MISCELLANEOUS.

Daily Southern Cross, Volume XX, Issue 2103, 16 April 1864, Page 4

MISCELLANEOUS.

The schooner Wildfire, Captain O'Biian, ai rived from Lyttelton yesterday morning, w ifch 268 sacks of oats, and 287 sacks barley. The barque Atlantic sailed last evening for Sydney. The fine clipper ship Scimitar clears at the Customs to day. The schoonei Taui.mga, Captain, Sellers, ai rived from Tauranga yesterday morning, but brings no further news with reference to the East Coast natives. She brings 400 bushels wheat and a quantity of sundries. The Sandfly was passed off the Mercury Island. The s.B. Kangaroo, Captain Bell, sails from the Manukau to day for Sydney direct. The schooner Rose Ann, Captain Jones, ai rived yesterday fiom Napier and the .East Coast, with 160 bags wheat, 13 ca-es apples, 20 bags onions, and 4 bags maize. Wreck of the Panama. — It is with deep regret that we have to recoi d the total loss of the barque Panama, 414 tons, N. H. Habig, master, which was wrecked on the night of Fiiday, the 18th instant, near Sandy Cape, at the noi th-west end of Frazers (or Great Sandy) Island, off the entrance to Hervey's Bay. The Panama, it will be remembered, left Port Chalmers, New Zealand, on the lObh Febiuary last for Rockhampton, with 150 diggers on board, "who were proceeding to the Peak "Downs gold field. She arrived in Keppel Bay on the 27th, after a. quick passage of seventeeu days, and left again on the sth instant, bound to Newcastle, New South Wales. The sad intelligence of her shipwreck was communicated to Captain Ourpliey, of the steamer Queensland, by CapUm Habig, who was picked up in a boat by the former on Wednesday last, at 4 o'clock p.m., a few hours after the steamer left Maryborough on. her way to this port In the same boat along •with Captain Ilabig wore the second mate of the Panama, the stewardess of the vessel, the coast; pilot (whom the captain had shipped at Dunedinj, and four sailors. Captain Habig informed Captain Curphey that from the time of his leaving Keppel Bay until the moment of the vessel striking, he had had terrific weather, and never once sighted land, and that for fourteen days the ship had been knocking about along the coast without anyone on board — not even the pilot— having the least idea of their whereabouts. In fact, not long before the catastrophe happened, so far from having any knowledge of his being in the vicinity of mich. a dangerous spot as Breaksea spit, b.e believed he was off the coast of New Caledonia.

Captain flabig only became aware of the exbreino peril his vessel was in when, at six o'clock on Friday evening, the 18th, he first caught sight of the breakers on the Spit. Deeming it still possible to save the barque, which was then exposed to the full fury of the violent gale that commenced on the afternoon of that day, and which was driving her ashore, immediately altered her course. 4.11 that night the gale continued with unabated violouoe, and great alarm wns now felt for the safety of the ship. At about four o'clock the following (Saturday) morning the wind, which had been previously blowiug from the E S.E., suddenly shifted round to N. W., from which quarter it now came with increased violence. The weather was so thick aud hazy at the time that it was impossible to see a ship's length from the vessel. About a quarter of an hour atter the wind had thus changed the barque was driven on the beach, and soon parted in two amidships, the sea breaking over her. In order to save the lives of those on boaid, one of the ciew volunteeied to cany a Hue thiough the l>ieaker«, and in this mauner got a hawser ashore. This hazardous feab was safely accomplished, and by this means several lives were saved. One poor fellow, however, although a good swimmer, was di owned while attempting to get ashore. His name was unknown to those on boaid, but he acted in the capacity of second stewaid duriug the passage from Dunedm to Rockhampton. Not having any boats to enablcfchem to leave the vessel, the shipwrecked patty wcie compelled to remain, some on the wreck, and some who had mau aged to get ashore, on the island, until one could be made. This done, on Wednesday, the 23id instant-, at 3 o'cloclt a.m., Capiain Habig — taking with him the second mate (R. Dickson), the pilot (Montague Brace), the stew aiders (Miss Julia Johnson), and four of the ciew — left to obtain assistance. Eleven men — among whom w.vs the chief officer— lemained behind, Caplain Habig piomising to {.end them speedy relief. Captain Cuiphey fell in with this boat near Woody Island at 4 o'clock the samo afternoon, and upon learning the nature of the disaster, at once pi oceeded to the scene of the wieck for the purpose of rescuing thesuiFeieis. At half- past 10 o'clock the same night, he anchored the Queensland about a miks off the not th- west point of Piazer's Island, and sent Mr. Kosea (the chief officer) and a boat's ciew to the shipwiecked vessel. Captain Habig aud four of his men also pioceoded to the wieck in another boat. Upon their ainv.vl.they found one mau only, named Geoige Weavers, on the beach near the remains of the barque Weavers informed Captain Habig that the chief officei .and all the rest of the crew, except ing himself, becoming alaimedat seeing a number of the blacks gatheuug together on the island m the vicinity of the >week, had hastily constructed a boat, and at noon that day had all loffc in ,it with the intention of getting on the mainland, and endeavouung to proceed to Maryborough. Weaver lefused to go with them, feoliug certain that it would be safer to remain until Captain Habig letuiued with the assistance lie had promised This mau, together with Captain Habig and those who weie with him in the boat, proceeded on to Gladstone in the Queensland The steamer Eagle being at Gladstone when they ai rived there, they weie enabled to proceed in her on to Sydney. — Jloclhampion Bulletin.