BOAT ACCIDENT.

West Coast Times, Issue 761, 2 March 1868, Page 5

BOAT ACCIDENT.

Two Lives Lost.

At last, after several narrow escapes, the practice (so frequent of late) of crossing the bar in open boats lias resulted in an accident involving loss of life, and but that the harbor steamers were at hand to render assistance, an entire boat's crew would have been sacrificed. "Wo have several times remarked with what temerity boatmen risk their lives in visiting the roadstead to fish, when they had much better remain in the river, and again when caught by a sudden breeze outside, how ready they are to run for the river, not knowing whether the bar is or is not passable. To attempt to deter men from crossing the bar would be simply absurd, and we do not hesitate to say that a good whaleboat, properly handled, may cross and re-cross the bar in fine weather, without incurring one tithe of the risk' that boatmen are daily subjected to on many parts of the coast of Great Britain. But then tlie utmost caution is necessary and skill to deal with a breaker that may suddenly arise indispensable, together with, that nerve and presence of mind lacking which, no man is fitted to cope with, so subtle an enemy as is found in the West Coast surf. If a little more caution and skill had been used by the boat's crew, Saturday's accident would have been averted ; for in the first place there were two of the harbor steamers outside, either of whicli would have brought in the boat and her crew ; and secondly, if tlie men had trusted .to their oars instead of running before the sea under canvas, the boat, we believe, might have been kept end on, and the capsize prevented. We have, however, no desire to cast the slightest reflection upon the survivors, who must have suffered acutely, whilst the two who were drowned were worthy fellows, one of them especially — little Dick Boyt — being well known and much respected, not only by his own class, but by many merchants and storekeepers, who time after time entrusted goods to his care; for Boyt, be it known, was one of the oldest of Hokitika boatmen, and plied regularly to the Five Mile and Lagoon Town. The other man, named Daniel Prout, formerly belonged to the Harbor Master's crew, and bore an excellent character. We regret to say that he leaves a widow and family unprovided for. It appears that either two or three boats left the river early on Saturday morning, the bar then being very smooth, and the weather calm. Shortly afterwards the breeze freshened, and the other boat or boats returned, leaving Boyt and his mates outside. They remained there until midday, and then headed for shore, the breeze in the meantime having much increased and produced a lopping sea in the roadstead, whilst the channel through the bar was crossed by a line or two of breakers, the surf on each side of it being much heavier. The boat ran in under canvas, passing the tug Lioness, which, with the Lizzie Coleson in tow, eased steam to give the little hooker way. The captain of the Lioness hailed the boat, telling her crew not to attempt the bar ; but they, eilher not hearing or disregarding this -warning, hurried onwards to destruction. The steamer Favorite was also outside, and, having tenderedthe Egmont, was returning to the river, and reached the edge of the break simultaneously with the Lioness. She gave way to the Lioness, which headed straight for the bar, the progress o? the little whaleboat being at the same time intently regarded by the crews of both steamers, as a catastrophe was anticipated. Hundreds of on-lookers lined the beach, and watched the boat with pain-fully-excited interest, the danger she was in being only too apparent. Suddenly she was seen to shoot ahead upon a blind roller with arrow-like rapidity, and then broach to, and ere the man at the steer-oar could get her straight again another roller crested with foam fell right upon the unfortunate craft, and turned her over and over. The wave passed, and then the four men were seen clinging to the boat's bottom. The next sea washed them off again, drowning one, as three only regained the boat, to be again washed off, and then another went to his long account. The other two once more recover their frail hold of the boat, and managed to maintain it until the Favorite ranged alongside, just in time to rescue them ; for, observing the accident, Captain Macmekan, of the Lioness, turned his vessel's head seawards again, brought his tow to an anchor, and then cast off and pushed to the rescue. He was, however, forestalled by Captain Adams, of the Favorite, who, seeing the way clear, dashed ahead full speed, with what success we have above related. The sea retained its dead a short time only, as in the course of the afternoon the dead bodies of Boyt and Prout were cast upon the beach, about half-a-milo north of the- bar. They were at once removed to the Oddfellows Hotel, where the usual inquest will be held at noon to-day, to be followed by the funeral, which takes place at two o'clock. We believe it will do numerously attended, as Boyt is a member of the Oddfellows, whilst Prout numbered many friends amongst the maritime community of Ibis port.