The Nelson Evening Mail. FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 6, 1868. STRANDING OF THE SCHOONER AMATEUR.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume III, Issue 264, 6 November 1868, Page 2

The Nelson Evening Mail. FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 6, 1868. STRANDING OF THE SCHOONER AMATEUR.

We regret to state that information reached town late last night, on the arrival of the steamer John Perm, to the effect that the three-masted schooner Amateur, 250 tons, which had left this port on Wednesday morniDg, for Newcastle, with several passengers, and loaded with timber, had been stranded that morning on the Sand Spit, about a mile and a half to the eastward of Bush End, the site of the proposed lighthouse. It appears from the statements of the passengers who were on board the schooner which lately changed its master, that all went well until shortly after midday yesterday, when, whilst tacking off from Separation point, her stern took the ground on the Sand Spit, it being high water at the time. The master was below, the vessel being in charge of the second mate, but immediately on the alarm being given, the captaiu called all hands on deck, and every effort was made to right her. A kedge anchor was taken out in a boat, and - dropped at some distance, with the intention of dragging her into deep water, but this only resulted in bedding her more firmly on the spit, the wrong side having been chosen for the experiment. The schooner remained in this state until about 4 o'clock yesterday afternoon, when fortunately the John Perm was sighted returning to Nelson from the West Coast. She hove to, and a boat was sent oil* from the schooner, to acquaint Captain Carey with her state. It was at first proposed that the steamer should stand off until high tide, in the hope of getting her off then, but she had a large number of passengers, who were anxious to arrive at their destination as speedily as possible, the weather threatening, and believing that the schooner would hold together until the arrival of further assistance from Nelson, Captain Carey came off in his boat, accompanied by Mr J. Paul, -who was a passenger on the John Perm, and took off the passengers Mr and Mrs Coulter, with their children, and Mr Daniel Burn. In order to reach the steamer, it was necessary to drag the boat for some distance over the Sandspit into deep water, all present lending their assistance, at the expense of a thorough wetting, for the surf was breaking heavily over the boat at the time. The passengers however were safely put on board the steamer, in which they were conveyed to Nelson last night. The master, Mr Lane, and the crew were left on board the schooner, having a good sailing boat at their disposition in case of any emergency occurring before the arrival of the Lady Barkly, which went down at daybreak this morning with Mr J. P. Lowe and part of the Harborboat's crew, equipped with ail necessary gear for her assistance. We understand that the schooner, which is the joint property of Messrs Gibbons and Bebtley, together with the cargo, was insured for £1600.