PORT OF HOKITIKA.

West Coast Times, Issue 364, 22 November 1866, Page 2

PORT OF HOKITIKA.

Hi cm Water This Day. — 10.3 am.10 28 p.m. Fuli, Moon.— To-day, 9.48 p.m. ARRIVED. November 21.— Mary Grant, brig, Langforcl, from Melbourne. Morison, Law, & Co. , agents. Glengarry, sehooncr, from Greymouth. Master, agent. SAILED. November 21. — Nil. ENTERED IX. Mary Grant, 138 tons, W. Longford, from Melbourne. Glengarry, 70 tons, S. Yemazoni, from Greymouth. CLEABED OUT. Nil. EXPECTED ARRIVALS Jason, from Sydney, early. Rangatira, from Sydney, Dec. 15. Lord. lshley, s.s., from Nelson and North, to-day. Tararua, s.s , from Melbourne, Dec. 1. Claud Hamilton, s.s., from Sydney, Nov 25. Mary, brigantine, from Melbourne, early. Oceau Wave, schooner, from Dunedin, 20fch inst. Eliza Blanch, schooner, from Auckland, early. Francis, schooner, from Heathcote, early. Mary Van Every, schooner, from Dunedin, early. . Frederic, barque, from Melbourne, early. Alexandra, schooner, from Melbourne, early. Moyne, schooner, from Melbourne, early. Phoebe, s.s., from Nelson, Nor. 28. BaNgitoto, s.s. , from Melbourne, to-ds-y. L>, Bchooner, from Melbourne, early. Elizabeth Curie, from Dunedin, to-day-Anne Moore, from Melbourne, early. Alhambra, s.s., from Melbourne, Nov. 24. Nelson, p.s., from Nelson, to-day. Bruce, p.s., from Buller, daily. PROJECTED DEPARTURES Lord Ashley, s.s., for Bluff and Dunedin, to-morrow. Gothenburg, s s., for Melbourne, to-morrow. Eangitoto, for Nelson, Wellington, Northern Ports, Dunedin and Melbourne, to-day. Bella Vista, barque, for Hobart Town, today. Nelson, for Grey, Buller, and Pakihi, today. VESSELS IN PORT. Barque — Bella Vifcta. Brig — Mary Grant. Brigantinos — Lizzie Coleson. Sarah and Mary. Sfhooners — Join Mitchell, Emma Jane, Isabella, Jane Anne, Elfin, Tiger, Elizabeth, Jane Elkin, Glengarry. Steamers — Persevere, Challenge, Yarra. IX THE RO \DSTEAD. Gothenburg, t.s. from Melbourne Frederic, barque, from Melbourne. lona, schooner (lighter). IMPOSTS. Per Mary Grant, from Melbourne — 1 case, J. Manson ; 1 t\n, 1 bale, 6 dozen buckets, Hall &: Co ; 2 baL ■>, 4 dozen buckets, Cassiua & Co ; 1 case, 1 bale, Ecclcsfield Bros ; 2 cases, J. Soloujon ; 1 case, G. A. Paterson ; 3 hhds hardware, 1 case glass, 2 casks hardware, 1 bdl weights, J. B. Clarke ; 10 cases kerosene, Cowlisha-sv & PJaisted ; 16 do currants, 30 bags sugar, order ; 30 cases brandy, 50 bags sugar, Ec-clesiield Bros ; 45 bales chaff, Bailie &Co ; 1 pkg, D. Cashmore & Co ; 2 bales flock, j. Matthies ; 24 do chaff, 30 bags flour, A. Boyle & Co ; 1 case spouting. Cowlishaw &' Phiisted ; 30 casks ale, 10 cases pickles, 6 do capers, 14 do salad oil, 10 boxes boxes blue, 6 cases <*astor oil, 100 bags ba "ley, 20 casks oatmeal, 100 bags flour, 114 do oats, 126 do bran, order ; 4 cases coffee, Ido sago, Ido sundries, Orr & Co ; 30 do kerosene, • Cowlisbaw & Plaisted ; 10 casks currants, G cases sardines, 1 half-tierce tobacco, 5 cases sardines, 10 do salt, 2 do candied peel, 10 do salad oil, 2 do raisins, 1 half-tierce tobacco, 9 cases starch, 10 br's apples, 10 do currants, 7 casks soda crystals, 50 bags flour, 43 do sugar, 15 cases ling, Morison, Law, & Co ; 1 case mustard, 2 do salmon, 6 do cheese, 2 do mustard, sdo currants, 10 do hams and bacon, order ; 1 case, 1 bale, J. Manson ; 25 bales chaff, order ; 30 cases jam, 6 chests candles, 5 tons flour, 20 cases old torn, 15 casks ale, 25 half-chests tea, 10 cases bitters, 10 do hams and bacon, 64 pkgs sugar, 20 keps butter, 5 half-hhds vinegar, 7 cases salmon, 10 do sauces, 10 do vinegar, 10 do cheese, 5 do vestas, Hall & Co; 4 boxes starcb, 2 do blue, 1 bag tapioca, 10 kegs butter, Blyth & Co. Per Glengarry, from Greymouth — 70 tons coal, 20 bags lime, 1 driving monkey and winch, order.

