SHIPPING INTELLIGENCE.

Westport Times, Volume II, Issue 228, 24 April 1868, Page 2

SHIPPING INTELLIGENCE.

PORT OF WESTPORT. HIGH "WATEIt. This Day ... 10.36 a.m., 11.0 p.m. ARRIVALS. April 23 —Wallaby, s.s., Daniels, from Wanganui. N. Edwards and Co., agents. Wanganui, s.s., Linklatcr, from Wanganui. A. Bcauchamp and Co., agents. Kennedy, s.s., Whitwell, from llokitika and Greymouth. DEPARTURES. April 23—Waipara, s.s., Bascand, for Patca. CLEARED OUT. April 2^—Wallaby, s.s., Daniels, for llokitika and intermediate ports. EXPECTED ARRIVALS. Northern Light, from Melbourne. Florence, from Melbourne VESSELS IX PORT. Schooner —Queen of the Isles. [Barque—Nightingale. Ketches —Mary, Constant. Steamers —Lioness, Wallaby, Wanganui, Kennedy. IMPORTS. Per Wallaby, from Wanganui— : sS cattle, 180 sheep, SO pigs, 'A calves, 10 tons potatoes, 1 case fowls, i kegs butter. Per Wanganui, from Wanganui—4o head •cattle, 3.")0 sheep, 25 pigs, 8 calves, 2 cows, 2 horses, Croker. EXPORTS. Per Wallaby, for South—Portion of original cargo.

The s.s. Kennedy ai'rived off the_bar about 7 o'clock last evening, and came up to the wharf later on. She will bo despatched to Nelson to-day.

The Wallaby and Wanganui steamers both arrivsd yesterday from Wanganui with stock, and discharged their Westport cargo on the South Spit. The Wallaby proeeds south today, and to-morrow for Wanganui and Wellington.

The "Waipara left yesterday forenoon for the Paten and Wanganui, with the detachment of the armed constabulary under the charge of Licut.-Colonel M'Donnell and Capt. Cummins.

Information was received at Auckland on Thursday, the 2nd April, of the total wreck of the Thistle, on her passage from Auckland to Waipu. The vessel proceeded safely until the evening of Sunday, when the weather became dark and stormy. Shortly after Sale Rock had been sighted, she struck heavily upon a rock, and speedily broke up, and the whole of the passengers and crew were struggling in the water for their existence. Some succeeded in clinging to the wreck, whilst others found footing on rock. One of the passengers, Miss Johanna Mitohelsou, eleven years of age, was washed by a receding wave from the rock and drowned. Mr A. M'Leod, in attempting to save hei", was also drowned. The body of the girl has been recovered. Attempts were made to rescue the remaining fourteen passengers during the following day, but the sea was too turbulent for this to be accomplished. After another miserable night spent on the rock, they were take- F,—m it by the Kenilworth. The sufferers \u;e taken to the houses of the settlers, and every kindness afforded them Wanffomu Ciiromc'ie.

The p.s., Bruce, has had a very narrow escape on the Ilokitika bar. The West Coast Time-? of Tuesday, says : —Yesterday morning very little wind was felt on shore, but that it had Leon blowing out at sea was evidenced plainly enough by the heavy and ugly surf that rolled home. At times the break was really dangerous, too much so for any steamer in port to fucc, but as intervals of smoother water occurred, it was by carefully watching the opportunity, quite possible to cross the bar with safety ; hence the red flag was hoisted. The signal was first acknowlcged by the Challenge, which ran out with the Stormbird in tow, and shortly afterwards was followed by the steamer Bruce, bound to Westport. At first her departure was favored by a capital smooth, but just as she slewed end on to cross the bar (after traversing the north channel), a succession of enormous blind rollers sprung up with magical celerity, and well nigh overwhelmed the little boat. She rode over the first'like a duck, but the second tumbled on board a vast body of water that half buried her, and ere she could recover from the shock, the third and heaviest wall of water fell full upon her, and for a moment or two scarcely anything could be seen of the Bruce but her funnel and bridge. Suddenly she was observed to fall off broadside to the sea, and list heavily to starboard, and if, whilst in that position, another sea had struck her, the consequences might have been very serious. Fortunately, she had been driven astern by the seas clear out of the outer break, and thus time was allowed her to get clear of the load of water that flooded her decks rail high and gave her the list. The engine, which had been stopped on the lower centre by the shock—slowly moved ahead again, and the obedient Bruce soon looked seawards, but a portion of the starboard paddle-box house having been smashed in, it was considered advisable to fetch the river again, and clear away the wreck ere a fresh start was made. She returned inside, made all snug, and then started a second time, crossed the bar without let or hindrance, and steamed away on her course northwards."