ARRIVAL OF THE ALHAMBRA-TWO LIVES LOST.

Otago Daily Times, 2 October 1865, Page 4

ARRIVAL OF THE ALHAMBRA-TWO LIVES LOST.

The steiiißßbip Alhambra arrived In Fort Chid men oa Sat _i day cver,irg, after one of the best runs yet made from Hokitika, but after a voyuge which was u-fortunstfly attended by some distu fsing circttrcstances, a severe gait, which was ext-erie-oed off W.et C-pe cm her w-y to Hokitika having in vol vtd the less of two iirce and the desirectiou of a quantity of stock. Utr *Mco_d officer was washed ovcrbosri _nd drowred, a_d oce of fcc-r _fi«et-n.?crs was killed by being precipi_.ted hi-diijcg into the hold. Tiie Alhambra j sailed from.,this port en Saturday week, and from the Bluff on tf. following morning, with I a CoEfi.e.'-b!e.addi:i._ to her passenger list. She started ftom the latttT port witli c_lma_d S-.e, but gloomy wiather, and at 10.30 p.m. the utipromteir.g iudieatiocs of a change rtsuhc-i iti tbe outburst of a violent gale 'rem N.E., similar to ihat t-_per'cnc;d a week previously by the steamer Lady Darling. 03 West Cape a tremendous crots ha was encountered, and the (-nglir.es w*.rc consequently slowed, and the ship i orc-to untii daybreak- The storm co-r.iiuut'd to i_cre-i£ daring night, and at ".SO vn the following i_vr_i_g one of the heavier sras sticck ihe _i.ip, and proved fatal to one t f T-Uep-sseng-. n. A tuiaer sained Chas. B_x_jl, a E_;i're of __&•■«_. wLose brother srss en briar J, ar.d wl.-o w>« or.c of a puty r>f several diggers proceeding to Hokitika, mirscd his footing us the vessel gave a lurch, r.rt.-l was t_ro-*-n down the fore-h.tchway. T~e f*o.- rasa MI upon his head, and fay the rrccc-E-iorj his scull was fractured, presenting sn indention large enough *o admit a mac's !i__d. Ue survived, in aa in/iensitde state, jnly I.alf-an-hour. In has than two Louis itftt-rwar.s tbe S:_ond fisia'accident occurred. Mr Ait bur M._gin, ihe frer-nd officer, was B-«l;td overl^r-ir. by a fearful tea, which also :W*.-pt the- decks <>'. ab-tit thirty aheap, with Jo-s, hc-r.-*SK*p», water-casks, and life-b cot s. .here -were few on dec!: to witness the acci-I-.-n', but a rope w*s immediately tlirown to .Im. I-Ie succeeded in seizing if, nnd, as he ras drawn to the ship's fide, he hx-keri up *._d smiled, as if in gratitude for t>" fortu-3_teei.-M,ce by vrhitii ihe mesas ..* . ...ae iad come within his reae.,. -Tliere were a "ew moments of inrt-ose hope an iobji safetr, sat another heavy ita iwc-pt along, aid ewept rith it all cluit:ceo£ riic-.e. Th. vessel gave i lurch, ard before tie v.-j!?i:*g hands on deck r-cu'rd puil him above water, he was drawn Litlow the ship's cc-anter, ar.d wa.s ccmpclied ;o release his buhl. A*s be drifted to leeward. :he er.gir.t?, which hid beea stopped, -were rtvcraetl finii the ve-««.-l pointed towards him. Uv continued to swim bravely over the raginfr sea, and ence more a{ipre.*.chcd the vessel at the ;k,w, when lie wan again nearly a»vtd. At ;he moment, however, be tack'saddenlr, his srtigbty clothing baring become so saturated iiat be couM inansge no longer to keephim-•i-'f afi j.t One. or twice, life-buoy* wtre drccsr weahei over hira, and Le was surrounded by other floating objects ; bat he was p^werh-s* to ur/il lu'm;eif of their proximity. Ti.e un'ortuaate yonng man, who k-.b a native of Limerick, had for s-everal ream wil d along with Captain MLesD, and was char-ctciifed by great Bteadinevs of ;cneicct and well-doing. He was the (ole su;ipo;t cf a widowed mo.her, now living at Widi-niitown, whom be had recently assisted to bring to the Cokcics. A_ theie eircotn>tsnce» b-.carae kn<-»nn to the passenger*, a tntt£srii.tioa T~as iui'iatcd, and in a short time the sum of JAG was collected on her bthaK In about r. qiarter of en hour afterwards, the j3*ie m suddrnlr moderated that itwculd have Lie- n.?.