EXCURSION TRIP TO WAIROA.

Hawke's Bay Times, Volume XIII, Issue 544, 20 January 1868, Page 2

EXCURSION TRIP TO WAIROA.

The p.s. Cleopatra, Captain Palmer, Uft the Iron Pot at, 11 a rn. on Monday, loth inst., for Wairoa, with about 35 passengers. I n going cut of the entrance, got ashore on the tail end of the spit, where she lay uutil evening M ost of the passengers went ashore. At 6 p.m. the steamer got away, and after tv very pleasant passage, anchored off the entrance to the Wairoa river about eleven o’clock. Lay there until

morning. The passengers louuu no difficulty in passing the night in a tolerably comfortable manner, —all tha blankets and rugs belonging to the vessel being called into requisition; though, if the truth must be told, few of the jovial party slept much that night. At daylight on Tuesday morning, the pilot, Toha, came on board, and announced that in an hour the tide would suit to cross the bar. Accordingly, steam was got up and in little more than an hour after the pilot came on board, the bar was crossed, and the little Cleopatra was steaming beautifully up the magnificent Wairoa river. The wharf (so-called) wasreached about 7 o’clock, and most of the passengers immediately repaired on shore to have a wash, and to partake of breakfast —some going to the “Clyde Hotel,” kept by Mr J. J. Taylor, and others to the “Wairoa Hotel,” kept by Mr C. Harmer. About 9, the steamer’s shrill whistle announced that her time had emue for proceeding up to tha racecourse, situated sopjo three or four miles up the river. A large number of Clyde seders, with their wives and families—in addition to the passengers from Napier,—went in the steamer. About 11, the racecourse was reached, and the steamer made fast alongside ■he hank. And now fur a necessarily brief account of

THE WATT* OA R\CES. As any prefatory remarks are needless, we will proceed with the first event of the day. the ! HURDLE RACE, j In the first brat, Mr Black’s “ Fud,” I ridden by Air Black, came in first, but In consequence of his rider dismounting before_recfiving the order to that effect from the proper person, the second corse, —Mr Harmer’s “Old Jack,” with Mr Gascoigne on his back, —was "laced first. In the second heat, “Old Jack” was again winner. “ Fad,” ia going over one of the hurdles, stumbled, throwing Mr Black, who we regret to say, received severe injuries about his ■mad and face. He is. however, progressing favorably. A horse n rued " Little William,” owned by Mr Power, and ridden by Mr Daniel Muun, also fell in leaping one of the hurdles, and although the horse roiled over his rider, tiie latter we are glad t: say escaped unhurt. The next race was the SCURRY STAKES. Mr Thorpe’s “ Zoe,” which mare has recently distinguished herself on the Hawke’s Bay turf, won both heats in this race, with perfect ea=;e. She was ridden by Master Janies Carroll. Mr Preece’s “Jerry,” (H. Down, rider), was second. Several other “weeds” ran, but were distanced. The Scuny was followed by tha WAIROA STAKES. This race was 2 miles. Five horses started, three of whom were distanced. Mr Powdrell's “ Black By,” ridden : y that able jock, Mr John Powdrell, won as he liked MrMorris's “ Heather Jock,” ridden by Master James Carroll, secured second honors, —the remaining three, as we have said, being distanced. The next race—which, as we think, was the race of the meeting, —was the FORCED HANDICAP. This event was won by Mr Thorpe’s “ Zoe,” (J. Carroll.) Mr Powdrell’s ■* Black Boy,” ridden by bis owner, was second, —“Jerry,” and “Fud” third and fourth respectively. Harmer’s “ Old Jack” had been entered, but be did not shew up,—doubtless I overcome by his exertions in the Hurjdle Pace. There was some very good i running between the two first named I horses. Great dissatisfaction was expressed by the public generally at the iway in which those two horses were 'handicapped. Considering that “Black Boy” carried 2st. Tibs, more than “ Z'e,” and that he had just run a two-mile race, his running in this race was remarkably good, —the raare [only being landed winner by a couple 'of lengths.

This concluded the advertised sports' of the day; but some sport-loving characters could not think of returning home until the usual wind-up of New Zealand race meetings had been gone through. Accordingly about twenty horses (more or less) went scampering off for the HACK RACE. Ay attempt a ucaCi iptlCu of this eventful race would be simply matter

oi impossibility. Suffice it to say that a likely little mare named " Naucy,” the property of Mr Lam plough, and ridden by Master Isaac Down, won with ease, hard held, —the second horse being about 250 yards in the rear. And thus terminated the Wairoa Race Meeting of 1868, And now we must return to the good little paddle boat, the Cleopatra. The races were finished about 5 p.tn., aud on going down to the steamer as she lay alongside the bank, we found her high and dry. About 7 p.m., she was once more afloat, and in less than an hour after she was snugly moored alongside the “ wharf.” Everyone now made the best of their way to the respective places where they intended passing the night,—some anticipating to be back in Napier in twenty-four hours. “ But circumstances alter cases.” The next morning the worthy skipper of the steamer intimated that the Cleopatra would not leave until Thursday, at 10 a.m., a large majority of the passengers having requested him to stay at Wairoa another day This piece of unlooked for information roused the ire of several, who insisted that the steamer should leave that day : threatening all manner of dreadful things if she did not. However, the matter was quickly put to rest by the engineer suddenly discovering that there was a “screw loose” somewhere iu the engines, and intimating that in consequence the vessel could not go to sea that day. The day (Wednesday) was passed by the passengers in fishing, riding, bathing, &e., while the engineer assiduously set to work to repair the damages the machinery had sustained. .At 10 o’clock the Cleopatra’s shrill scream might be heard far and near, and very shortly afterwards some of the passengers who had taken too long over their last cup of coffee, might be seen hurrying down to the wharf. All on board, the paddles once more revolved, and the steamer moved steadily down the river. When in sight of the bar grave doubts were expressed whether she would be able to cross, the souther which bad sprung up that morning having (as it always does at Wairoa) raised an awkward sea. However, Captain Palmer undauntedly put her to it, and she crossed it bravely —touching bottom slightly, which caused a heavy sea to break on board —which, however, did nothing further than give the worthy “ doctor” and one or two others a good soaking. Once across the bar, steamed steadily on towards Napier. A nasty cross eea was experienced all the way down and it was not until nearly 0 o’clock that the steamer entered the Iron Pot against a strong ebb tide.