WRECK OF THE CUTTER AMERICA.

New Zealand Herald, Volume III, Issue 797, 4 June 1866, Page 3

WRECK OF THE CUTTER AMERICA.

Wo regret to record tho total wreck of thij line outter, belonging to Auckland, on a leef near New Caledonia, on tho Bth April last. No lines'wero lost, and O.iptuin Mc Liver arrived here on {Saturday last bv tin schooner Kenilworth, from New Caledonia. Tho following is an account of tile disaster given "7 a pi'ssetigor in tho America, named Robinson :— " ' ril - America, outtor, 49 tons, belonging to Auckland, Captain McLiver, left Norfolk Island at 11 p rii. on tho night of t;he sth April, bound to Port do Frauoe,with three passengers and a cargo of cheese .and onions, aud twenty head of cattle $ wind fair from f>.E., which continued till Saturday ; tho wind then increasing, had to take in two reefs in the mainsail; course WW. by N. Sunday, Bth, steered same coutso up to 12 noon, when tha captain, fearing he might get too far to tho eastward, kept up another point. Wind still increasing, and coming on thick and hazy, could not get tile usual afternoon sight ; calculated we ought to be up with the Barrier Reef about 4 o'clock. The time passed, l however, and no reof, so took in equaiesail, and olose-reefed mainsail, cutter still travelling fast; five o'clock rnado land, rathor high, bearing N. K., but no reef; could not make out where yre were, unless the current had taken lis to the eastward of tlie reef,

which the captain thought very improbablo, considering the courses ho had been steering. After running a : little time longer without making it, balanced-roefed' the mainsail, in l staysail, »et storm jib, and wore-ship, intending to stand oil 1 and on till morning; wind increasing to a perfect gale, woather thick, squall}-, and showery ; cutter labouring heavily. Eight o'clock, suddenly found ournelvoi in smooth water; and while the captain was below for a moment examining His chart, the vessel .struck fast on a coral reef. ' All hands were instantly on deck, and everything in confusion, expecting every thump would break her up, and would of course be our death knell. Lowered down the mainsail and

jib, anil stowed them. Cleared away the anchor and got tha boat ready, intending to stay by the vessel till momiug, as tho boat (a dingy) would hardly hold . sir with safety, and we had elevon loula on board. Yossel labouring very much, tho seas at times making a clean breach over her; cut away tlie B(juare?ail and yard, the main boom and gnff, and sent tliem adrift; a!oo, started all the water-casks on deck. The vessel lay easior, but thumping heavily at times. When morning broke, the wind moderated a little, and on coming on deck found ourselres on a reef just ipside the Eastern Barrier, on which the seas were breaking masthead high ; we had providentially come through a small passage. Had we struck on the outside reef, we should have been smashed to atoms instantly, and all that would h'ive been heard of vis would have been

' America missing.' As all could not go in the boat, and haring resolved to abandon the vessel, wo set about making a raft, which we thought would carry the remainder, with some water and grub, the boot

intending to tow it to a small island to leeward, and then the csptaiu and two or three hands would proceed on to Port de France for assistance. Tho ruft was

launched about ten o'clock, and all the things that it was possible to t-iks wore quickly put on board, b*t ■when the passengers got on they wero nearly up to their waists iu water; everything was thrown overboard from it, and then it was seen 3lie would not float with safety, so concluded to abandon it, the b.iat taking halt' to tho island and returning at one for the others, Captain Bates, M'Liver, and

