PORT OF HOKITIKA.

West Coast Times, Issue 679, 27 November 1867, Page 2

PORT OF HOKITIKA.

High Watee, This Day. — 10.50 a.m. ; 11.15 p.m. November 2Q. — 6 a.m. : Wind, N.E. light; barometer, 29."34; thermometer, 5-1. — 1 p.m. : Wind, S.W., fresh ; barometer, 29-36; thermometer, 60.— 6 p.m.: Wind, S.W., moderate; barometer, 29-40; thermometer, 56. Weather during day, fine. ABItIVED. November 26.— 0me0, s.s., Edwards, from Melbourne, Dunedin. Royse, Mudie and Co., agents. Bruce, p.s., Kerley, from Buller. F. G-reer, agent. SAILED. November 26. — Nil. ENTERED IN. Bruce, 8 1 tons, J. Kerley, for Westport, &c. 21 passengers. EXPECTED AUKIVALS. Alhambra, s.s., from Dunedin, to-dny. 10, schooner, from Melbourne, daily. Rangitoto, s.s., from Melbourne via Dun•din, to-day. Lord Ashley, s.s., from Nelson, to-day. Beautiful Star, s.s., from Dunedin, early. VItOJKCTED DEPAUT.ITIIR3. Claud Hamilton, for Nelson, to-day. Nile, schr., for Fox's, early. Alhambra, s.s., for Melbourne and Sydnoy, to-day. R.iugitoto, s.s., for Melbourne, to-day. Lord Ashley, s.s., for Sydney, to-day. Omeo, s.s., for Melbourne, to-day. Bruce, p.s., for B idler, to-day. Tasmanian Maid, p.s., for Fox's, Buller and Mohikinui, to-morrow. vessel in roirr. Schooners— Sea Ripple, Nile, Dart, Bessie, Aurora, Mary Anne Christina. Ketches — Brothers and Sister, Jano Anne, .Enterprise. Cutters— Hope, Harry Bluff, Elizabeth. Skinners— ClisiUenu."* Golden L.md, Va-ra, Favorite, Dispatch, Enterprise, Bruce. IX THE HOAD3TEAD. Anne Moore, brgh, from Melbourne. Claud Hamilton, a.s., from Sydnoy. Omeo, s s., frem Dunedin. Mary, brigantine, from Melbourne.

