NARROW ESCAPE OF THE STEAMER YARRA WHEN CROSSING THE BAR, AND LOSS OF LIFE.

West Coast Times, Issue 233, 18 June 1866, Page 6

NARROW ESCAPE OF THE STEAMER YARRA WHEN CROSSING THE BAR, AND LOSS OF LIFE.

A frightful surf lashed the coast on the 6th inst. — so heavy, in faot, that the usual signal, " bar pngsablo," was not displayed at tidetime. The -Enngitoto, however, haying arrived from Melbourne, with nearly 100 passongora on board for this port and Greymouth, it was considered advisable to attempt communicating with her by steamer 5 and at noon, accordingly, the p.u. Persevere, bound (o the Grey, crossed tho bar, and ran alongside for any " stray waifs" whoso destination was that port. She effected tho passage safely, and after shipping some twenty passengers, departed on her way northwards. In tho meantime, the surf had much increased, and it was considered doubtful by those on board tho Rangitoto whether the Yarra, which was to follow the Persovero for the Hokitika passengers, would leave the river. Lcavo, howovor, she did, and like her pvede--cosßpr, pusho.d through the break" unscathed,but tho hoavy woßierly swoll oompolled her to. hang nstorn of tho Company's stoamev, and tranship by tho uid of the^hip's boats. This much delayed her, and it was not till considerably after 4 p.m. thatßlio cast off and steamed for tho river, and on arriving abreast the entrance tho day had so much waned that the beacons wore- hardly visible, and to add to the poril of " crossing," the surf was rolling— line after lino— in fearful walls of water, and breaking qnito a mile from, the shore. The first two or three seas merely swept tho steamor with lightning rapidity onwards, but being compollod to sheer hor broadside to it, to roach clear of the point of tho North Spit, tlio next roller — a boisterous green sea, overtopping hor deck by feet — broke on' board, crushing in her starboard bulwarks, starting tho oabm skylight, sweeping the galley ov6r« board, and flooding the decks witli^ water to a lovol with tho port rail. In the iriidst of tho confusion that prevailed, the fearful cry of " a man overboard " was raised, and there, battling for his life in the midst of the bdiling surge, an unfortunate fellow was obsorvedi but quito out of tho reach of help from those on board, for tho Yarra having taken the ground sea after sea poured over her, rendering tho situation of those on board "perilous * n the oxtrenie.undeompollingthemtohold on foreand aft to avoid sharing a similar fate. After about ton minutes of dolugo and suspense, which seemed an ago to tho paßsengors, tho ateamor was washed by tho Burf into dcepor water inside, and steamed up tho river without further mishap, save the loss of several boxeß of luggage, which wero hove overboard to lighten her. On arriving at the wharf it was discovered that tho missing party was a Mr Dalton, who, under tho alias of Graham, had. taken a cabin passage in Sydney, por Oity of Melbourne, to join tho Eangitoto in Sfelbourne, which was advertised to sail for Ilokitika on tho Ist instant. Tho - unfortunate gentleman was en route for England, purposing, after transacting certain business in this town, to join thoKaikoura in Wellington, and proceed hoinowards by tho Panama route. His plans, however, have boon thwarted in tho above lamontablo manner. This is the first catastropho of tho kind which has over occurred in tho annals of Hokitika, for although our harbor steamers have crossed tho bar at various timps under tho most disadvantageous ciroumstances, the attempts have nover resulted in loss of lifo. That such a calamity has at last resulted is deeply to bo regretted} and although wo fool unwilling to attach any blamo to either captain or agents, wo cannot help passing a few strictures on the folly of permitting vessels to lcav.o the rivor in the face of suoh a sea ; and, watching, as wo did, tho passage of the Yarra from tho North Spit, wo only wondor that all of her deck passengers woro not swept away Those bolow Woro almost in equal poril, far, through tho Btarfci'ig- of tho skylight, the cabin was half filled with water, and a few moi'o soas would liavo in all probability extinguished tho fires, and then tho consequences might liavo been fatal to all on board. It cannot bo doniod that in tho midst of imminont danger, tlto captain of tho Yarra bohaved with judgment and coolness, and handled his boat woll ; and tho tipont of Ibo Yarra (Mr Bonar), and tho Panama Company's agent (Mr Whito) both oxortod thomsolvos to tho uttermost to koop order and rostoro confiilonco ambngst tho affrighted crowd on board. Of this wo are assured by sovoral of tho passongors.

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