three of the crew volunteering to go back to tho ship, and await the boat's return. The boat reached tho island in Eafety mid returned to tho ship, but when within a mile the currcnt was so strong that tile crew could not make any headway ; after pulling for two hours and finding they were losing ground, the men, quite exhausted, were reluctantly compelled to boar up for the island ; thsy could not reach it, however, tho wind headed them of!', and having no strength to stem tho enrront, gave up all hopes and lot tho boat drift where she wotild. Pitch dark, squally, and rainy, they found themselves among a maze 01 reefs. Sometimes pulling to escape a reef, they drifted, about threo a.m., on to the island ol Jokular, and went on shore and lay on the bemch till daybreak. Going round the island looking for water, they came upon a station for beche le >ner fishing, bolonging to Mr. O'Connor, of Port de France. The steward took them in and treated them very kindly, and next morning accompanied them in tho station boat to the South Island, intending, as soon as the weather moderated, to proceed to the wreck. At daylight next morning the two boats started, and when within two miles picked up off a punt the captain and the others who had- been left on the wreck. Captains Bates and M'Liver, feeling anxious for tho boat, and lhinking it was lost, set about constructing a pilot, and had cut away the bulwarks and gutted tho cabin for that, purpose. They succeeded in making one sufficiently large to carry tho remaining five, and got on it enough victuals and water. The punt had just left the wreck when tho boats took thorn off. Thursday,- noon, we were all together again, after passing a very anxious timo on all sides; Saturday, break of day, Captains Bates, Gallagher, and M'Liver started in the boat for Port do France ; in the meantime the whaleboa*. belonging to the station arrived, and came over on Sunday morning, and took us all over to their island. The same day O'Connor's cutter came jn, and after taking in her bcche le tner, took us all to Port de France the next morning, where we arrived the sMne evening, all well. Our lives wero safe, but We had lost everything. Tho wreck had been sold at New Caledonia for £140, to a Mr. Austin. The America was insured for CtSOO—£s DO in tho Pacific and £300 in the New Zealand Insurance Company.

The Auckland. —The P.,N.Z , and A.M. Co.'a s,s. -Auckland, Captain Uagley, took her. departure for Tauranga and the Southern Provinceß at 4 p.m. on Saturday last, with a general cargo and 45 passengers, most of whom "were soldiers for Tauranga. The Tasmania*- Maid.—Tho p.s. Tasraanian llaid, Captain Jackson, arrived in harbour early yesterday mprning from Wangaroi, haying left that harbour at 8 p.m."on Saturday. Sho brings a email cargo of produce, and the following passengers Messrs. Oadman, Coolahan, Cochrane (2), and twenty othors. She reports tho schooner Kate Grant and cutter Smuggler aa haying arrived at the township from tbis port, u3 also the cutter Annie Laurie loading cattle at the Heads. The cuttor Three Brothers, bound to Mangawai, had put into Wanga'ei through stress of weather. The Tasmanian Maid leaves for Corornandel this morning, at 8 a.m. The Tauranga.—The regular trader Tauranga, Cnptain L>. Sellars, arrived in harbour at an early hour yesterday morning after a good run from Taiiranpa, bringing a cargo of maize, empty casks, &c., •as also 17 passengers. 1 Sho left Tauranga at 8 a.m. on Saturday last, and experienced 3.8. winds all the way. . The only vessels lying at Tauranga when sho sailed were tho schooner Fortune and tho cutter Bella. ' . Tub Betsy.—The cutter Betsy, Captain nuenell, left Napier on Wednesday, 23rd ultimo, and called at Oaquna Bay and other places on the East Coast, taking her final departure from Waipera on Friday afternoon. Experienced south-east winds all the way; rounded the East Cape on the same aight; made the run to Cape Colville in' twenty horns, and arrived 3a m. yesterday morning. Sighted a schooner (supposed to be the Rose Ann) and the cutter Sea Belle o/F the Eaat Capo, both bound for this port. The Betsy brings a cargo of 37 sheep, 6 pig*, 56 bushels maize, 20 ditto wheat. • -The • HeuottXißS —Tlie clipper cutter Hercules, Captain' Watts, arrived in harbour yesterday afternoon, from Poverty Bay via Tamabi. bringing a cargo of 213 sheep, two tons pork,-one. ton of onions, a quartity of lard, &c. The Hercules has made a very good run, having left Po\ erty Bay on Thursday Dight last, rounded tho East Cape next morning, and arrived at the-Tamokion Saturday night last. Stio •reports tlie schooner Lavk as having sailed for this port; and the sohooners Tawera and Donald MeLean