A frightful surf lined tho coast yesterday, and of course closed tho bar, for although tha Bruce — specially favored by fortune— did manage to cross it inward?, an attempt to hare passed through the mile of broken water that intervened between the beacli mid tho roadstead would have been utterly unjustifiablo on tho part of tho masters of tho port steamers as entailing immense risk upon vessels and crew. Houce the steamers Omeo and Claud Hamilton remained untenderod. Both vessels got underweigh iv the afternoon apparently induced to seek an offing by the freshening S.W. breeze, that from the appearance of tho weather threatened to increase to a heavy .gale. But the wind went dowu with the sun, and the steamers again brought up to he t ndered we hope, this morning. , There was no sign last night of tho Alhanibra or Lord Ashley. 1 The steamer Omeo came to an anchor oT tho bar at 7.30 a.m. yesterday after a very smart passage from Dunedin, which port she left on Saturday afternoon, and called at Bluff Harbor on her way. The Omeo will, if the bar permits, leave for Melbonrne direct to-day. The sound of a gun fired at an early hour yesterday morning announced the arrival of the p.s. Bruce oil ihe bar, and as it was then dead low water, she anchored for tide, well clear of the surf, which .was unusually hheavy\ v y and of great width/ Wo hardly expected that the little craft would attempt to enter, but as the tide made she unmistakably discovered her intention by getting underweigh, and at three quarters flood headed direct for the river, lavored by one of those remarkable " smoothes" that do occur in tho roughest weather, she passed tho cuter break without shipping any water, and had almost cleared the bar when a heavy roller, or rather a wall of water chased in her wake, caught the little steamer just as she rose from the trough of a smaller sea and tumbled on board a mountain of water that absolutely smothered her, as she was hidden from sight excepting the masts, funnel and bridge. Some idea may be formed ofthesizeof the sea when we state that it washed the oar 3 out of the quarter-boats, and lodged nearly ono foot of water all over tho bridge, whilst Mr Campbell, the engineer, found himself immersed nearly to the middle, notwithstanding that the doors of the engineroom hud been closed as a precautionary measure before the Bruce entered tho break. Although one" of the most buoyant boats upon the coast she seemed to stagger under tha weight of sea, and Isiy like a half-tide rock for a few moments, the ore.v aivl passengers holding on for dear life until the deck was rid of i tho accumulation of water. Some of them wore absolutely swimming, aud we think there is ample rjom for congratulation that 110 lives were lost, for had another sea struck her the consequences mint have boen serious. She however quickly gathered headway again, and steamed to the wharf dripping with water from her mastheads downwards. The Bruce on this trip confined her visit to the Buller River, Fox's River being closed by the heavy surf, and tisc reports concerning tho Mohikinui bar were so evil that Captain Kerley decided not to risk his charge there. She accordingly left the Buller, on her return, at 6.30 p.m. on Monday last, and, steaming up the coast at half-speed, arrived in this roadBtead at 4.30 a.m. yesterday. The Bruce made a capital run down to the Buller, as she left this port at 8 a.m. on Saturday last and moored off Westport at d.30 p.m. She carried fuir winds botli ways, but throughout the trip experienced dirty disagreeable weather ; thirty passengers came up in her. Weather permitting, she will loave for tho Buller again this morning. As the Bruce brought up no intelligence concerning the steamer Jveera — which was the more strange, as the steamer Nelson from Nehon arrivod at the Buller on Saturday, but said nothing in her report about the mining vessel — 3omc anxiety was occasioned for her safety, as it was oxpected that she had either run to the Buller, or failing to gain that port had proceeded on to Nelson. To, if possible, allay disquietude in the minds of those whose friends or property wore on board her, Messrs Carey aud Gilles despatched a telegram to Nelson, and in the course of the afternoon received tho pleasing uii3wer that the Kcera was all right in Nelson haven taking in cargo for the West Coast. Jler departure was fixed for to-morrow, but the telegram did not state whether Hokitika or Greymotilh would be her destination. We presume the latter. The steamer Nelson from Nelson arrived at Wesfport on Sunday last after a passage of six clays, during which she encountered a sue-ei-ssiou of S.W. and N.W. gales, and was three times compelled to run for shelter, once to Astrolable Roids, then under Beach End, lastly into West Wanganui, where she remained from Wednesday to Saturday evening. Whilst lying there she sighted the s.s. Storm Bird struggling southward agdinst the gale, Int as she had not arrived at Westport when the Bruce left on Monday, we presume she ran back to Blind Bay, and together with the Alhambra and Lord Ashley is there detained by heavy weather. This trip the Nelson proceeds no farther south than Westport. Her Greymouth cargo will bo transhipped to tho s.s. Kennedy, which was hourly expected at be Buller. The brigantine Mary from Melbourne arrived in the roadstead yesterday afternoon, and brought up hi a southerly position off tho bar. PBOIX>NGBD VOTAGE FBOM MbIiBOTTBNB TO Wabbnambooli. — The Alexandra arrived at Warri&mbool yesterday. We are informed

by Captain Harrison that he left Port Phillip Heads on the 21st September, the weather being fine. Was off Cape Ofcway on the 22nd, and in the evening stood in for Warrnainbool. A heavy gale from the S.E. then sprang up, and he did not attempt to enter the port. Tho wind veered round to W.S.W., when the gale increased, 'which continued during the 23rd und 24th. On tho 25th made Cape Wickham light, at King's Island. The wind having moderated, blowing from the S.E., made for the coast, and arrived off Cupe Ofcway on the 26th, and on the following day was olf Warrnambool, at nine p.m. At four a.ra. on tho 28th, a heavy gale suddenly sprung up from W.S.W., the vessel standing to the south, under close-reefed topsails. From the 28th of September to the 2nd of October there were strong gales with high seas. Being short of provisions, ran in for Port Phillip Heads, and cast anchor on the oth inst. After obtaining a supply at Queenscliff, sailed again on the 6th, and was off Cape Otway on the 7th. South- westerly gales sprang up, which eontinuod up to tie 12th, and Captain Harrison was obliged to make for P«rt Phillip Heads, having lost six casks of water. On the 13th was onco more in Port Phillip Bay, and being sxipplied with water and provisions, left on tho 15th. Was off Cape Otway on the 18th, and from that time until Sunday, the 20th, experienced light gales from the westward, and anchored otf Warrnainbool at one p.m. yesterday, the 21st October, having been thirty days on the voyage." — " Warrnambool Examiner," October 22.