ACROSS THE HOKITIKA BAR IN A GALE OF WIND.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume IV, Issue 148, 26 June 1869, Page 2

ACROSS THE HOKITIKA BAR IN A GALE OF WIND.

The following very humourous and graphic description of crossing the Hoki- j tika bar, is given by the shipping reporter i of the Hokitika Daily News, who went out in the Waipara to obtaiu the English news by the Rangitoto : — (i To ask me to give a description of the passage across the bar on a day like yesterday, is tantamount to requesting a man just recovering from delirium tremens to give an account of his feelings while in that unenviable state. However, as nothing is impossible — except perhaps forgetting to try on the " six " arrangement at Yankee Grab when opportunity offers — I will make an effort to give you the desired description. Well, when the plucky captain of the good, fast, and favorite, many more adjectived, screw steamer Waipara had determined upon making a second attempt to reach the Rangitoto, your obedient jumped on board and having managed to knock down the steps (don't know the nautical appellation of the article) leading thereto, twice, reached the desired haven — the roof of the deck house — where he plauted himself on the lee side of a chain stay, fondly imagining that there he could defy "theefforts of wind, weather, and all other marine monsters to disturb his equanimity (i.e., stomach). "Let go.'" "Go ahead.!" erash — rip — and amid commiserating remarks on the captain's pluck, and a likelihood of the passengers getting a taste of the pleasures of a life on the ocean wave, we were let go, went ahead, and performed sundry other evolutions, without which no heaving is complete. We steamed down the bosom of the majestic Hokitika, splendidly — did uot roll or pitch at all. My spirits began to rise, and I ransacked my memory for an_effusfqn of Mr. Dibdin ap- . propriate tor the .-.-occasion. I bad just recollected -a verse which would have suited splendidly, when — splash, erash — up came a roller, giving the steamer, in pugilistic parlance, a smack on the sneezer, which made her stagger -jrad quiver like — I'aii^p^'l^u^'myaii^M^en^lC'isipolitie. Away we wieh '%[ up higliglHgher yet, on .the top of a mighty, whlli^pped-billowj, ■ -■'. -"'•' •' ■ .."■' . "'■ v ■:■' '■ "•• ■ . y-ti'i ' . , , .

. and then down into an abyss — surrounded on all sides by inkey-colored walls of ■ water. Call the passage from the wharf to the roadstead crossing the bar! Why it is a performance on a flying trapeze, with the billows for the swings. Up again we go and down, ditto, ditto, several times. After a succession of ups and downs, I begau to get used to it, aud became quite seaman-like iv my owu estimation. I pitied weak-stomached individuals — louged for a draw of a sweet dhudeen I had in my pocket, but did not light, for fear of incommoding the other passengers — and wondered why people were afraid to venture out. Ship— smash, stagger again — another mighty billow has struck us, and has rolled on its way. After that I began to feel romantic aud poetical. 'Roll on, thou dark and deep blue oceau, roll ! ' I repeated inwardly, with much benefit to myself. I tried my pipe, but after one I wii iff, I put it out to cou verse with a I friend. I thought 1 would compose a splendid article ona nautical subject, and I sketched the commencement iv my mind this wise — While mighty billows were j rearing their foam-crested tops high above the little vessel, threatening every moment to break upon it with resistless force and : smash it into smithereens, the gallant skipper stood on the deck-house roof aud calmly -contemplated the scene. No fear had he I He recked not if the waves engulfed his craft and spoiled his whisky —no not even if it put his pipe out, would he have moved from his post or chucked his oilskin coat overboard. Down below ther j was a sound curiously suggestive. Another sound caught my ear, aud I involuntarily exclaimed "one more unfortunate taking n nip." At this juncture I was confidentially informed by one of my ft-lloiv-passengers that the water was rough. Singular to say I was of the same opiuion, and a nautical gentlemen coinciding with us we struck up an alliance conversational, but not otherwise. Now a squall came up — Jerusalem I didn't I freeze ou to the mast, and didn't several others do the same. I wasn't afraid, you know; but when the vessel heeled over, and I looked down on the storm-tossed waters, a sensation crept over me somewhat similar to that Jonah must have felt when he was goiug down the whale's throat. And the wind blew. By Jovo ! it blew. Of course, the conventional mariner in oilskin informed me that it was only a hatful of wind. I can't measure wind, but I vow when the captain gave orders to run in again, Ihe biggest hatter's shop on either side of the line would not suffice to hold the breeze that was blowing. As I said before, I froze to the mast. My tile then commenced to show -evident signs of being afflicted with the nal de mer, for it made several attempts to terminate my lease of it by endeavoring to blow overboard. I grasped it tightly with my right hand, and with the other round the mast, I stood. I held on. I wouldn't have given up my post ; no, not I. I considered it my duty to stick to that mast, and I would have stuck to it (provided I could hold on) till I was in smooth water. My reflections at this part of my voyage were not remarkable for their connectedness nor were they highly intellectual. I thought of other bars where "(tidal) waves" were confined in pewter pots, and where the prevailing spirits were not those of the storm. I also thought I'd like to punch some one's head for advising me to cross the bar, aud. wondered, if the waves saved me the trouble of shuffling off this mortal coil anyone would incur the expense of realising my estate. I got rather depressed in fact; but- 1 wasn't a bit afraid. . I was like the Spartan of old, who on being sent on a dangerous expedition trembled violently, and when asked the cause of such au exhibition of fear, replied that his body trembled at the daring deeds his spirit contemplated doing. While I was thinking all this, the vessel continued perversely rolling from side to side, despite my efforts to keep it steady by standing spread-eagle fashion on the deck. The brave little boat then headed southward, to "run luto. port again, as the gale was gettiug stronger, aod there was no chance of communicating with the mail steamer. It made mevfeel, quite "melancholy to see the vessel turning back. Therei lay the gallant Eangitito, and on board of her news which had been carried fromT the far-off land all true Britons love, across 16,000 miles of stormy oceans, aud African deserts ;— -news that would bring joy into the hearts of .".'.spine, and catise grief in the bosoms of others ; .'---news, .perhaps, of bloody revolutions—.of fche destruction of empires— of-^-— but

what is the use of speculating. ' Ifc was so near, and yet so far.' We headed for the river, and sped along rapidly. When she got into the break the vessel was struck with several rollers which made me tremble, and gave me a good drenching. The parting salute from Neptune was one ' that showed his intentions wasn't honourable towards the little craft. When we got alongside the wharf I didn't pause to find fault with the Corporation lor the state of Gibson's Quay, but made immediate tracks for a — l won't say what.