SHIPPING CASUALTIES.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXIII, Issue 7676, 29 June 1886, Page 5

SHIPPING CASUALTIES.

WRECK OF THE SCHOONER PELICAN,

LOSS OF ALL HANDS.

[PBESS ASSOCIATION;]

Wfllington, Monday. The Collector of Customs at Wanganui reports that, the schooner Pelican, laden with timber, has been washed auhore on Waitotara beach, bottom upwards. All hands are supposed to be lost. The Pelican was a vessel of 69 tons. No information was obtained as to whither she wan bound. It is understood that she was under the command of Captain Gilbert Brown.

Wanoandi, Monday.

By the courtesy of the Railway Department, Mr. Lundon, Collector oil Customs, was provided with a special train this morning and proceeded to Waitotara station, which was reached at half-past eleven. He then proceeded in a buggy to the beach, where he discovered the wreokod schooner Pelican, 69 tons, which was lying a mile distant from Waitotara river. He found a large number of people near the wreck which could be reached. The beach was covered with wreckage. The bowsprit and boom were lying on the beach, the masts being attached by the rigging to the wreck. The vessel was lying bottom up. She was supposed to have been bound from Kaipara to .Lyttelton with kauri timber,' She was manned with a crow of six men. Mr. Lumsden stationed a man to watch the wreck during the night. Tomorrow they will bore a hole in the bottom to see whether there are any bodies in her. The insurances arc £800 in the New Zealand on the hull, and it is believed £500 in the Sun office on the timber.

Chbistchoeoh, Monday.

The schooner Pelican, reported wrecked on the Waitotara beach, was commanded by Captain John Devett, not Gilbert Brown, who left her last November. She was bound from Kaipara to Lyttelton with timber, the principal portion of which was consigned to Mr. John Waller, of Christohuroh, who is the owner of the vessel. The Pelican was insured for £560 in the New Zealand office, and Mr. Waller's portion of the cargo was insured for nearly £300 in the same office. Her crew consisted of four men, besides the captain, The mate leaves a wife and family in Lyttelton. . . — ■ SUPPOSED LOSS WITH ALL HANDS. Wellington, Monday. Edward Jackson, of Ocean Bay,, reports wreckage of timber on the beach near Port Underwood. It is believed to be a portion of the hull and cargo of the ketch Thames. He has found a pieoe of the wood painted lead colour, also seven Custom) ./use forms bearing heading of " Port of Nelson." The Thames traded between Havelock and Nelson, and it is thought she has been lost with all hands, LOSS OF THE CUTTER HANNAH. Wellington, Monday. ' ' The harbourmaster at Havelock: reports that on the 23rd instant the cutter Hannah. 12 tons register, bound to South Aksiroa B»y, while beating in the passage between Forsyth Island and Port Ligar, was struck by a sudden squall, and capsized. She sank immediately. The crew took to the boat, and were saved. The accident happened at one p.m. LOSS OF THE SCHOONER RUBY. (BY TELEGRAPH— OOBBESrONDENT.I Opotiki, Monday. The schooner Ruby, Snell, master, dragged her anchors during a heavy westerly gale while lying at Awanui, near To Kaha, twenty miles east of Opotiki, and went ashore on the rooks. She has become a total wreck. '

The s.s. Chelmsford, while attempting to cross the bar at noon yesterday, grounded, and was floated off at two o'clock this morning, and returned to the wharf un> injured.

The s.s. Douglas, which has been, missing for three or four days, got into Whakatane yesterday, having been anchored under the lee of Whale Island during the westerly gale. ' _«___»____ '":'!' ' TEE ERUPTIONS FROM A NEW POINT OF VIEW. ;;- — •— —— ''i.'v', ' [BY telegraph.—press association.] ' Napier, Monday. A correspondent furnishes the Hawke's Bay Herald with the following description of the scene of the eruptions from a nisw point of view: "On Tuesday last a party of four, consisting of Messrs. Munro, Mcßette, Dames, and Franois, left Opipi, conducted by Mr. Scrouther, of theOpipi Hotel, to obtain if possible a view of the recant outbreak at Rotomahana from the south side. The route taken was as nearly as possible in a direct line across the Kaingarcsi Plain. That night they camped on a branch of the Waiotupu, forty miles from Opipi, and about nine miles from the scene of the eruption. The following day they left the camp early in the morning, and after riding six miles had to dismount, the white dust lying so thick on the ground that the hones could get no further, hey then proceeded on foot ; but, owing to the great depth of the dust, travelling was extremely difficult, and, in fact, Was only made possible by the recent rains having somewhat solidified the deposit. Even as it was, they frequently went thigh-deep, and at places were compelled to crawl cm their hands and knees. The depth of the deposit in some places must have been from 25. to 35 feet, and IS inches below the surface was quit* 'hot. After crossing five ridges, involving three hours' hard work, they reached the sixth and final summit. Prom this ridge a splendid view of the southernmost of the active volcanoes of the Lake was obtained. Looking from the elevation where they stood, an almost perpendicular cliff descended into the volcano which was the last to break out, and which Dr. Hector christened the " Baby" volcano. It was hrowing up stones and black mud, accompanied by dense clouds of yellowish smoke, but fortunately the wind was from the west, and carried the smoke away to their right, and so gave them a clear view of this orater. Below, whore the Terraces used to be, the whole face of the lake and approaches were changed, and many geysers were throwing up boiling mud i and 5 feet high, each geyser being capped by a long ascending column of steam. The ground all round where they stood was covered with huge boulders, some weighing many tons, which had been thrown out from some crater. The ground was also left in a state of continuous tremble, owing to the activity of the " Baby," warning the party that their standpoint was not of the safest, and might disappear any moment into the water. They therefore did not stay long ; after rolling large stones into the orater they retraced their steps to a safer point on some ridge, where they stuck a stick in the ground, surmounted by an empty bottle, and a handkerchief with their names. Mr. Francis says that reports as to the disappearance of the southern end of Tarawera mountain are incorrect, as from where they stood they obtained an 'excellent view of the mountain. They were in a south-east direction, and could not have failed to Roe any peak had there lieuuj one. The southerly portion may have been blown away, but not the south slope. Vast clefts or rents were Been in three minor bills to the left of the party, steam ascending from eaoh. In the evening they returned to camp, and next morning started again for Opipi, minus two horses, which had gone to awell the mobs of wild horses (depasturing; on the plains. Mr. Franois considers that, to anyone limited to time, the rotate taken by the party is by far the shortest and best but anyone going there must be prepared to rough it, and the journey should not be attempted in bad weather, as it would be dangerous,