ARRIVAL OF THE BARQUE SOUTHERN CROSS, WITH TROUT OVA AND LIVE PERCH.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 107, 16 September 1868, Page 2

ARRIVAL OF THE BARQUE SOUTHERN CROSS, WITH TROUT OVA AND LIVE PERCH.

The barque Southern Cross arrived at the H&tda last night, but owing to light winds and strong ebb tide, she was unable to come up. tbc harbour, and had to anchor off Port Cooper. 'l'hh morning the Curator, and the jLyttelton agent went down to the vessel, and Ifcul the gratification of finding that the perch Aipved were alive, and also that the trout ©^£bad been most carefully attended to by Captain Thompson, .and Mr Boon, chief ©filler. The cases were carefully landed this Bt&ruing, and the railway manager supervised Ilie tonveyance of the same to Christchurch vriUiout the contents being shaken in transit. Subjoined is Captain Thompson's report : — Capt. Thompson has brought down about 1000 trout ova, and more than two dozen perch, in capital condition, not having lost any since sailing. The ova has been most e3T.ef.ully attended to during the passage, and lia is rery confident that in a few days after landing the society will have many young trout "i the ponds prepared for them. Dr Officer and Mr Alport could not be persuaded to:xL»k livi trout, they being considered too largv! for the passage. In consequence of the absence of Mr Kamsbottom, the melancholy intelligence of whose death reached BTobart Town about the time of shipment of the ova, Mr ; lifford, representative of the Otago Acclimatization Society, most ftiudly undertook the charge of conveying the ova from the ponds to the Southern Cross, and rendered Capt. Thompson every possible assistance in completing the arrangements for the voyage. He has also presented oursociety with four buckets of frogs spawn, which Capt. Thompson has brought down. Fee in large quantities has been used to prevent ihe. ova coming to maturity previous to arrival ; and it was only on Captain Thompson promising to obtain and use it, that Dr Officer, consented to the ova being shipped. Cnpfafn Thompson also informs us that there is no doubt whatever of the return of the salmon to the Derwent.

We learn that the hull of the schooner Emerald Isle, which was lost, with all hands, twelve months since, has been picked up and towed into Port Underwood. A barque was signalled from the North when our express left ; it is expected to be the Indus, from Newcastle. xThe barque Southern Cross arrived from Hobart Town, yesterday evening. Captain Thompson informs us that he left that port on the sth inst., having N.E. winds greater part of the passage across ; made the Snares at daylight on the 10th, then easterly wind, which continued until off Otago Heads on the 13th, when it chopped round to the southwest, continuing only four hours very light, had variable winds since ; until arrival, saw no vessels. The Southern Cross has a full cargo of timber, shingles, and pailings, and a few cases of fruit. The P.N.Z. and A.R..M. Co. s s.s. Otago, arrived from Melbourne, via Bluff harbour, and Dunediu, at noon yesterday, bringing 15 chief and 9 steerage passengers, 753 pkgs of cargo, and 1 horse, for tliis port, and 98 passengers and a very large cargo for Northern ports and Melbourne. The Otago left Hobson's Bay at 4 p.m. on the sth, and cleared the Heads at 7 p.m. Passed Swan Island at 4.30 p.m. on the 6th, from thence she experienced fresh north and north-east winds. Passed the Solander at 5 a.m. on the 10th. On nearing the Bluff a thick fog came on, in consequence of which the engines had to be stopped for four hours, when it partially cleared, and she arrived alongside the wharf at 3.30 p.m. ; landed 14 horses and 22 tons cargo, and left at 6 p.m., arriving at Dunedin at 10.30 a.m. on the 11th, remaining there until 4 p.m. on the 14th, and left for Lyttelton, arriving as above, having experienced very fine weather on the coast.