ROUND THE SOUNDS.

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 428, 10 February 1909, Page 7

ROUND THE SOUNDS.

>. TRAVELS WITH A MINISTER. ' HINEMOA'S LAST TRIP. (By a Passenoeb.) "Sovon and, sisponco a' diy, covering everything," enticed me into taking the last Southern trip of the Government steamer Hinemoa. Every N,ew Zoalander knows the Hinemoa, and its ablo commavder, "Jack" Bollons. , She is not one's ideal of a seagoing vessel, arid unless you iiro a good , sailor mal do mer will surely bo a visitor, When the Hinemoa and Captair Bollons get together- in a tight corner, doc'ging in and about rocky-bound bays and inlets, then you realise what a competent and happy couple they are; fit and qualified for their hazardous • work. The party which went to the Southern Islands was a small one, but jollv withal, and wo had an interesting though somowhat rough trip. The Bounty,and Antipodes Islands do not present any special features to the ordinary sightseer, but are interesting merely as .being outposts of the , Dominion, where stores aro kept tor shipwrecked mariners, and from a botanical point 'of view. On return to tho Bluff, that windy spot whioh physically and politically developed New Zealand's Primo Minister, we heard that our party was to be increased by the addition of a brand now Minister and his suite, and we were on the tonter-hooks of anticipation. Tho first of this party-to arrive was Mr. , T: E. Donne, of whom wo "had heard guito a lot; ho appealed to us as being quiet, reserved, determined, 'Wiih a suspicion of humour in his "bright eyes. Later on tho Clan Maokenzie arrived. • Thero -were the Hon. Thomas i Mackenzio, Doctor Mackenzie, Mr. F. Mac-' kenzie, Miss: Mackenzie, Miss G. Mackenzie, Mr. Johnston, private secretary, Mr. Matthews, Chief Forester, and his .wifo, a newspaper ropprtor, the daughter of a newspaper ..editor,- a_ 'photographer, mining experts, an American journalist, and others. Once at sea our new Minister threw conventionality to the winds, and bestrode the deck in a bright tartan bonnet, knickers, bare legs, end a pair of boots. At the Bluff our first troubles arose. There were more passengers than beds, and the stewards were busy making shakedowns in every conceivablo part of tho ship. One Government Official who had been to the "Southern Islands, was ejected from his berth to'make room for a member, of tho r Minister's party. He didn't like ; it, ' and announced his intention, of , leaving the steamer. Our captainj ,«/ith his usual tact, calmed tho trouble by taking the indignant one'into his own cabin. Then the reporter had no berth.' tie paced the' wharf nearly "all night, and said, , with a disguised throat, that he would go back to his comfortablo home. Hβ'was placated by a ,member of the clan vacating his bunk in his favour. Fivo o'clock saw us at sea. Our first stop was at Centre Island) at tho entrance ,to Fpveaux Straits. There tie exchanged a Family of light-House keepers, and a young oouple with four strong, healthy-looking youngsters came on board. In answer to my' , inquiry I ,was told that they were all born at lighthouse, far from doctor's and nurses, arid all , that goes to,lighten trouble; poor woman, poor infants, thought we I Our nesdi call was at Puysegur Point Lighthouse, ' then we ran to Preeorvation Inlet, and anchored in oalnii waters for-the night amid Nature's lovnly Next morning Captain Bollons. pointed out, Prison-Is-land, formerly known as "Chokey' Island," its ,change_from the good old suggestive name ,-no doubt being" due to our, improved social .condition. By-and-by, perhaps, it will be, called "H.M. , Island .for, the detention of Offenders against the Law.? We visited Pigeon Ibland, where the Goldfinches live in custody of the native birds on behalf of' the Government.- The whole party went ashore, fed the • sandflies, and s listened tomographic account of r hor ,over- ; land,trip by,.Mrs. Goldfinch,,and then wont to Facile Harbour, whereithe, pldußhip, "Endeavour," left her timbors. Captain Bollons ahowed us p, cave where a skeleton was'found ,wjth_ leg-irons on it, 'The shuttle of thought /'was "busy"with"the" solitary',' death 'ofiour unknown,, fellow-being, ' On, tho run from" Preservation Point we had a good buffeting with the wavesj l and with few exceptions the'passengers "sought the seclusion which a cabin grants," Dusky Sound provided a most welcome shelter; with Doubtful Sound it comprises scenery that simply-beggars description. Euskin, with his tremendous vocabulary of .words, would havo revelled in ream upon ream of desoriptiont AH I can eay is that no pen, no photograph, no painting, can- convey any proper idea of their glories. Wo landed-at,Duslcy, or Tather we didn't land, as owing to a 1 difference between the Minister and tho officer in charge of the landing boat we wero all returned to the ship:like naughty children, , without putting foot' ashore. The following morning the male members of the Minister's party .landed - and'visited some,inland lakes. In their absence the ship was'decorated; but when'tho party had not returned ' eomo five hours after i they were due, the' anxiety ' became acute. , Captain Bollons and some of his crew landed to make search; flags and ferns were taken down, and those -on board sat still and waited with apprehension.. About' 6 ; 30 p.m., tbo Captain's launch was seen coming out 'of -the Seaforth Kiver, -towing the large boat with the party. It appeared that' the >Hon. Mr. 'Mackenziels lepn had , given out, and he had considerable difficulty in getting rback to the ship. From Doubtful to George Sound, thence to-Oaswoll, where the passengers landed and visited the abandoned marble quarries, and then' to Anita Bay, where greenstone' hunting and killing sandflies formed the chief source of interest.- Steaming into great and glorious Milford tho Hinemoa was taken" alongside precipitous rock cliffs thousands of feet hiph, and close,to the Sterling and Bowea Falls. A number of passongers landed, others made up aquatio parties. At Milford the Ministerial party left the ship at>"Sandfly Point" (suggestive name) and walked overland to Lake Te Anau. • Lewws Milford with reluctance,'we sailed . for Westport, calling in at Martin's Bay, Big Bay, and Bruce Bay.*, At the last-named place Mr. Scott, who keeps the .accommodation houso at Karangarua, joined the steamer for Wellington. .At Westport we reluctantly said 'goodbye to Captain Bollons and his oourteous and .obliging crew. ■Tho whole tour was, with a few, minor discords, most enjoyable, and wo can heartily commond.it to anyone'who desires to see what is_ probably the l greatest, and at the Game ' time most beautiful scenery which Jt is .possible.to behold. Tho fishing is excellent, b:rd life is plentiful, and Nature has been here most prodigal in her efforts to out-shine the rest of tho world The Sounds trip .will ever remain one of my bdst and most delightful memories.