IMPORTS.

West Coast Times, Issue 357, 14 November 1866, Page 2

IMPORTS.

Per Excelsior, from Dunedin— 3so bags sugar, Morison, Law, and Co ; 3 qr-casks rum, 5 qr-casks port wine, 4 hhds beer, 13 cases beer, 2 qr-casks brandy, 20 cases brandy, 4 qr-casks whisky, 20 eases whisky, Reeves and Bevan ; 90 cases brandy, order ; 10 cases ginger wine, Bailie and Humplu-eys ; 10 cases stout, Louttit and Reid ; 11 cases stout, Mace and Dixon ; 65 bags sugar, T. Pringle ; 10 half-chests tea, Reeves and Bevan ; 20 cases brandy, T. Pringle ; 10 cases jam, 1 pkg blue, 2 bales paper, 2 pockets hops, 1 case anchovies, 2 cases herbs, 1 case olives, 1 case peel, 10 bags oatmeal, 12 cases hams, Powell and Co; 21 cases salmon, 1 ca«e herrings, Morison, Law and Co ; 30 bags oats, 100 bags flour, 2 cases hams, 2 cases bacon, A. Boyle and Co : 20 cases stout, T. Pringle ; 9 hhds 6tout, Mace and Dixou ; 14 bags potatos, Capt. Bell ; 1 dray, 5 bags oats, 1 cask, Fisher Brothers. Monday, November 12th, will be long remembered in Hokitika, as it was not only marked in black by Saxby, but the prognostication of the meteorologist was absolutely verified, the coast being visited by a heavy N.W. gale, accompanied by such a dawnpour of rain that the town was flooded to an extent never before witnessed. Moreover, the three harbor steamers were placed in imminent peril, as they were for the first time fairly caught napping, and compelled to pass a bitter night in the roadstead, after desperate but unavailing attempts to regain the river. In the morning the Yarra and Persevere Bteamed outside to tender the steamers Otago and Egmont, and when they left the wharf there was. (notwithstanding the steady rain of the previous night) only a slight freshet * down. But the " break" was hardly cleared •when the wind freshened from the N.W., bringing up torrents of rain, and raising such a sea that the transhipment of passengers was effected under not only disagreeable but dangerous circumstances, and nothing but the great caution exercised prevented loss of life. The Persevere was the first outside, and she ran alongside the Otago, and cleared her of passengers — some 63 in number, and then at about one o'clock, steamed for the shore. The Yarra attended to the Egmont, afterwards transhipping to the Otago, and an hour later followed the Persevere. In tho meantime, the p.s. Challenge arrived from Greymouth. and having passengers onboard for the Egmont transhipped them, and then made for the river, picking up the schooner Tambo, coal laden from Greymouth, on her way . She closely followed the Persevere. The latter vessel first gained the entrance, but found that in the short space of two hours the river had enormously risen and was pouring such a torrent of water between the spits that to stem the rush was an impossibility. Thrice did she make the attempt by keeping in the slack water under the lee of the North Spit to gain the point, and then making a dash into the torrent that whirled round it, but was each time swept like a feather backward. Meanwhile the Challenge had crossed the bar, but owing to the dense mist failed to see the Persevere until close upon her, just as that vessel was beaten back for the third time. The consequence was that a collision occurred, the Challenge striking the Persevere upon the port £sponson, but fortunately inflicted no damage. She then clapped her helm a-star-board and essayed to pass the point, but at this moment the tow rope slipped over the starboard quarter, and got athwart her stem, and the schooner taking a sheer to port, dragged the Challenge round broadside to the stream, across which she took a tremendous sheer, and grounded on the South Spit, followed by the schooner, which " piled up " oloso to her on the starboard side. More lucky than the Challenge, the Persevere was carried clear of both spits, and drifted broadside on into the break, where she also took the ground on the tail of the South Spit, which was then covered to a depth of about three or four feet. She remained there but a minute or two, as the main body of the fresh poured directly on her broadside, and fairly washed her over the bank into deep water, when she managed to get end on, and Bteamed through the surf into the roadstead. Little dreaming of the trial in store for her, the Yarra now approached the shore, but the driving rain and mist so shut it in that she was inside the break before the Challenge and Tambo were sighted. One glance at the furious current dashing past them was sufficient to place her in possession of the true facts of the case, but as retreating then was out of the question, she also tried to round that fatal point by adopting the tactics of the Persevere. Every pound of steam was brought to bear, and to aid the engines the mainsail and staysail were set, but the moment she felt the current her bows fell off, and 3he was swept broadside down stream, aad the engines being reversed backed into clack water again. Not satisfied with the one attempt, and most anxious to gain the river rather than risk riding through a heavy gale in the roadstead, Capt. Nicoll put his vessel at it again, but with no better success, and once more backed her into the eddy. There she remained for nearly half-an-hour, trying to slue round head to the north in order to gain the channel, which ran in that direction, but the eddy catching her on the port bow proved too strong, notwithstanding that tho mainsail was set to help her round ; seeing at last there waa no help for it, the Yarra was also flUowed to drift broadside on, the engines going

