ARRIVAL OF THE P.S. AWARUA.

Southland Times, Issue 7018, 5 January 1885, Page 2

ARRIVAL OF THE P.S. AWARUA.

•The -BlufE- Harbor .Board's tug Awarua ar-rived'-at the' Bluff yesterday morning at daylight; We are indebted* <to Captain Gunningham for the following report of her passage : — She left Green's slip, London, at 2.30 p.m. on ttie>27th.,May last, and anchored off Greenwich to adjust compasses. Sailed again the following day, and- the pilot left the vessel off Gravesend at noon.' Next evening was off Dangeness at 8 p.m. Dropped the tug off Beachy Head on the i'9th ; and passed the Lizaids on 31st May. Light winds and fine weather were experienced to 7 deg. north of the Equator on the 2nd July when she got S.S.E. winds, which, with a strong N.W. c urent, seriously retarded the progress of the vessel. The Awarua crossed the Line on 4th August. Very light S.B. Trade winds were experienced, and several S.S.B; gales were met f roria 3D 'deg. S - till arriving at Cape Town on iSihiOct," Put into the Cape as the vessel was veryloul, and remained there 16 days, during which time the Awarua was docked aud overhauled to discover a leak, which was found to be caused by several ..of the rivets being loose, Beplenished, provisions, and left the Cape on the SOth Oct., but unfortunately met a aiicces* gionof strong head winds up to the 6th Nov., dfter which heavy westerly galea were the order of the day. On 12th Dec. was in 130 deg. E., after which date southerly and S.E, winds were experienced until the- Solanders were sigh ted on the 28th nit?, when a heavy easterly gale was met, which drove her half way bads to Tas* mania. The gale changed to a nor'-wester, with -■ which she agaia sighted the 3olanders on the 8rd f in it , and a light westerly wind brought her into the -Straits where she again met a head Wind, bat succeeded in getting up off the Bluff on Saturday night when the pilot boarded her, and she feame to an anchor off Starling Point at 7 a.m. yesterday. Captain Cunningham states that the length of the passage (221 days) is mainly owing to the light rig of the vessel and the i lbntTc6ntinuouß light winds in the tropics, . which was unprecedented iv his experience. He speaks very highly of the sea-going qualities of the tug-, and he deserves great credit for the capital condition in which the little vessel comes into port, showing that no ordinary care has been bestowed upon ■■ keeping everything alow anxi aloft in good order. The Awarau has 12 hands on board, all told and all well. She is brigantine 'rigjjed, and appears altogether to be too lightly masted and Sparred, so" that her lengthy passage cannot' be considered anything extraordinary, as with the light winds experienced, it must have been impossible to pueh her ahead ."■ especially when the bottom fouled, as itinevit- . ably did. •

''V\'V ;r^ V - (BrTBLEgiIAPH.) '* ' ■ . AUCKLAND, Jan. 3. The" brig Annabel has gone ashore at- the SouthSpit,Kaipwa, and has broken np. The crew were* landed safely at the Pilot Station. The vessel was bound from Sydney to Te Kopura to -load timber. . Wellikoton, Jan. 4. The New Zealand Shipping Go's steamer Tongariro arrived here to-night at 11.30 from London; The passage from Plymouth has occupied 42 days, , including stoppages. There -will be no .communication with her to-night. Oam AEU, Jan. 4. The ship Marlboroogh sailed yesterday, for London, with a cargo of 10,455 "frozen sheep, 1600 bales of wool, and sundries, valued at £27,078/ . Port Chalmers, Jan 4. Cirri veil— Tarakina, ship, from London; and Taraiuki, ship, Captain Gordon, 92 days, from London. She bring 3t passengers and 1700 tons of cargo. She spoke the Opawa, from London (o Wellington, on October 9fcb.