The Auckland Islands.

Cromwell Argus, Volume I, Issue 41, 24 August 1870, Page 6

The Auckland Islands.

SEARCH EXPEDITION. [Southland Ntwi, August 6.] Wo have boon favored by W. G. M'Clure, Eaq., M.D., with the following “pencilliugs by the way,” made during the recent cruise of the Daphne : Early in July of the present year, the General Government of New Zealand having given instructions to the Provincial Government of Southland to send a vessel to search for traces of the castaways from the Daphne, his Honor the Superintendent gave the command of the Daphne (then in port, and placed at the disposal of the Government for this purpose by the agents of the vessel), together with the entire organisation of an exploring party, to Captain Thompson, chief Harbor Master, who requested me to accompany him in ray professional capacity— hinc illce lilercc We sailed from Bluff Harbor at midnight on the 11th July for the Auckland Isles, with a light W.N.W. wind, which gradually veered round to the S.W;, forcing us to run into Port Adventure, where we anchored next morning at ten o’clock, with the wind due south. This bay, which is on the east coast of Stewart’s Island, has some very picturesque inlets leading off it; and the Heron River flowing into the nor’west corner of the harbor, is quite enchanting in its various windings, the banks on both sides being covered with heavy foliage down to the water’s edge. The wind blew steadily from the sou’-west from the morn ing of the 12th, not giving us a chance of getting away until the 17th, when, with a nor’-west breeze, we sailed for our destination. The wind went back to its old quarter at noon, and kept us beating about till the 19th, when we rounded the South Cape. Wind next day fair, lying our course ; the Snares sighted at ten o’clock ; made a good run during the night, and dropped anchor in Port Ross at 6 p.ra., a cable’s length from H.M.S. Blanche,'which had come in an hour or two before us from Carnley Harbor, preparatory to starting next morning for Port Lyttelton, New Zealand. The Blanche hailed ns to send a boat, and report. Captain Thompson went on board, and the ward-room officers sent a request for Captain Gilroy and myself to join them at mess, where wo were most cordially received, with the welcome that can only spring from thorough breeding, joined to kindness of heart. Next day (22nd) went on board the Blanche to see general practice and exercise at the great guns ; lunched in the wardroom, and made up a party to go pig hunting in the afternoon. Dr Bailey, Lieutenant Mansell, and myself went to the head of the bay with some of Captain Gilroy’s crew, and killed three pigs. Tn rowing along the bay in Port Ross, on looking down into the depths of the water we could see the various submarine plants scattered in groups, with interstices of pellucid water, forming beautiful caverns with white sandy floors, one of them reminding ns strongly of a sea-nymph’s cave, or the home of the sea-born Venus. Captain Montgomerie arranged to steam around the west coast next day, with the officers of the Daphne on board. 23rd.—The Blanche got up steam to go round the west Coast from Port Ross to Carnley Harbor. We left at 7.30 a.m., steaming in as close to the shore as she dare go with safety. At the place erroneously marked on the sketch map as “ General Grant's Cave,” she stood in to within a quarter of a mile of the high, precipitous cliffs. The whole coast was most carefully examined with powerful glasses, but no landing-places could be discovered, with the exception of a small beach to the southward of the “ cave,” on which a boat’s crew, if cast, must infallibly perish, as no human beings could possibly ascend the overhanging rocks. The “cava’’ is a mere indention in the rocks. The Blanche steamed round Adam’s Island, entering Carnley Harbor by the eastern passage, and anchored in the north-west arm at I 30. 24tb, 8.30 a.m.—Mr Edwards, navigating lieutenant, Dr Bailey, Captain Thomson, and I started in the second cutter of the Blanche, to search the west arm; Lieut. |

Beaumont and Mr Anglem in tie first cutter to search the middle arm ; a-nd Captain Gilroy with another party t-o thatch Musgrave’s hut. The second cuttenr landed us on Musgrave’s Peninsula. 'X'le crew re-painted the beacon and made a large fire, then pulled up to Monumental Island at the mouth of the west passage, a,T~» <1 on to the extreme end of Monumental Harbor ; the beaches and high land were examined all the way. We landed and re regained a couple of hours, lighted a large fire, shot a seal, returned to Camp Cove, -wdiere we killed eight seals, and got on board the Blanche at 6 p.m., bitterly cold; the Blanche firing her large guns at intervals throughout the day. No traces of castaways found. The Blanche reports that the depots at Musgrave’s hut, Carnley Harbor, and No. 3 at Port Ross iiavebeen rifled since its visit in 1869 ; ami, from the nature of the things taken away, and the condition of those remaining, cotxjpled with the fact of no record having been left at either place, the supposition is tHat it was done from sheer wantonness and. barbarity by some sealing vessel. Since no vessel except the Oreti is known to called at these islands in the interval bet ween the visit of the Blanche in 1869 and. that of the Daphne in 1870, the blame is oist upon i the Oreti, whether justly or not J cannot say ; but, whoever the pluadenesrs were, the curses they received were both loud and deep. 25th.—The Blanche tripped Her anchor at 7 o’clock, and ran for Port Itoss along the East Coast, which she had searched previous to our arrival; arrived, bid good-by to our friends on board the Blanche, which then steamed out for Port Lyttelton, N.Z., promising to report us on her arrival. We dipped our .flag, and watched her till she rounded iEuderby’s Island. Before leaving the BLvrmhe, Captain Montgomerie desired to sta.fce, in the presence of the officers of the expedition, that in his opinion, often hearing the case, Mr Cousins, when lelt. so unexpectedly in charge of the Daphne after the loss of the captain and boat’s nrew, had acted in a manner to meet wit lx Has entire approbation. 2.30.—We landed and examined state of beacons and depot No. 3. Not Leo on beacon ; “ H.M.S. Blanche painted sand refitted beacons ; examined and replenished necessaries in March, 1862, and Jnly, 1870. Proclamation made of the islands having been retaken possession of in the name of and for Her Most Gracious -Majesty, by Captain Montgomerie.” Found, the shrubs planted by Captain Norman, li_ IM.S. Victoria, all dead, except the pines, which were very stunted; went and. returned through the track (from the beacon to Pig Point, Laurie Cove) cut by the crew of the Blanche. Replenished and sixp> plied medical and other stores. Planted, sbalots. 26th.—Captains Thomson an.cl Gilroy in first whale-boat, started to searcb Enderby and Ocean Islands, inland ; Mr* in second boat, to search the beacb es of the same islands. Both islands were traversed in different directions ; no traces found ; replenished depot No. 4 at Endexhy Island with medical stores, lint, ointment, adhesive plaster, and calico bandages. Babbit Island, and a small island not mxmed, were searched daring our cruise in fcbe Blanche, by the men left on board the Daphne. 27th.-—Captain Thomson, _gleiri, Cousins, and I, with a boat’s crew, rowed to the head of Zaurie Cove, and wbilked overland to North Cove ; bush very dense until we mounted to the top of the grallies; table land very boggy, similar to the bog lands of Ireland ; searched the coast round North Cove; camped out all night, and returned by same track to boat at iaurie Cove, and got on board at 1 p.m. on the 2Sth ; a stiff nor’-easter blowing ; let go second anchor with 45 fathoms cable. 29th.—At anchor; wind mo x-g northerly, and lighter ; picked up second, anchor. 30th.-—Wind, south by west; weighed anchor at 10 a.m., and set sail for the Bluff —homeward bound. Arrived in Bluff Harbor at 12.30 on Tuesday, August 2, with the sad news of no traces cof the missing castaways having been fou. ml, but with the satisfaction of knowing tha.-fc a thorough search had been made. !