Very little work was transacted either in the river or roadstead yesterday, through the heavy S.W. gale, which blew home with excessive violence, sending up a very bad sea and bitter squalls of rain. No cargo was discharged by the Gothenburg, which, with steam up, rolled and pitched to her anchors in a manner that must have beeu the reverse of comfortable to those on board. On the morning's tide, before the gale had readied its height, the bar was passably workable, and of this advantage was taken by the Yarra and Challenge to run outside aud bring in the Jane Elkin and Mary Grant, the former of which has been lying in the roadstead for eleven days, with the Egmont's cargo on board. A"cording to the report of the tugboats there are two thimnels through the bar, one running straight out, the other to the S.W. The Yarra used the first, and at high tide found ten feet water in the shallowest part, and the Challenge worked the other, and sounded it, the leadline giving eleven feet as the least depth. The tempestuous weather that has prevailed on the West Coast during the past three weeks is not by any means of a local character, as the reports of the different vessels which have lately arrived here from Australia tell of strong breezes and heavy gales from S.E., extending round by north to N.W. There is also a singular similarity in the barometer readings noted by these craft, denoting an unusual lightness of tl'e atmospheric column, as the glasses seldom stood above 299o, and the average range may be taken at from 29-10 t0 2960. But the Mary Grant's barometer marked a much lower figure than even this, as on the 17th instant it was down to 28.60, aud during the passage ranged from that point to 29.50. It is not a low range glass either, being only 02 below standard.

The arrival of thep.s. Nelson at Greymouth yesterday morning was duly notified by telegram to her agents here. Weather permitting, she will leave for Hokitika to-day. Per telegram received by the agent of the Bruce yesterday, it appears that the Grey bar was unworkable, owing to the heavy sea running, as that smart vessel was unable to leave the river, and has consequently suffered a further detention of twenty-four hours.

The brig Mary Grant left Port Phillip Heads on the 4th instant, with N.E. winds and fine weather, and cleared the Straits on the 6th, taking her last departure from Kent's Group. Strong easterly breezes, from S'E. to N.E prevailed up to 18th, with frequent and heavy squalls of rain, and then a heavy N.E. gale set in, which hove the brig to under a close-reefed main topsail until the following day, when the gale moderated, and shortly afterwards land was sighted about Cascade Point. Then the breeze suddenly died away, and came out light from the S.W., bringing up with it heavy rain squalls. Hence to tbe roadstead, which was gained on the 20th, S.W. win< s and squally weather provailed. Too late for that day's tide, the Mary Grant remained at anchor until tbe following morning, when the Challenge towed her to the wharf. She brings a full general cargo, but po pasiengers.

