THE MISSING PROSPECTORS.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 10036, 30 April 1894, Page 2

THE MISSING PROSPECTORS.

ARRIVAL OF THB S.S. INVERCARGILL.

NO SIGNS OF THE MISSING MEN.

The well-known West Coast trading steamer InvercargiU, Captain Sundstrom, from Invercargill, via Preservation Inlet, arrived at Port Chalmers at 2 p.m. v yesterday, having siuca she left the south been in seireh of the two prospectors, Kelly and Evans, reported as being in distress on the West Coast. Captain Sundstrom, who is perfectly acquainted with every part of the coast on which the men are said to be, has made every effort to trace them, but, unfortunately, without effect. However, he organised and lauded a search party, whose efforts, it is to be hoped, may prove successful. We aro indebted to Captain Sundstrom for the following details:—"Wu left Invercargill on Friday, April 27, at 530 p.m. Just beforo sailing we received word of two men being stuck at Waiauruhiri river, in a destitute condition, and we were asked to render every possible assistanoe. I pushed on to Cromarty, aud arrived there at 5 a.m. on Saturday. I kept a good look-out for any flre along tho coast from Smdhill Point to Puyaegur, -but saw none. K-iowing several meu who were woll acquainted with the country, as thoy had prospected thera for fix months, I engaged Frank Heffernan and Alexander Forbes to go in search of the destitute men, in the ovent of my not being able to pick them np off the beach. I left tho iulefc at noon, when it was blowing a hard northerly gale, but it was comparatively smooth along the coast. I kept close in all the way, and at intervals sent up distress siguals wbich should ba heard seven miles. I stopped some timo off ths Waiauruhiri, but saw no life or any signal on shore. Being usable to effect a landing I atranged to land the search party at Mussel Beach, a distance of some six miles, a, tho crow flies, to the east of Waiauruhiri river. In going round Sindhill Point I observed signal smoke well down Tewaewae Bay, and steamed down and found it to be from a search party of three men from Orepuki, making their way westward. Having supplied our men with all needed provisions to last them 14- days, I landed them, and they joined the Orepuki party, making a s'rong party of five m°n and two dogs. Heffernan ssid beforo Jpnving that he expected to be able to make Waiauruhiri river aud back to Orepuki in not more than four days. Seeing nothing more could be dono I camo on to the Bluff, arriving there at 11 p.m., and reported our efforts to save the men to Sergeant M'Donnell, at Invercargill, who had no further need of our services."

A telephone message from Invercargill was received yesterday morning to the effect that the search party had not yet seen any traoe of the missing men.