HIS LONELY LIFE.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XXXI, Issue 485, 25 September 1909, Page 4

HIS LONELY LIFE.

AN ISLAND’S ONLY IN

HABITANT,

TWO DOGS AS COMPANIONS. Some months ago a message appeared from Dunedin, telling how an elderly member of one of the oiling parlies which regularly visit Macquarie Island had refused to return with his comrades to the Bluff. News as to this man’s welfare has just been received by a Christchurch resident from Mr J. L- Dunlop, engineer of the Antarctic ship Nimrod. Alter leaving Lyttelton the Nimrod proceeded to Sydney, and then set out to try to locate certain islands, the actual existence of which, though they had appeared on the charts, had been a matter of doubt. While engaged in this work, the Nimrod called at Macquarie Island, and Mr Dunlop thus describes his meeting at Nugget Point with this lover of solitude :

“As we approached we could see the old ketch Gratitude piled up high and dry on the beach. (This is the ship which surveyed the island some years ago.) Further along, there were two large huts, and to our astonishment, we could see a long column of smoke coming out of one of the chimneys. This caused great excitement, but we were quite prepared when, by and by, a man was seen coming out to have a look at us. He gaz. dat us a few minutes, and then disappeared into his house again.

“ As soon as we were anchored, the whaleboat was lowered and manned, Harboard (in charge), and I myself going with it. As we drew near, the man came out to meet us. He had two little dogs with him. Harbord and 1 soon got into conversation with him. He looked to be about 54 years old, clean shaven, medium height, with a touch of the Blarney stone about him. We went up towards his house, yarning away. He invited us in, placing a clean sack for a mat inside the door. We cleaned our feel carefully and entered into a long room with a table and torms, which would seat about 10 men. This was the messroom, which the oil men used during their stay every season. A cheery fire was burning in the stove, and on a rack over the stove were some loaves of newly-made bread. We were much impressed with the cleanliness of table, forms, and floor. Through a door we went into another room about the same size. It was fitted with 10 bunks; a little baby stove was burning brightly in the centre of the room. Round about were hanging various specimens of birds, etc., which be was stuffing and curing. We told him who and what we were, and our principal reason for calling at the island was to procure as many specimens as possible. It was at this stage that he alarmed us by rushing out into the other room. We heard a metallic bang, and got a savoury sniff, which whetted our appetites for a somewhat delayed dinner. He came in with a nicely-browned pie in bis band, and remarked that he had just remembered that his pie was burning. It was sea elephant’s tongue, and the paste or crust was just beginning co get burned. However, it was all right. I never met a man who used so many swear words. We asked if he could spare us any of his specimens, and he said, ‘ Certainly, you can have the lot, as I have plenty of time to get more before March.’ This was more than we expected, but we took all he bad down to the boat. “ This was one of the oil men who was here last season, and when the ship was ready to sail, at the end of the season, he refused to go on board saying he would go back with them next year, as he wanted to get some specimens, etc., for someone in

New Zealand who had promised him a certain sum of money for the collection. He seems to be quite happy, and not at all lonely, has plenty of coal, and stores of all sorts. All he wanted was some sugar, as his lot had got wet during two or three days’ absence when die was up on the hills, and lost in a dense fog. This also put him out two days in his calendar. He was very surprised to find he was two days behind with his calendar. He was sine he had ticked the days off when he got back. ‘ Good heavens,’ he said, ‘ I must have been out four days then. '. We .then .bade him goodbye.”-.;