loading. . , . Stjjamrr Weliington.—This steamer, which last week was placed on the cradle on Fifeshire Island, to be thoroughly overhauled (that being the only spot in the eolony where the work could be accomplished), was found tohsve an exceedingly foul bottom, barnacles'several inches in length adhering to it. This is the first thorough cleansing this favourite vessel has ever'received, and her Bpeed will doubtless be ■improved by it.—Examiner, May 21. • A Long Passage.—J he tttamor Bruce towed the Three Brothers into Okarita on tho 12th instant, out forty-four days from Dunedin, and short of all P? A Quick Run.—The N.Z.S.N. Company's s.Wellington, which left Nelson on Saturday, May 9, having undergone' a, thorough overhaul, madetho -mbst rapid passago on record from this port to Woli lincton, averaging a speed of 13 and so von-tenth 9 knots an hour.': Lolt Nelson at 0.80, p.m., was two 'hours and'thirty-seven minutes to the French Pass, and 'Boven hours and forty-five minutes from lightI house to lighthouse.—Nthon Examiner, May 29< , -

- The Aquila.—This • favorite cutter sails from tho wharf for Wangarei, this day, at 5 p.m. . fIAitIK.UR Light at Neu-Castlr —On Tuesday , ovoning, May, 8, the long required leading 1 ?hm at Nowcaaile wero illuminated fov tho first timo! -r permanent uao. The Superintendent ot Pilots, Harbours. and Lights, together with Iho pilots and coxswains of tho port, and others, proceeded in tho steam'tug Cyclops, through the various chanuela of tho harbour, for the purpose of testing tho capabilities of the breakwater lights. Thoy then pioctieded outside Nobby's about five miles, to test tliu radius of the upper lights. Tho parties expressed themselves highly satisfied. It i 3 bclioved that these new ligllts \tdll add greatly to the aafoty of the northern port, and be inexpensively maintained. —Ibid. The barque William Watson, Captain Moran, and ship Esk, had-both arrived at Wellington on tho 29th ultimo, from Newcastlo, N.S.Wwith Coals. The William Watson Had sailed again for Nelson, her cargo Having been purchased by the P.N Z. and A.R.M. Company. ; ... The schooner Deeao, from the Mauritius, with sugar, arrived on the 25th ult. The barque Woodville arrived at Wellington on tho 24th ultimo, after a protracted passage of lo4i days from London. ■'liio cutters Ringdove and Mahurarigi, from Mahurangi; Aloo and Emma, froiii tho Thames, with kauri gum j and S.irah Alice and Wanderer, from Coromandel, all arrived in harbour yesterday. The barquo Alico Came-on, Captain Nearing. oaine alongside the now wharf extension on Saturday morning, aud will commence discharging her cargo to-day. The P.N.Z. and A.R.M. Company's s.s._ Claud Hamilton, Captain Farcie, is due from Nnpior and tho Southern Provinces to-morrow. The cutter Isabella arrlvod tit Canterbury from this port on tho 26th ultimo, with a cargo of sawn timbor. ... The schooner Albatross, Captain Braund, which cleared at the Customs, Dunedin, on tho 18th ultimo, had not sailed, and was still lying at the Heads on tho 24th ult. The schooner Swallow, Captain Catchpole, sailed on Saturday Inst for Tairua in ballast. Til# fine baTquo Freo Trader, Captain Robinson, Cleared at tho Customs on Saturday for Newcastle, Snd tfill »ail to-day in ballast. The cutter Rob Roy, McLeod, muster, arrived in harbour on Saturday last from Kennedy's Bay, with a full cargo of sawn timber. Tho cattlo barque Kate Waters, Captain Oalder, railed yesterday morning for Gladstone, Queensland, in ballast, for another cargo of cattle. The schooner Meteor, Captain Martin, hence, arrived at Dunedin on the 21st ultimo, and was announced in the papers as onon for freight or charti-r. Tho Bchoouer Jane; Captain Faulkner, sailed 011 Saturday last for Wairoa, Uawke's Biiy, with a full cargo of stores, Ac. Tha cutter Volunteer, from thu Manukau, arrived at llokitika on tho 2-lth ultimo.

Tho barque Torquil, Captain Kuarston, sailed from Wellington for Auckland on tho 29th ultimo, with origin il cargo from Molbourne.