THE MAIL STEAMER AT KANDAVAU.

New Zealand Times, Volume XXIX, Issue 4233, 14 October 1874, Page 2

THE MAIL STEAMER AT KANDAVAU.

A passenger by the s.s. City of Melbourne to Ivaudavau writes as follows to the S;/dney Morning Herald, dating his letter iNgaloa Bay, Kandavau, 7th September ;—“ We arrived off this bay at 3 a.m. on Saturday, the sth inst, and, it being then dark, the captain wisely stood off till daylight, and came in in first-rate style. Hall had told the people here that there would be no steamer again until the end of January next, when he would arrange that the line should be resumed. He directed the pilot (a white man) to remove all the inner buoys, and he did so—. apparently to deprive any steamer that might come in of any benefit they might be likely to receive thereby. But though all the dangerous parts in the passage through the reef were thus wickedly left undistinguished, Captain Brown was not put out by it, for he recognised every point at once, and particular the Maogregor Patch, where that steamer grounded whilst leaving the bay. The outer buoy —laid down by Captain Grainger, or by the Government (I do not know which) —was, however, left untouched. We found the mail agent* (Woods, the ex-Miuister) gone, and the office and wharf of Hall’s company deserted. The people did not expect us at all, but they crowded eagerly on board soon after we came to anchor, and we landed at about 10 a.m. The City of Melbourne left this immediately, at twelve o’clock, for Honolulu, and all the Fijian passengers landed in hot haste, and took up quarters in an unfinished hotel, where we are to remain until a schooner comes down from Levuka, which will take place in a day or two. There was only one small, boat in the place (besides the canoes), and she was too small to take anything bnt the mail bags. She went out of the Bay this morning (Monday), soon after sunrise, and when she gets to Levuka a schooner will be sent round for us all. I was half inclined to go by this boat, but was dissuaded, as she is very small, aucl leaks. We shall be up in a day or two—long before Governor llohinsou can possibly come. The life here is very rough, but the scenery is beautiful.”