PORT OF HOKITIKA.

West Coast Times, Issue 677, 25 November 1867, Page 2

PORT OF HOKITIKA.

High Water', Inis Dat.— 9.oo a.m.; 9.25 p.m. Moos New, to-morrow. — i'M p.m. November 23.-6 a.m.': Wind, West, ■trong j barometer, 2940; thermometer, 55. — 1 p.m. : Wind, N.W., hard gale ; barometer, 29-40; thermometer, 58.— 6 p.m.: Wind, North, strong; barometer, 29-16 ; thermometer, 54. Weather during day, very •tormy, continuous heavy rain. November 21. — 6 a.m. : Wind, West, moderate; barometer, -2890; thermometer, 52.— 1 p.m.: Wind, West, moderate; barbmeter, 28-93; thermometer, 60.— G p.m.: Wind, West ; barometer, 29-2 ; themometer, 56. Weather during day, fine. ARRIVED. November 23. — Claud Hamilton, s.s., Hall, from Sydney. John White, agent. Bruce, p.s., Kerley, from Buller, via Grey. F. Greer, Agent. SAILED. November 24. — Tasmanian Maid, p.s., Souter, for Buller. Bruce, p.s., Kerley, forßullor. ENTERED IN. Bruce, 84 tons, James Kerley, from Westport and G eymouth. 30 passengers. CLEARED OUT. Enterprise, 27 tons, S. Hatfield, for Charles- . ton. Bruce, 84 tons, James Kerley, for Westport and Mohikinui. ■ EXPECTED ARRIVALS. Alhambra, s.s., from Dunodin, to-day," Omeo, >s.s., from Melbourue, via Dunedin, to-morrow. Anne Moore, brgtne., from Melbourne, early. 10, schooner, from Melbourne, daily. Mary, brigautine, from Melbourne, early. Rangitoto, s.s., from Melbourne tia Dun- ■ odin, 27th inst. Lord Ashley, p.s., from Nelson, to-day. Beautiful Star, s.s., from 1 Hinedin, early. PROJECTED DHPARTCUKS. Claud Hamilton, for Nelson, to-day. Nile, schr., for Fox's, early. Alhambra, s.s., for Melbourne and Sydney, fro-day. R mgitoto, s.s., for Melbourne, 27th inst. Lxd Ashley, s.s., for Sydney, to-day. VKSSEIS IN TORT. Si'hooners— Sea Ripple, Nile, Dart, Bessie, Aurora, Mary Anno Christina. Ketches — Brothers and Sister, Jane Anno, Enterprise. Cutters— Hope, Harry Bluff, Elizabeth. Slrainora— Challenge, Golden Land, Yarra, Favorite, Dispatch, Enterprise. IMPOSTS. Per Bruce, from Greymouth tec. — 2 cases glass, Ecclesfield Brother ; 2 hhds eggs, J. Duff; 1 case chicory, 1 box, 2 parcels, Powell and Co; 2 .packages, Mauson. EXPORTS. Per Enterprise, for Charleston — 30 quarterci^ks beer, 20 cases stout, 2 cases geneva, 4 ■cases bittern, 4 bags nv.lt, 12 half-chests tea, 8 ccses champagne, 32 mats sugar, 12 cases jam, 1 case tobacco, 1 case coffee, 1 caso perfumery, 35 bags flour, 16 coses kemsene, 22 bales" chaff, 20 coses claret, Ecclesfield Brothers ; 2 cases hams, 2 cases bacon, 1 case mustard, Churches and Ching ; 6 cases pickles, 3 cases pipes, J. Solomon and Co ; 70 bags flour, Churches and Cuing ; 1 ton flour, 2 coses eggs, 1 case cheese, Edward Reeve 9 and Co. Per Bruce, for Westport, <te. — For Westport — 10 bogs coke, 1 ease acid, 1 case Bank of New Zealand ; 1 trunk, 1 box, 1 swag, Day ; 24 truck wheels, Hunger an-1 Co ; 1 truss, 1 parcel, Fleming and Co ; 1 truss, Ferris ; 1 truss, White and Pirie ; 40 boxes raisins, Ferris. For Mohikinui — 1 quartercask whiskey, Hyams ; 3 kegs nnils, 1 stove, 2 cases, Levey. For Brighton — 1 bale leather, Beaver ; 1 case, Holme ; 2 cases. The Panama Company's s.s. Claud Hamilton, arrived in the roadstead from Sydney on Saturday morning. She has'fifieon passengers, aud eight tons of cargo for this port. The heavy freshet and sea prevented her being tendered upon yesterday's tide, but the surf and river having much subsided last night, her despatch for Nelson and Auckland, is almost Certain to take placa this morning. The p.s. Favorite will convey on board. Private telegraphic advices were receivod in town of the sailing of the s.s. Omeo from Dunedin on Saturday eveuing. She comes here direct, via Bluff FTarbor.^and providing it -was possiblo to get round West Cape last 'night — which we very much doubt — she ought to arrive here to-morrow. The coasting steamer Bruce left Hokitika at 2.30 p.m. on tha 16th instant, on her usual round to the Nelson Goldfields ports, and arrived at Fox's River in five and a half hours — one of the quickest runs she' ever accomplished under steom only. Landed cargo and passengers, and proceedo 1 to the Buller, arriving at midnight. Next day being the-, seventh, work was suspended, but on Monday morning Westport cargo was smart)) landed, and about fifteen tons shipped for Mohikinui, and the Bi-uce declared ready for sc-a in tho * afternoon. Heavy westerly weather, however, set in, and stayed her departure until the following day, when she left at 1 p.m., and crossed the Mohikinui b.vr at 4.30 p.m. Although rain fell in torrents, the hatches were opened and cargo discharged in a hurry, for as the weather looked most threatening Captain Kerley was anxious to get clear of a port which is notoriously unsafe to lay in during flood times. The river rose considerably during the night, and at first peep of daylight on Wednesday the Bruce swung and steamed over the bar against a high surf, and regained the safer harbor of Westport at 7 a.m. Arrived just in time to escape the fury of the S.W. gale that set in, and obliged her captain to forego his intention of leaving for Hokifika on the afternoon's tide. The weather having moderated, she left at 7 a.m. on Thursday, but found, after leaving the Ice of Cape Foulwind that a strong S.S.W. breeze was blowing, along thp coast, aud a very high sea running. Being thus muzzled, she was fourteen hours ■working the -jinssage to Grey roads, arriving off the bar at nine p ra. Rin in next morning before a heavy surf that increased and kept the Bruce prisoner inside until Satuday morning, when she left for this port, and, after four hour.9 hard steaming ngainst a strong breeze and eea, gained the roadstead, crossing the bar at ten pm. She brought up thirty passengers, landed about half that number at Greymouth, together with 2615 oz. of gold dust, shipped lit Wcsfcport, for the Bank of New Zoa'und. The Bruce made but a short stay in port, as she left again yesterday morning for the Buller, with a few tons of cargo arid about a score passengers. Captain Korley reports the arrival of the barque Alma at the Buller, on Sunday last, from Melbourne.- He saw nothing of the s.s. Keera., which cleared out of tho Grey roads, on Wednesday night (supposed), for Buller ; hence, we infer, she must have pushel on for Nelson. - The steamers Tasmanian Maid and Bruce left yesterday morning for the Buller and other ports. Tho Maid crossed first, and — as it happened — in a rough spell, and consequently shipped two or three heavy seas, but under judicious handling she cleared the bank without sustaing damage. Tho Bruce, being favored by smoother water, gainel the roadstead with dry decks. Excepting by the two outward bound steamers, the Bruce and Tasmanian Maid, tho bar has not been crossed since the publication of our last issue, as on Saturday it was rendered utterly impassable by the tremendous surf that came home, and yesterday tho freshet in the river was much too heavy to be

