DEPARTURE OF H.M SHIPS 'CURACOA'

Hawke's Bay Times, Volume 8, Issue 428, 11 October 1866, Page 2

DEPARTURE OF H.M SHIPS 'CURACOA'

AND ‘ECLIPSE.’ (From the Daily Southern Cross. sth October.)

TBE good old ‘ Curacoa’ has left for England, and with her and Commodore Sir Wiiliam Wiseman go the best wishes of the people of Auckland—and the ‘Eclipse' also has gone, after haring done good service. She carries many sympathies with her, and hopes for the Welfare of those on board.

After a stay of more than four years on the Australian station, and after participating in all the hardships and dangers of the New Zealand war, these ships and the gallant officer who for so long has commanded the squadron, could not leave without calling up the warmest feelings of interest on the part of the colonists.

r And another cause existed for wishing the ‘ Curacoa’ “ God speed.” Lady Wiseman had, from the graceful manner in which she displayed the hospitality of Admiralty House, and from her own goodness of heart, won the affections of the Auckland people, who will miss her from among them, now that she has gone.. Not only as a warsiiip did the ‘ Curacoa ’ leave the station. She carried with her much that will interest the scientific world at home. During the whole cruise Sir W. Wiseman had been assidious in collecting specimens to illustrate his voyage, and to add to the collections of the museums at home. On board were illustrative sketches of the several islands and the places visited, with scientific accounts of the various localities. Drawings also were obtained of the various places in the Waikato and elsewhere made celebrated bv the actions of the troops and the Naval Brigade which Sir W. Wiseman commanded with so much credit and success. Carefully berthed in pens and cages were various specimens of the more rare of the Australian birds, including the brouz-winged jVgeon, the native companion, a varied collection of parrot and lory, with a peculiar wading bird of North Australia. The mooruk a species of Dinornis, also, from the Solomon Islands, was on board, and scorned, all things considered, to be reconciled to foreign travel.

About I p.m. the ships, having already hovo short, began to ‘ heave round’ to get their anchors, and the ‘Eclipse’ was very shortly underweigh ready to follow the Hag-ship. The first signal of the departure, to the uninitiated iu naval affairs, was the manning of tiie rigging on board the ‘Esk,’ and “Hands, cheer ships,” which was heard with the boatswain’s whistle of that craft. In an instant the rigging of that ship was manned by tho blue jacitcs, and, at the moment of tho ‘ Giu'njoa • leavi g her berth, three ringing cheers were given to the old ship and her crew. Tho appearance of the ‘Curacoa’ at this timo was particularly beautiful. Tho vessel—always, from her graceful lines and symmetrical spars and rigging, a model of what a British fricate should bo —the vessel, we say, never locked better. In tho most perfect order for her homeward voyage, and leaving the harbor on a clear sunny day, and from the midst of a well appointed squadron, she looted tho beau ideal of an English frigate. At the peak and each mast-head was either tho ensign, the jack, or tho Commodore’s pennant; tiie rigging wa* manned ; each mas;-head bore its occupant j and from each yardarm waved a flag, borne by some lopman who had taken it iu tho Waikato campaign, or b v some coxswain of a galley who had won it during some more peaceauia regatta race.

The ‘ Eclipse’ was loudly cheered on passing the various ships. Many of the officers and men of the ‘Esk’ and ‘ Ealcou ’ had been with tho ‘ CuracoaV and ‘ Eclipse’s ’ serving on shore, or with the h'aval .Brigade; and they heartily cheered their comrades who were leaving for the o d country. "Various mementoes too were left behind ; otic w« ourselves saw. A raidshspraan of the ‘ Cumcoa' gave to au old friend the flag of his gunboat, one of the cralt that were taken from Auckland, on wheels, to the Waikato, and there did service at Mcroniero and Kaugiriri—a memento more valuable, from association, he could not have left behind him.

At the last cheer, a perfect shower of hats (au invariable custom, we believe) were sent from the r ‘S»' n o 01 the Curacoa, overboard. From the masthead, too, was thrown, accordidg to usage, the cock. A race took place amongst tho boats of tho squadron to obtain the bird, and it had scarcely fluttered into tho water ere it was seized by the bowmau of tho captain’s galley of tho Falcon, and cairied ou board that ship—an earnest of rare good luck. This little incident caused renewed cnceriug, with “ One cheer more for the iady passengers home,” from the Falcou; and the two vessels steamed away down the harbor. On tho fore, main, and mizen-truck of each was a bluejacket; ho ou the forc-truck of tho Eclipse (tile boatswain, we are told) disdaining to hold ou by the spindle, but standing erect and waving his hat and hands to theship left bo* hind. And such is the character of tho bluejackets of our navy. Wo have seen them —wo speak personally —m the foremost of “ the thick oi it" iu some of the best of me Waikato and Taranaki actions, as well as in tre dull drudgery of the transport of guns and stores to the trout; ami they did their duty cheerfully—as cheerfully as they now waved adieu to our narbor, on liieu’ happy homeward voyage. But they leave in any behind them ! In the churchyards at Kungiriri, at Taranaki, and at Taurqn_a' are tho silent graves of those wiio fell “foremost lighting.” And tho ships that bora them and their comrades leave their remains to our trust in tho country they fought for. T’iie ‘ Challenger,’ tho new flag-snip of Commodore Hochfort X,i‘(xuire, had a great display of bunting, with the telegraphed signal, “Farewell, pleasant passage,” Jibtsied. The oilier vessels of the squadron had the signal, “Farewell,’ flying. The guus of Fort Entomart.fired a salute, amt the ■ Curacoa’ and ‘Eclipse ’ sped on their home ward voyage.