THE LOAFER IN THE STREET.

Globe, Volume I, Issue 11, 12 June 1874, Page 2

THE LOAFER IN THE STREET.

Perhaps you may have heard of Akaroa. It is a beautiful harbor in Banks' Peninsula. The French landed there some many years ago—say 1841—it's near enough. Some are there still, but the present population are mostly British. The majority have resided there for eighteen years. In this respect it resembles Governor's Bay, and any other bay you are likely to put your foot into on the

Peninsula. In summer, in fact all the year round, it is a popular watering place. I like; places of this kind. I had long determined, to visit Akaroa, and I did visit it the othW day. We started at a horribly early hour from Cobb and Co.'s, and when Mr Burton heard I was going, he said, " Ah—l'm sorry for Akaroa 1 " Such was his remark. I don't know that there is much to call for comment until you get to Judge's, except, that I had time to notice that Cobb and .Co.'s fame for well-horsed teams was not likely to fall off on the Akaroa road—a fact which I was more and more struck with through the succeeding stages—where I hoped to get breakfast ; but we didn't stop long enough. I regretted this the more, because in the matter of catering Mr Judge is a model, and is one of the kindliest of Bonifaces into the bargain. After passing Gebbie's Valley, and having got well on to the flat, t proposed to Dick Greening, Al in Jehus, and who is an old acquaintance of mine, who was driving, to let me have a turn with the ribbons. He said he had done some foolish things in his time, but he never trusted any muff with the reins. After this I did not pursue the subject further. We dined at Birdling's, where there's no mistake you can get a solid square meal. Perhaps ypu thick I'm too fond of eating and drinking. You are in error. The general public like to hear about eating and drinking. A drama in which the main feature was gorging would knock a British audience more than the most sensational piece ever put on the boards. Along Lake Forsyth, with its calm waters walled in by mountains on the one side, whose dark green fringe of timber runs to the very water's edge, and on the other by ridges so scant of trees, that it looks as if nature had strung them there just for the sake of contrast, but whose shadows float in a gigantic form on the still waters of the lake. That's not so bad, is it? Past Little River* which is a charming spot, possessing picturesque saw mills, romantic Maori whares, and in fact every feature of sublime scenery except a public house. Then we ascend the hill by a track which does credit alike to the Surveyor who laid it out, and to nature who adorned it. View aEter view busts, if I may be allowed to use the expression, upon the traveller. Peak after peak—in fact a council of peaks—surround one, some craggy and shielded with filmy feathery snow clouds, others with purple domes glowing in the western sun, aud evidently anxious to wear their hazy mantles as long as possible. In the gullies ; well, to go properly into the gullies I require the "touch of a vanished hand," and I havn't got a vanished hand handy just now. There is one place near the top of the hill—a sort of debateable land between two Road Boards, which neither will repair, and is a very sweet place in roads. It does credit to the Boards, but its rough on travellers. At the top of the hill we changed horses at a hostelrie, entituled "the house on the hilltop." The. drinks are good, but who drinks them is still a puzzle to yours truly. I don't feel equal to describing the scenery at this point, owing to a slight annoyance I received at the House on the Hill-top. Just when I was revelling in some picturesque peeps, combined with beer, a being with whom I had dealings in former years came up and said I owed him a shilling ; and that I, in my abbence of mind, paid him, is the only blot on . this otherwise pleasant trip. Between the foot of the hill and Akaroa you pass a number of bays—German Bay, Fagin's Bay, Pig Bay, Brandy Bay, Slush Bay, and others. I'm not sure whether the above are all correct, but Dick Greening is answerable for the names, The descent to Akaroa is abrupt. It is as thus in daylight, but it is abrupter after nightfall. I stayed at Wagstaff's. Jt is a palatial residence of that description that I came very near ruuning away when I got inside the grounds. It is an hotel on which the immortal George Robins could have written a two column advertisement without drawing on his imagination. Mr Wagftaff is a briGk, but I'm sorry for him, picturing as I can to myself the life he must lead in the summer months when mammas come down with their families to spend the holidays—when honeymooners arise regularly, and. when casuals are more than frequent comers. Akaroa is a magnificent harbor. It is completely windbound. It contains accommodation for many hundred ships, but at present the ships don't avail tbems Ives to any great extent of the accommodation. There is a jetty though where the Ameliarann, one man, and one mast, and one ton minus two cwt burthen, discharges. It is also where the steam launch has a home —departs and arrives. The skipper may be a singist, or he may not, but professionally he is a whistlist of the first order, It is usual in Akaroa to take the whistle of the launch for a signal to have a driuk. Occasionally, under pressure, you may have one or two in between. As the whistle may be heard about thirty-seven times a day, you will perceive that a visitor has to look sharp to fall in with the customs of the ptace. Akaroa is strong on sights—or sites—you can spell it either way, as I shall proceed to show. A friend of mine -promised to-show me round the sites. We went up a Very beautiful lane, and by and bye we came to a paddock of a picturesque-kind. My guide said, "Here, is the parsonage." "Excuse me," I said, " But 1 see no building of any sort about these premises/ "No," he replied, " This is where the parsonage is going to be ; at present this is only the site." We went a bit further, and my friend said, "These are the immigration barracks." " Pardon me," I said gently, " But I can't see a single barrack." " You fool," said my friend, " Can't you see that its_only the site of the barracks." We went oh a few yards more, and my guide brandished his stick and said, "This is the public library." I looked around and said in a very humble manner, " Sweet sir, you'll excuse me, bat I can't see a tenement near us large enough to contain a halfpenny tract." " Well," replied my friend, "You are a chump of wood". Can't you see this is only the site of the library." We proceeded further, and came on to a real promising location. " Hereyou observe," said my cicerone, " is the-New Zealand Bauk." I looked around without my eagle eye bei.ig able to grasp anything in the shape of a mound let alone a bank. I said in a mournful way—'• you'll have to excuse mo, my old and respected friend. You promised to show me the sights of Akaroa, but you're simply playing on my credulity. We appear to spell the word different ways that's all. Perhaps you wouldn't mind asking me to have a driuk." The friend of my bosom said, " perhaps he wouldn't." So we parted. There is a Town Hall in Akaroa, where entertainments and such like are held. This reminds me that the Akaroa people set most of us a real good example in these matter.". They get up winter entertainments, dramatic performances, balls, aud ■jollyments of all kinds without the least trouble, aad they appear to me to