*=ibl_ to haTe lowered a boat, an ex-ne-ui . T.hich, at the time of theaceir'ent. lared not be attempted. Fine weather from :h*s S.W. followed, and at 1.30 p.m. on the rollowirg day, the Alhambra called at Jack-s-ms Bay, where the body of the unfortunate ?a-?tenger was taken on shore and buried, with the reading of tbo English service, aad n the presence of his fri-.-nds, alongjide jf another grave simitel near tha beach. When on shore, Captain *\I-*U-in again met the party of miners whom be had before seen it work ; nud -who were awaiting th. .-.rrival >f their cutt-r, tbe Petrel. They desc.-ibe. that the _*:.__ gale which had been so itvcrely frit outside had uot blown home at Jackson's Bay, ar;d had rahed no sea which could endanger the eafety of any veftel ia the ir.chor.ige. This «- a s epp .rant alsa from the state of ths hay when the Alhambra brought up. Out of tbe paa-er;gers on board' ihe Alhambra, ten resolved to remain at Jackeon's Bay, with the intention of prospecting; and thty were supplied with a month's provisions by Capt. M'Lean, who also promised to call back. On ihe following day, H.lcitika was re-c'atd, and about half the nu.ft.er of tha p-i'sengers were l.mded; and next day the others, with cargo aad luggige, were landed in the steamers Yarra and Uno'. On thor . inferest was chiefly taken in a new rush to Bruce and Barn B.ty, situated tome distance to the southward. Several small re«se^ had bren despatched Fouth to comj unkno»-n deatination. Diggers res-alved to follow; and several hundreds had shipped by the steamer. Bruce and Willi.m _fi_kin. There were however, no reliable accounts as to the prospects of gold in the district to which this movement was being made. The William Miskin, in starting for Bruce Bay, got 3gruu_d in the channel, and waj being towed c_" by the S.msoa, whicli hid arrived, and hai previously towel one vessel cat. The schooner John Butlock was ssill off tbe harbor, and the Susannah Booth _nd Craigievar were also a', anchor. At 6 r-.ro. oa the 28th, when the Alh-inbra was lifting anchor, tliere was a very heavy roll of tea. which snapned the chain at fonrteen f-thems. She subitVitiently lailed soulhvr.rds, posing Jackson _ ii;iy at 7 a.n_ on the __ih, ruanicg along the cca«r. with a stroog S.E. gale as far as that cape* passing the tVlufi* at 10.30 am, on Sitnrdayaad reaching Ottgo Heads at 8.45 p.m.' averaged over thirteen knots. Captain M*_._in did not call at the Blufl", having come to the resolution r.ot to do so on account of the imposition of light-dues, on the occasion of his last return trip from Hokitika, and of the i-tentic- of the authtarities to repeat the I charges, should he visit the port under the same circutnf tance*. He states thar, on that trip, he called in at tbe Bluff, more as a matter of courtesy to merchants and others, to whom some letters ware addressed from Hokuifca, but was held to have bad commani- *? t:0B vfth the shore, and was therefore held liable for h^ht-dues, which are, of coarse, also chargeable at t.i# port. By the arrival of the Alhambra, wa are ia youetaon of Hokitika papersjof dates up to the 28th ultimo.