AN OLD-TIME MEMORY

Dominion, Volume 12, Issue 80, 30 December 1918, Page 7

AN OLD-TIME MEMORY

HUNTING A DESERTER.

(By "Pioneer.")

When that portion of Wellington known ns Te Aro w>3 a flax swamp, and fair native bush adorned the sloping hills, nnd Cuba Street was a mere track, thoso few pioneers of the city who were at their daily occupations were startled to hear, one fine morning, two loud re-, ports-of cannon.' Such a happening was beyond understanding, and no matter what conjectures wtro offered at tho moment, let me toll tho story.

"Your humble servant was at tho helm at the' time," Hiid ''"Jo," ns he settled himself comfortably in a large easy chair. "We left our anchorage on the- morning in question with a , small cargo of Hour a.'l securely battened below. AVitli a fair breezoMvo sailed away from J'.-ambton shores, confident of the success of our journey, and little realising that w.o would,' ere long, be buck at our anchorage to answer (he , questions of tho wun! authorities. Point Jcniiugham was hardly abreast when "Boom!" and a cannonbull nwished past om- bows and found a watery grave, Cerluinly most unhealthy; but it took another boom and a fiyisii-tn make us appreciate tho most 'forcible- , of naval orders—"Heave-to!" Heave-to it certainly meant, and heaveto we diil with the utmost speed.

-"We could seo il cutter approaching ns from i\ British wnnship lying in Evans lifly, but could not understand Hie luenninj; of the firing. The fhuts had certainly been diiwled at'us- from this Jightiiifjssliip, We, had no knowledge of bavin;.;. coiinnitled any breach of the harbour laws, nor could we think of any reason why the Naval authorities hail i'Giijill it necessary to stny our jniirney by firing across our bows.. AVo were nil much alarmed, but awaited events with' ft clear conscience.

"l-'resently tho cut 10 . , ., drew nlongside, and a nauil oflirer. and several men • stepped on hoard. The officer immediately relieved me of-the wheal, explaining that it was- believed that we had on board* a man from the warship, who had deserted thn ship. This we considered impossible— iu> strangnr hiii! romp" amount »', and as Jar as we kiiew tho holds eonta-ined nothing but our cargo of Hour. However, orders*were that'our ship must return to port and. a sen.reh made of tho .(•ni'ci). This was arromplished, and once n<*:**in wi> stood , at fliinhnr whilst' tile nni.formed ones proceeded to search the canto in a ino-i riorri manner. After a Uioronwh insuee.tion of our quarters and oilier likely hiding placpp, the navel authorities, armed, with Inn? staffs, proceeded to probo In amongst the sacks of flour: They wi-re not. lon? in getting a reward for tlwh' efTorr*;—tbn culprit soon irhvp rent , to his fooline* when lie hn<l been rn'Wy probed with a not too blunt stuff. Ou> amazement bevond words .— was'.so w\\ (hat wo never cineeived it possible for a to tl-nw /.y-iv in. il-. Pnticl'ipd "-'Hi' (lie : - cii.pture tlm \aval -inthorilini? bid us jroodday, and left us Iα resume nur voyage."