Amongst the telegrams in tho " Grey River Ai\»us" we notice tho arrival of tho s.s. Albion at" Bluff Harbor, from Melbourne, at ?>.20 a.m. on the lUth hist., after a very stormy passage. She brings the English mails, and may be expected to arrive here about TuesHaA next. Tho Melbourne shipping telegrams, published in the" Sydnoy Herald" inform us that the Panama Company's s.s. Rangitoto sailed for New Zealand on the 12th instant, and the Io schoner left for Hokitika on tho saino day. Presuming that the Raugitoto purposes calling at Hokiril>a she has thus been ten days at. sea, a nio-st unusunl time for a vessel of her wellknown sailing qualities, and wo are therefore inclined to believe that, finding on her arrival off the coast such bad weather prevailing, she considered it unadvi*able to call at this port, and ran on for Nelson. We trust such is the case, otherwise an unpleasant alternative must be accepted. The schooner Glengarry, coal laden from Grejmouth, arrived in the river yesterday morning. She has experienced a stormy time of it, having been no less than eleven days outside, sometimes far in the otfing, battling witd the gale, anon lying at her anchor waiting for a slant to cross the bar, and light winds and currents have also contributed somewhat to her detention. Good luck, however, attended the latter part of her trip, as favored by a fine leading wind she dispensed with the services of a steam-tug, and crossed the bar under canvas. The Wbeck of the Cosmopolite. — By the Prince Patrick, schooner, Captain Patching, which arrived in this port on Wednesday morning last, direct from the reef on which the Cosmopolite was wrecked, we have been put in possession of full particulars respecting the loss of the last named vessel. The following are the details as furnished to us by Captain Patching, and Mr Drew, the late mate ot the lost vessel : — The Cosmopolite, it appears, left Sydney, commanded by Captain Girdwood, on the 2nd of October last, bound to Gladstone, in Queensland, at' which port she was going to embark cattle. The vessel appears to have made the vicinity of Mast-head Island all right on the night of the 14th of October. The same evening it came on to b ow very fresh from the south-cast, with exceedingly thick, hazy weather. About one o'clock next morning (the lath of October) the Cosmopolite struck the Mast-head reef, and in a very short time became a total wreck. At the lime of the occurrence, Captain Giivlwood was asleep in bis cabin, and was apparently quite unaware of the dangerous situation his vessel was in. Within half-an-hour of the brig striking the reef, her bottom went clean out of her. The crew, nothwithslanding, remained on board until daylight, when they left in bouts and went on tlie island, which is about three miles long by about two wide. The whole of the party stayed on the island until the following Friday, October 19th, saving, in the meantime, as much as they could of the wreck. On the morning of the 19th, Captain Gird wood, Mr Drew, chief officer, and two of the crew left the island in one of the boats and proceeded to Gladstone, where they reported the loss of the brig. The owner, Mr Louis Ehrenfried, beiug in Gladstone at the time, he at once sold the wreck to Captain Patching, of the Prince Patrick, who, having all his cargo discharged, lost no time in making for Mast-head, with a view to collect the scattered wreck, and bring it, along with the crew, on to Newcastle. Captain Patching remained on the island a week, during which time he gathered as much of the wreck as was of any value. Amongst the articles saved were anchors, chains, watercasks, rigging, &c. While at the island the purty experienced somewhat rough weather, the wind blowing in squalls from the south-east, and owing to their being no shelter but the lee shore of the reef, and the anchorage being bad, Captain Patching himself lost an anchor and forty-five fathoms of cable. On leaving the reef, and after everything had been got in readiness for a start, Captain Patching, and those who came with him to Newcastle, were somewhat astonished on learning that two of the crew of the Cosmopolite — Thomas Jell'rey, and Leonidas Nichols— expressed their determination to remain where they were, and not come away in the Prince Patrick with the rest. Thinking that the men were not serious in what they said, Captain Patehiug asked them three different t imes to come on board, and each time his request was met by a point blank refusal. Finding all entreaty of no avail, the men were left to their fate on a desert island, with no provision or firearms, and only one cask of water, aud with very little prospect of obtaining any more, for, so far as Captain Patching observed, there is no water on the island fit to drink. All t his was explained to the men before leaving, but, nevertheless, they obstinately insisted in stopping, and removed from the vessel their personal elleets which had been conwyed on board, iv the expectation that, at the last moment, the stupid fellows would change their minds and with the rest of their comrades, take advantage of Captain Patching's kind oiler to take them on to this port. The only reason the men assigned for wishing to remain on the island was that they, '• did not care to go back anywhere in the direction ot Sydney, but wanted, when they were north, to slay north." Captain Patching, who is well acquainted with this portion ot the coast, informs us that it miiy be months before any vessel passing would notice the self-made exiles., unless led to do 30 by the publicity this, and similar notices will give to the circumstance. The smoke of the northern steamers as they pass and repass to Gladstone and Rockhampton is ju&t visible from the reef, but, with this exception, they might as well be on an island a thousand miles from the mainland, as on Mast-head, which is not. quite thirty miles distant. The island of Mast-head is a coral reef, aud is distant from Gladstone — reckoning from Uve extreme eastern end — about twenty-eight miles. It is about the same distance from Keppel Bay. Tlie island, Captain Patching states, possesses no feature of interest whatever. The greater part of it is nothing more than a huge accumulation of sand. During his stay of a week, the only things he saw in the shape of human food were bird's eggs and turtle. In the centre of the reef there is a patch of vegetation, but no soil worth speaking of. On the whole, the two men lett behind at Mast-head h d got about as inhospitable and uucoiutbilable a home as could well be imagined. — "Newcastle Chroidcle," Nov. 10.