be the happiest crowd I ever mixed with. I feel disposed fco ; !be,t on this, and when the railway is constructed some of us might with advantage go through, just to learn how easily; such things can be managed. I forgot to say,-when on the subject of sites, that Akaroa wouldn't be the worse of a site for an R>M. Court., At present Justice is dragged off in the .Post-office, and, owing to the exigencies--of'jthe, building, the plaintiffs and and occasionally have to appear side by side. If a paternal Government don't make better accommodation for Justica, vhe chances are that Doe (fictitious legal name) will punch Roe in Court some day. We went boating a good bit. Mr Bridge was kind enough to lend me a boat, which not only pulled well, but, as he said, even I could not capsize. We visited two kaingas. They were prettily situated, and my experience of each is precisely similar. We got wet on landing. We interviewed ten intelligent Maoris, one of whom was a chief. I smile pleasantly and say " Tanakoe." Intelligent Maoris respond, as nearly as possible as follows :—" Kaipaiahuriri Ngapotomaiouaipoiimanaitotomanuwherikiawaiholawaima kiriraheketerimeaarouwhenua. Got any baccy ?" I say I ain't got any baccy and retire. On each occasion after our return we visited Mr Beecher, whose hostelrie is what an Irishman might term most convanient to the landing place, and jolly as we found the landlord we found his drinks much jollier. We rowed across to French Farm another day. This is in all respects a most charming place. We got some ferns. Fern-hunting appears tome to consist in standing over your ankles in boggy ground with four supple-jacks round each leg, two lawyers round your neck, and finding on your return that the fern you have dug out under such trying circumstances is precisely similar to those obtained by your companions. I like finding Iferns. When you are in a strange place, and hard up for something to do, go into a store, i spend half an hour pricing things, and don't buy anything. You will delight the storekeeper, and be able to arrive at a fair conclusion as to the commercial lay of the place. This course I pursued at Akaroa, and can truthfully say that the shops are good, and in many respects cheaper than Christchurch. There are plenty of pretty walks about Akaroa ; there is one up a mountain called Brazen-nose. From its appearance I should judge Brazen-nose to be about 2000 feet above the level of the sea. I hear there is a magnificent view to be obtained from its summit. I never saw it. I tore myself away from Mr Wagstaff with regret, a feeling, that I have no doubt has been felt by many others before me. I returned by the same way that I came. On reaching the top of the hill I discovered that we were to go down six-in hand. lam not .

quite sure that ray ambition carries me so far as to care about going down Alpine ranges with a six-horse team, but the way in which Mr Greening put his horses along was a sight worth seeing. I expect I could do the 3ame if I tried,; but at present I shan't try. In conclusion (I have heard this phrase before somewhere) anyone who wants to see picturesque scenery and to have a pleasant time he cannot do better than visit Akaroa in the same way that I did.: i ,