stemmed by either of the harbor steamers, and hence the Claud Hamilton was not tendered. We scarcely remember worse - weather than that of Saturday. It was simply frightful, as from nine o'clock in the morning until long past midnight tho rain fell in torrents and unceasingly, whilst a heavy westerly gale sent Tiome a sea which committed immense havoc with the seaboard, washed away several . houses, and seriously menaced the main' street of tho town. Tho incessant pattering of the rain and rush of tho gale occasionally drowned by the awful voice ■ of thunder, preceded by very vivid lightning, and taking it altogether the scene upon land sea was one of tho gloomiest wo ever witnessed. Wo never remember barometers so depressed on this coast as they were yesterday. Several glasses stood as low as 28.40, and others, according to range, fluctuated between that point and 29.00. Wo can only account for this low 'reading upon the supposition that heavy gales have been, and perhaps may even now, be blowing a few miles in the offing. What else could have delayed tho steamers Alhambra and Lord Ashley,both of which are overdue. Barometers slowty struggled upwards yesterday afternoon, and at midnigh^ had recovered about two-tenths, but the weather looked anything but settled. We can only hope that the storm king will ■withhold his hand during the spring tides that have jußt commenced. We notice that the schooner Nile is on the berth for Fox's river. She is a smart little i vessel, and will receive quick dispatch.