THE FLOOD ON THE SHOTOVER.

Lake Wakatip Mail, Volume I, Issue 27, 1 August 1863, Page 6

THE FLOOD ON THE SHOTOVER.

A correspondent from Maori Point, Shotover, has furnished us with the following details of the rescue of Sullivan's washdirt, part of which, it willjbe remembered, turned out 20lb. of gold, on the occasion of the flood on the 12th ult.

" The river has been changed from its original course. The United Company (Owen Doolan's race) has been filled up, although-they and Jim Sullivan's party (the Perseverance Company) had succeded in diverting the Shotover. Sullivan and party were at their own side of the river when the hand of destruction came. A cry was raised—' Sullivan's washdirt is going with the flood.' There were nome of his party atjthe same side of the river, and no means of communication. The flood was rising higher every moment, and torrents of rain falling at the same time. Mr. Tom Logan at once went to 1 Wilson and Co.'s store and stated that Sullivan's washdirt was being washed away. A crowd of miners at once got down and removed it; the principals in so doing being Mr. Willie Campbell and party, Mr. Strachan and party, D. Wilson and his brother, John Wilson ; Mr. Johnstone and party, Thomas R. Ahern, with a host of others, who worked freely. They saved the washdirt that time, and had actually to remove it higher up on three several occasions—the last time by filling it into bags. A sudden sound or roar was heard whilst some bags of sand were being filled and placed as a barrier to prevent the water from washing away the precious gravel. Some of the miners commenced arguing as to what the cause of the report was. Some said it was a slip, while others averred it to be thunder; but it was a sudden rush of water through the Gorge, above Maori Point, which swept down with incredible velocity. Mr. Hugh Irwin was standing on the barrier of bags, when a sudden rush of water came and ran him off, and took Logan's hut and Jessie's tent. Logan lost a few ounces of gold, which were in his trowsers pocket in the hut. He was at this time saving Jim Sullivan's washdirt. Some of the bags which were filled with the washdirt were carried away ; others were strewn about. All the sand on the surface where Logan's hut originally stood was washed away to the bottom.

"On Thursday, the 15th, whilst crossing Stony Creek Ferry, on the Shotover, at Maori Point, a man dropped out of the boat. J. Heberley, or 1 Maori Jack,' lost one of his paddles, but rescued the man. The old boatman had to give up."