PORT OF HOKITIKA.

West Coast Times, Issue 332, 16 October 1866, Page 4

PORT OF HOKITIKA.

Hi&h Watee This Day. •*- 2.5 a.m. ; 2.30 p.m. ABBIVED. October 15.— Nil. SAILED. October 15.— Nil. CLEAEED OUT. "* Mary, 162 tons, J. H. Gill, for Melbourne. In ballast.

Keera, 147 tons, D. Joyce, for Greyniouth and Dunedin. Passengers — for Grey, 6 steerage ; Dunedin, cabin : Mr Devore ; 12 steerage. Lady Don, 68 tons, H. GvSniith, for Lyttelton. In ballast.

IN THE BO'ADSTEAD.

Gothenburg, s.s., from Melbourne. Egmont, s.s., from Nelson. Clarendon, brig, from Melbourne. • Alma, barque, from Melbourne. Topsail schooner, name unknown. EXPECTED ABEIVAXS.

Omeo, s.s., from Melbourne, 27th inst. Francis", schooner, from Heathcotej early. Elizabeth, cutter, from Sydney, early. Aurora, schooner, from Dunedin, early.

Cymraes, schooner, from Dunedin, daily. Mary Van Every, schooner, from Dunedin 'early. s

Wm. Miskin, s.s., from Dunedin, daily. Clarendon, from Melbourne, early.' Alma, from Melbourne, early. Nelson, p.s., from Nelson, this day. Alhambra, from Melbourne, 25th inst.

PEOJECTED DEPABTTFBES.

Lizzie Coleson, for Sydney, to-day Nelson, p.s., for Grey and Nelson, today. Gothenburg, s.s., for Melbourne,' to-morrow. Albambra, s.s., for Melbourne, 26th inst. Egmont t s.s. for Bluff and Dunedin, today. ' Omeo, s.s., for Melbourne, 29th' inst. Lady Darling, for Melbourne, to-day.

'VESSEiS IN POET.

Brigantines — Isabella, Mary, Lady Don, Lizzie Coleson.

Schooners— lona. Tiger, John Mitchell, Tambo, Mary Anne, Spray, Excelsior, ' City of Nelson, Lady Darling. Cutter— Dart. Steamers — Yarra, Challenge, Bruce (ashore), Persevere (ashore).

EXPOBTS.

Per Keera, for Greymoutli and Duneclin — For Grey: 56 eases beer, Cleve & Co; 1 pocket liops, Eoyse &Co ; 2 cases, Eeeves & Co ; 2 tons sugar, Cassius & Co ; 1 case, 1 box, Bullen & Co. For Dunedin : 1 case cigars, Fuerst & Co.

We much regret the detention of the numerous vessels onteide and in, wliich are waiting for the channel to clear. The Egmont and Gothenburg have already lost three days,

and the former manifested her impatience

yesterday afternoon, by raising steam and * signalling 'to the shore, for permission to proceed on her destination. This : was l'efusedj and in consequence the fir,es were' again* damped, and at sunset the Egmont lay quietly at anchor, waiting for the ohange, which we beh'eve, is close at hand. Inside the river the s.s. Keera was ready for a start, and got steam up for the purpose, but, warned by the unsuccessful attempt made by theJ Challenge, she kept to her moorings and blew off again. The Lizzie Coleson, brigantine, Bhould have left for Sydney, but tike her neighbors, was compelled to be content with waiting for a more favorable opportunity to leave the river. ~ , We certainly expected that the s.s. William Miskin would have arrived yesterday, as she left Dunedin simultaneously with the Keera, and, having a few minutes start, l^d the way through the heads. The two vessels wei*e together |in Foveaux Straits, but separated during the blow. We are quite at a loss to account -for her non-appearance, and trust that nothing untoward lias happened to detain her. Yesterday morning the Challenge attempted to cross the bar, for the purpose of ascertaining the depth of water and lay of the channel. < She was, in . fact, " playing at bell the cat," as, through the port having been closed for some days, "the position of the bar was doubtful, no vessel having proved it. Two channels, one to the north, thp other to the

south, Were supposed to be open, but as a heavy sea was running, the Challenge wisely

objected to test either, as by so doing, she must have her broadside to it, and thus run a" very great risk of being cast on • shore, both channels being narrow and close' upon the beach. She, however, kept head tosea, and' made straight for the roadstead, but , suddenly, brought up all standing upon a shallow patch, which must have been thrown up try" the sea within the last twenty-four

hours, as the Keera passed over its position on Saturday, and found plenty of water. The tug backed off again and tried to find an exit in another direction, but without success ; so she slued in her tracks and returned to the wharf again. The captain reported that where he sounded there was less than five feet of water. The Bruce still remains hard and fast npon the river beach. Her cargo was discharged yesterday, and an attempt made by the Challenge to tow her off, which, however, in a failure, and we fear that the expense of a short launch must be incurred to place her in deep water again.