TWO MEN CAST AWAY RESCUED BY THE NAVAL BRIGADE.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XV, Issue 5066, 11 February 1878, Page 2

TWO MEN CAST AWAY RESCUED BY THE NAVAL BRIGADE.

For the past two days there has boon considerable apprehension in town for tho fate of Mr. Sinel, of the Book Depot, Greystreet, and a lad namod Alfred Beatson, who left on Thursday morning for the purpose of fishing in the harbour. However, to the great joy of their friends they were brought up to the Queeustreet Wharf last night, safe and sound, in the boat belonging to the Naval Brigade. Mr. fciinel and Beatson went out, as we hive stated, on Thursday, and as they did not return on Friday, some ■' apprehensions began to bo felt, especially as Thursday afternoon and night had been squally. On Friday night it was arranged that if there was no appearance of the lost men on Saturday, a search should bo instituted ; and, accordingly, on Saturday the boat belonging to the Naval Brigade left at cleveu o'clock, with nine men. The boat returned at dark, having searchod the coast to the Wade on the mainland, and round the western side of Rangitoto. Yesterday (Sunday) morning, at S o'clock, a party of thirteen men of the Naval Brigade left to renow tho search, under the command of Lieutenant Chapman, Mr. H. Keane, waterman (who was of material assistance), going with them. The boat first made for Drunken Bay, between Rangitoto aud Motutapu, and there Lieutenant Chapman divided his crew into three parties, oue of which skirted the land to the north, aud the other to the south, while the third party went in tho boat to Motuihi, the rendezvous being appointed at Homo Bay, in Motutapu. When gathered nt Home Bay, the yacht Good Templar, belonging to Mr. Graham, joined, and it was arranged that it should go on to Waiheke. The Naval Brigade boat then went round the north end of Motutapu and Rangitoto, and just before dusk those on board noticed the fluttering of a white signal on Rangitoto, near Rangitoto Jack's place, close by the reef. " Rangitoto Jack," we need hardly explain, has lived with his wife on Rangitoto for suiiic yeirs past, making his livelihood by catching fish. His name is George Jacksou. Whenever;, tho signal was observed, the boat was steered for the place, and by the time tho anchor was dropped, Mr. Sinel and the lad Alfred Beatson were coming off in Jackson's diugy, which is the only boat he has got. Mr. Sinel's statement is, that ho started from Auckland about 11 o'clock on Friday morning, intending to fish at Rangitoto. When he was close on tho island, ho saw a heavy squall coming, and reefed down close, and made for a small lagoon, whore ho would fet shelter from the rocks. Before, however, e could reach protection, tho squall struck him and upset the boat. Mr. Sinel swam to the shore, a distance of about 100 yards ; but on looking round, he saw that Beatsoii was drowning, his coat having got over his head. Mr. Sinel threw off Borne of his clothes, aud plunging in again succeeded in getting Beatson to the shore. Both were much ex hausted, but Mr. Sinel revived him by rubh ng. Neither of them being aware of the existence of " Rangitoto Jack," they slept that night in a cave. Next day they proceeded towards the beach on the reef to erect a signal, when they saw " Rangitoto Jack's" house, where they were mado comfortable by Mr, and Mrs. Jackson. The Navals, their search now being at an end, left with Jackson all their-spare provisions. Public gratitude is' due to the members of the Naval Brigade for the readiness with which they turn out on all such occasions.

DEATH OF WILLIAMS. }Anothbb of our patnarabs baa passed away. By * telegram from Napier last night, welearn that BUhop Williams, not long 1 since of Waiapn, has been taken to fiis*e«t- We propose to offer a brief outline o£ v hia career, hoping that it may be 611 ed np before long by one of those who are acquainted with the details of a life that is so closely bound up with the early history of the colony. ... William-Williams,-Bishop of Waiapu, was born in the year 1800, the youngest son of Thomas Williams, of Nottingham.. .Originally educated for the medical profession, he entered Magdalen College, Oxford,, where he took his degree in arts.. But when his elder brother, the late Archdeacon Henry Williams, determined upon proceeding as a missionary to New Zealand, he resolved to follow. Though persevering in the study of his profession, the value of which in an uncivilised country he perfectly understood, he superadded another course of study, and in 1826 proceeded to New Zealand, tin f nil

English orders, under the auspices of the Church Mission Society. There he worked for about eight years, at Paihia, his firßt object as a practised philologist, being to reduce the Maori language to grammatical form, in order to proceed with a translation of the Bible. The first grammar and dictionary were compiled by him. Much has been done since, notably by Archdeacon Maunsell and by the Bishop's son, Archdeacon Leonard Williams; but in point of time the Bishop led the way. When the determination of spreading the mission was arrived at, Mr. Williams volunteered for the Thames, where he formed the Mungapouri'station. After completing these arrangements he was asked to take charge of the school at Waimate, where he 'gave espeoial care to the classical side of education. It would be a great mistake to suppose that Greek and Latin were negleoted among the children of the elder missionaries before the foundation of the colony. Often might Mr. Williams be heard lecturing with trowel in one hand, building a chimney, and a book in the other. There he continued until relieved by the Kev. Richard Taylor, enabling him to form a station at Poverty Bay, and to take general charge of tbe East Coast. Shortly after the arrivelof Bishop Selwyn, he and his brother Henry were appointed archdeacons. All went on well and pleasantly until an unfortunate dispute with the Governor, the details of which ought to be familiar with our readers, threw all into turmoil. The Church Mission Society, wittingly or unwittingly, had countersigned the Governor's charges against the mission ;

and Archdeacon William Williams resolved upon goiug home to vindicate the mission. In this, as in behalf of the mission generally, he completely succeeded, causing the society to pass an exculpatory resolution. While in England, he carried through the pre 33 a Maori translation of the New Testament and Prayer-book. At Oxford, the degree of D.C.L. was conferred upon him, in recognition of his great services and attainments. After his return to the colony, turning in a measure to literary pursuits, he wrote the well-known work entitled " Christianity among the New Zealandera." When the Diocese of New Zealand was subdivided, at the suggestion of Bishop Selwyu, Archdeacon William Williams was consecrated Bishop, and appointed to the Diocese of Waiapu. He continued at Poverty Bay, whero he gathered round him a large institution —consisting of divinity students, a boys' school, and a girls' school, numbering about one hundred and thirty in all. But the Waitara war broke out, and the Bishop was driven away by the Ilauhau rebellion. His premises were sacked, and his library destroyed ; but not, it is to be observed, until the troops had entered the district ; thereby rclieviug.the insurgent natives from the last remnant of compunction. From Poverty Bay ho returned for a while to his old ground—Paihia. Thence he was fetched away to Napier, which was purposely severed from the Diocese of Wellington, that it might become cathedral city to the diocese of Waiapu. There he carried on duty, in health and strength, until the fiftieth anniversary of his arrival in New Zealand, when ho was suddenly laid law by a paralytic stroke, iutimating that his own work was at an end, and must be committed to the charge of a younger man. When be found that his day was past, he lost no time in resigning cliargo of the diocese. Much difficulty was experienced in agreeing about the choice of a successor. The bishopric remained vacant much longer than had been expected ; but it was a great relief to Bishop Williams that a brother Missionary—a man after his own heart—was finally appointed, with general approval of all who were entitled to express opinion'.

After the first stroke the Bishop seemed to rally for a while; but a second and a third, though not of a pronounced nature, appeared to follow, and he gradually sank, at a ripo eld age, with his work f ultilled. He leaves a widow and several sons and daughters.