full speed astern to back her into tho channol. She, however, took the ground on the same bank of sand which brought up the Persevere ■ — but closer to tho point of it — and after rolling about for ten minutes slipped off into the gut way, and canting with her hoad tho right way pushed through the surf and gained the roadstead.* In tlie meantime the current cut away the sand underneath the stern of the Challenge and swept her off the bank, and away she also drifted broadside on to the tail of the spit. The rush of water across it was tremendous, and as she took tho ground threw her nearly on her beam ends, but after a fearful roll or two she also was carried outside, then slued round and paddled through the break with ono engine only, as the port paddle wheel having been bent by the sea refused to work. The damage, however, proved slight, and was remedied when she got outside. The Yarra and Challenge were thus at no great distance from each other, and both headed towards the Persevere, which was observed some distance in the offing, with her ensign flying union down. This signal was made to the Otago, that vessel not having left tho roadstead, and she at once bore down to the tug's assistance, and never was help more needed, as the Persevere, with nearly 80 souls on board, was in an open roadstead, in the midst of a heavy gale, no port under her lee, and short of coals, provisions, and water. There is no doubt that Captain Clayton would have at once supplied her, but seeing the other tugs so close at hand, and nothing doubting that they could assist, he being pressed for time, stood away on his course to Nelson. Unfortunately, both the Yarra and Challenge wore short of coal, neither having more than twenty-four hours' fuel on board, so the Yarra at once dashed after the Otago, and by flying a signal of distress, again brought her to. Fortunately Mr White, the company's agent, and Mrßonaiyof the firm Royse, Mudie and Co., agent 3 for the Yarra and Persevere, were in the former, and the Otago having sent a bdbt they boarded her to make known the facts of the ense. By this time, however, the gale was at its height attended by a mountainous sea, and it was only too apparent that no assistance could be rendered that night, as darkness was closing in and the Persevere and Challenge were out of sight to the southward. The Yarra, moreover, had brought up on sixty fathoms of chain, Captain Nieoll having resolved to ride tho gale out where she then was, and she shortly found herself in solitude, as the Otago rapidly disappeared in the thick mist which shut iv a vessel of even her size at a hundred yards distance. And so the night passed away, the Yarra not knowing the moment she might not have to slip and run for it, and filled with anxiety for the fato of her sister boat the Persevere. Happily the gale abated towards morning, and about an hour after daybreak the Persevere was observed steaming up from the southward, but in a pitiable condition, as she had not a pound of coals remaining, and was reduced to the necessity of raising steam by the aid of ashes mixed with kerosene, several cases of the latter being on board as cargo. Her fresh water nnd provisions were also exhausted. She brought up astern of the Yarra and made known her state, and Captain Nicoll was about to lower his boat and supply her from his own scanty stock when the Otago hove in sight to the northward, and in an hour came to an anchor alongside. As the weather still looked threatening, and but little hopes were entertained that the bar could be crossed that day, she at once 9ent two tons of coals, and provisions and water to the Persevere, and at the same time supplied the Yarra with a box of biscuits and a sheep. She then picked up her anchor and left for Nelson, having suffered a most untoward detention of eighteen hours. The sea went down gradually as the day advanced, but from the muddy appearance of the ocean, which was tinged miles from the land, it was evident that the rivers were yet discharging a tremendous freshet, that would be most likely to render nugatory any attempt made to enter them. This was, of course, a matter of mere speculation, and as the time of high water drew nigh, anxious glances were cast towards the signal station at Hokitika for the hoisting of the red flag, which signal would announce the bar as passable. At last it was made — but somewhat late on tide — and the Persevere immediately pushed for the bar, crossed the break, and after a desperate struggle succeeded iv rounding the North Spit, and gained the wharf amidst the cheers of an immense crowd which had assembled to witness her arrival. And never was applause more deserved, as in the face of a heavy surf and still heavier freshet Captain Macmeikau crossed the bar hap-hazavd, absolutely seeking for a channel, of which the direction and formation was most uncertain even to those on shore, who had marked the entrance at low water. He fairly broke the blockade, and was followed by the Challenge andYavra, both of which gained the wharf safely, but not without a hard push to surmount the hill of water that still ran iuriously between, the spits. The P.N.Z. & A.R.M. Co.'s s.s. Otago arrived in the roadstead on the 11th instant, at 10 p.m., having — considering her remarkably foul bottom — made a good run from Melbourne of six da^ s six hours. She experienced light easterly weather throughout the trip, and was, therefore, unable to make much use of her heavy spread of canvas. She brings between sixty and seventy passengers for this port ; and left again yesterday morning for Nelson on her tour round the coast, to Dunedin. The Otago's stay off this port was marked by an exceedingly heavy gale from the N.W., and in consequence of the small harbor steamer which tendered her being compelled to remain in the roadstead on Monday night with nearly eighty persons on board, Captain Clayton most humanely stood by her to render any assistance that might be required and to supply her with coals and provisions, of which she was absolutely bare. The Otago thus lost eighteen hours of most valuable time as she is under mail contract ; but to the credit of her captain be it spoken that he stood by his fellow creatures who were thus placed in great danger in an opeu roadstead in the midst of one of the heaviest gales that has visited the coast this season. His conduct will long be remembered with gratitude by the Westland public, and redounds no less to his credit than to that of the Panama Company to which he has the honor to belong.