ran inside at 9 a.m. next day, and discharged the lading consigned to that port, landed about thirty passengers, andleft. again at noon for the PUkihi, having in tow three boats loaded with cargo.' Reached her destination at 2 30 p.m.,' and came to an anchor in seven fathoms of water, otf a large rock under Robinson's Point. The boats then ran in and discharged, afterwards returning and lighterii g the Bruce of her cargo and passengers and 110 sheep. Tripped her anchor at 6.30 p.m., and 6teored for Greymouth, but on arriving in the roadstead was met by a heavy S.E. gale, which compelled her to lay-to under canvas instead of anchoring. Kept by the wind until daylight, when she found herself off Hilkitika, having been swept so far by a strong southerly set ; and as there were passengers on board for G-reymouth', she ran back oni entered the river, and alter landing them steamed for head-quarters, arriving" as above. The Bruce reports the Grey bar to be in good condition. The channel diverges somewhat to the northward, but coutains two fathoms water at high tide. By a notice winch' appears elsewhere, we see that the Bruce is again on the berth for Okaritfy and, will leave for the southern port to-day. ' ' Any hopes that may have been entertained of peeing the Thano afloat again are now' in vain, the unfortunate vessel having commenced to break up. Tho sea has smashed in her plates on the weather side, broken her ribs, and otherwise dislocated her framework, iter purchaser, Mr Kilgqur, is rapidly dismantling her, and in a few days nothing but the huU will remain. — " Grey River Argus," The arrival of the Bruce has placed us in L possession of authentic particulars respecting the so-called harbor of Pakihi, which we publish for t;he benefit of our seamen readers. The information is but scanty, as the stay of the Bruce was of necessity exceedingly short. Pakihi is a mere cov<> nituated about nine miles to the southward of the Steeples, knd immediately undei- and to the northward of Robinson's Point, which forms one side of the entrance to it. To the north the entrance is bounded by another blutF point, but of a less altitude than Robinson's. The passage between the two is not move than 50 feet wide, and 12.0 yards long. The cove is in shape nenrly'a perfect oval, but of no extent, not being 'morii lhata 300 yards in length from north to south, by about 150 yards in its widest purt, which faces the entrance. It is surrounded ' by ' a sandy beach, and at low water is quite dry. There is, however, a riso and fall ot" between five' and six feet, so that small vessels can enter, but, of pourse, lie high' and' dry' when' the fide is out. At the mouth of asmalloreek, which runs into tho cove on its southern side, is a large rock, the only one it contains. As we have before observed, the entrance is extremely narrow, and at low wafer is not navigable, excepting to boats', ' as two rocks jut out from either side and nearly overlap each other. These are covered afc high water to a depth of about five feet. A Ym^o muss of rock, which at a former period m.ust have been detached from Robinson's Point," lies nt the foot of it, but separated from the" main land by a narrow channel. Outside this rook is good anchorage in five fathoms, and il'iere the Bruce lay during her few hourg' stay off this place. Of course it is merely an open roadstead, fully exposed to gales from S'W. to N.N.E. Tho cove is sheltered from all but a westerly blow, a nasty Bwell, however, rolls round the point during heavy S.VV. weather. The coast to

the Northward of the cove is low and sandy, as a beach oxtends for nearly nine mtyee towards the Steeples. To tho Southward the coast is bold and rock bound. It is said that a good sized river, navigable to a vessel of a light draught of water, joins the sea about three miles North of the cove. When the Bruce left, the cutter Dart was lying inside the Pakihi discharging, and ' tit half-jtide the diggers were walking round her.