LOSS OF THE CANTERBURY ROADPARTY IN LAKE BRUNNER.

Nelson Examiner and New Zealand Chronicle, Volume XXII, Issue XXII, 1 September 1863, Page 2

LOSS OF THE CANTERBURY ROADPARTY IN LAKE BRUNNER.

We publish the following journal, kept by James Belgrade Hammett, one of Mr. Howitt's party, which was despatched by the Canterbury Government for the purpose of cutting a track by way of Lake Brunner, to the West Coast of that province.

The party consisted of Mr. Howitt and five working hands, namely, Hammett, Garland, H. Mullis, R. Little, and Fred. They left Canter bury on the Ist January, 1863, and, until the commencement of the following portion of the. journal, nothing of very striking consequence occurred. Garland and Fred left the party after they had been a short time out and returned to Canterbury.

The Darkey spoken of below was a negro. He was not of Mr. Howitt's party, and was first seen when, after the death of Mr. Whitcomb, some of Mr. Howitt's party, on going across the plain to send back their horses to Canterbury by Mr. Wuitcomb's man before the rainy season oommenoed, saw him in the bush, and, in kindness, conveyed him aero** the lake to their watti, gate him his supper, and a sufficiency of provision* to take him back acroi* the hills to Cantartrorr. They adv ised him to do this, m they

had heard that the Maoris were short of food, and impressed upon him, that, for his own safety, he should leave at once, co as to pass the hills before snow should fall. He started, as it was presumed, to follow their advice, but, instead of going as directed, made his way for the diggings. The nest seen of him was when, on the 11th June, he was^found in the watti, as stated in the journal.

Hammett has been very considerately treated by the Superintendent of Nelson, who supplied him with money and a passage, per the steamer Ladybird, to Canterbury. We hope that, when he arrives in the latter province, its Government will give to him a substantial reward for his long, laborious, and most praiseworthy search for the bodies of his chief and his other companions, as well as some compensation for the many sufferings which he appears so heroically to have endured.