MARTIN'S BAY.

Evening Star, Issue 3038, 13 November 1872, Page 4

MARTIN'S BAY.

The narrative of the captain of the p.s. Wallace, which was sent to relieve the necessities of the Martin’s Bay settlers, has been published. It is supplemented by the letter of a resident of Martin’s Bay to the West Coast Times, in which the writer says : About eight mouths ago, prosperous days seemed to he before us. Several absentees returned to fulfil their term and redeem their sections, and more came over the saddle to take up land. These last were so anxious to settle that even the knowledge of the shameful fact that to procure a fifty-acre section they must return to Queenstown to make their application, did not deter them. But where are these plucky men to day ? Poor fellows '■— they wrought as long as they had anything to eat, and then they said, “ We cannot work ; we dare not tackle the saddle now while the enow is so deep; surely there will be a steamer in a few days ; wc will hold on and fossick for tucker.” Thus they existed for weeks, those at Big '.’ay living on mussels and mutton-fish, and at Martin’s Bay on the same, with the addition of pika pika, which is the tender shoots of the comipon ground fern. But no relief came, and tlmy were forced at last—some 6f them only la>t week—to attempt that dreaded saddle, with nothing in their swags to eat but dfied mutton-fish, which are nearly as tough and indigestible as india-rubber. I will tell you now about this famine. Ten weeks ago there was only one man here who had any provisions (save two families who had still a few seed potatoes left), and he could only spare what would feed the inhabitants three weeks The single men from Big Bay made the first rush. He then asked all the familie* to come in for their share, and divided among the single men what was left. On tliis bare three weeks’ supply we have subsisted ten weeks, but the looks of some around me tell truly that they have suffered liviag death. Birds have been unusually scarce, for, though there are a good many paradise ducks in the river, they are shy, and without ammunition will not cams t* hand, so the sight of them has been only ah aggravation, There sire fish in the bay, but, from Tough weather and other causes, we have been able to catch blit very few. Mussels and mutton fish can onh’ bo gof spring tides, and then they havt tfin devoured eagerly epougjp But enough -hup case bad become desperate. HupJer is a terrible thing ; and I am sure, Mr Editor, penguins and ferns have tasted sweeter to up than well-buttered beefsteak ever did to most of your readers, Yesterday the Wallace came, and, thank God, we have food again. The crops are looking well, that is what little was got in before the seed was eaten. Fall wheat is about a foot high, and apping sp\yn is coming on nicely. Vegetables bid fair to bp abpndtipt. Grass is heading, and is very luxurjaLt.