THE FLYING SQUADRON AT WELLINGTON.

Nelson Evening Mail, Issue 25, 29 January 1870, Page 2

THE FLYING SQUADRON AT WELLINGTON.

[by our special reporter.] Availing myself of the excellent opportunity afforded by the pleasure trip advertised by the owner of the s. s. Murray, I, in company with some five-and-twenty other excursionists started for Wellington in that smart little steamer on Monday morning, at 11 o'clock, for the purpose of obtaining a view of the Flying Squadron. I was surprised to find that I had so few fellow passengers, as the low rates charged, and the capital chance offered of seeing this splendid fleet would, I should have thought, have proved an irresistible inducement to large numbers of our Nelson people to brave the perils of the deep for the sake of witnessing such a sight as has never before been seen in these seas. However we were a merry litte party, and as it was a lovely day, and there was hardly a ripple on the waters of our beautiful bay, we all of us thoroughly enjoyed ourselves, and the time was passed in playing quoits and other such games as are usually brought into requisition to pass away the time on board ship. The Croixelles, with its magnificent harbor, the French Pass, with its beautiful scenery, and Jackson's Plead, with its ugly tide rip, were all passed in their turn, and, shortly after steaming past the Brothers, where every one seems to say the lighthou°e should have been erected instead of on Man a Island, we commenced to cross the Straits. Hitherto the sea had been perfectly calm, but now the nor' wester which had been steadily, but gently, blowing the whole day, began to increase in strength, and Neptune's white horses were to be seen in all directions. The change was not without its effects upon some of our party, and those Who had been most active and cheerful in smooth water commenced to wear an aspect of misery, which was piteous to behold. One gentleman boldly challenged me to a game of cribbage in the cabin, but he had reckoned without his host, and ere we had pegged many " fifteen-twos " he discovered that he was wanted on deck, and shortly after I found him leaning over the side and sending messages from the innermost core of his heart (?) to some " beautiful mermaid at the bottom of the deep blue sea." Meanwhile the gallant little Murray, with every stitch of canvas set, was bowling merrily through the Straits, and displaying to great advantage her qualities as an excellent sea boat. Pencarrow light was sighted at 10 o'clock, and within two hours of that time we were rounding Jerningham Point, in the fine harbor of Port Nicholson. Here a beautiful sight awaited vs — on our right was the town of Wellington, with its lights stretcs ing far away to the south-east, while the brilliantly-lighted windows of the Houses of Parliament spoke of the gaieties that were going on in honor of the Squadron, — the gr^at ball, to which all the ladits, both young and old, had been looking forward, being held there that night. Just at this time the moon rose, and then we found ourselves close alongside of the magnificent Flying Squadron, which has lately been creating such excitement in the Australian colonies. Drawn up in two lines, these splendid ships formed a sight which will not be easily forgotten by those who then for the first time witnessed so formidable a portion of England's naval strength collected together within so small a space. Immediately behind us, in passing up the channel from the lighthouse to the harbor, were to be seen the lights of another steamer following in our wake, which proved to be the Barrosa, just arrived from Melbourne, whither she had proceeded from Sydney to endeavor to pick up some of the numerous dpserters from the fleet. Shfc dropped anchor at the entrance of the harbor, while we steamed up to the wharf, mid moored alongside at 12 o'clock, after a most delightful run of 13 hours from Nelson. The next thing to be done was to find a bed for the night, and this, thanks to the hospitality of a friend, I was soon enabled to do, and by one o'clock I was quietly dreaming of the sight that was in store for me on the morrow. On rising in the morning the panorama from my bedroom window was magnificent. Being well acquainted with the appearance of the hills around Wellington, they did not posses the charms of novelty for me, but such a fleet as was then anchored within a mile of where 1 was standing was quite a new sight, and was appreciated accordingly. Far up the harbor was the pretty little Kosario, the Squadron being drawn up in two lines, that nearest the town consisting of the Liverpool, frigate, 35 guns, 2656 tons, and 600 horse-power, bearing the flag of Bear- Admiral Geoffrey T. Hornby; the corvette Scylla, 21 guns, 14G7 tons, and 400 horse-power; and the Endymion, frigate, 21 guns, 2486 tons, and 50u horse-power. In the outer line were the Liffey, frigate, 35 guns, 2654 tons, and 600 horsepower; the Phoebe, frigate, 35 guns, 2896 tons, and 500 horse- power; and the Barrosa, corvette, 17 guns, 1700 tons, and 400 horse-power; while inside of all was the Challenger, carrying the flag of Commodore Lambert. It was a beautiful, still day — that is to say, the breeze which was blowing from the N.W. waa about full Waimea-wind power, but then we were in "Wellington where such a breeze is regarded as almost a calm — and signs of life and bustl e were soon visible on the wharf, as certain races in which all the population appeared to take the greatest interest were to take place between the boats of the different men-of-war then in the harbor. The rowing boats, six in number, were soon at the starting post, the most conspicuous being the Endymion' s launch with thirty-six men pulling eighteen oars, and on the signal being given, they got away in capital order, and after an exciting race round the fleet, the Challenger's cutter came in the winner by 30 seconds. Great was the rejoicing of the Wellington people at this result, particularly among the butchers who attributed it' to the fresh meat upon which the winning crew had been fed ; the crews of the fleet, however, were by no means satisfied, and the Phoebe^ whose boat came in second, at once arranged a match for the next day with the winning boat on more equal terms, the Challenger having that day pulled 12 oars against the Phoebe's twelve*

Another race for the sailing boats of the Squadron for a silver cup, presented by Mr. W. B. Rhodes, followed, and was won easily by the Admiral's barge. The amusements provided for the rest of the day consisted of Caledonian sports, and I consequently wended my way to the cricket ground where they were being held, and where I found some 3000 people congregated together. There was an element of slowness pervading this entertainment which induced me to look for some other way of passing the time, I therefore laid hold of a boatswain belonging to one of the ships of the fleet and entered into conversation with him. By the way I wonder how it is that all boatswains have such hoarse, grating voices. In this instance my friend's was peculiarly so, and in addition to its harshness, there was a thickness which I am disposed to think was caused by a little too free consumption of colonial malt, the result being that the sounds which issued from his lips were such as might be supposed to have emanated from Balaam's renowned quadruped, had that ill-used animal been suffering from an enlargement of the uvula when he remonstrated with his master. The subject of our conversation was the cruise of the Barrosa in search of deserters, and my bronchial friend informed me with a grim chuckle, which showed that he did not in the least regret the result, that in Melbourne she had succeeded in capturing four out of the hundred and fifty runaways, but that in doing so she had lost ten of her own men; that from his (my boatswain's) ship alone, there had been forty-eight desertions, but that all the Barrosa had brought of them was one marine's jacket, " but the deuce a thing was there in it." A race for men-of-war's men coming off just at this time, Mr. " Bosun " declared his intention of entering for it, and it was with high glee that I saw him strip for the event, for which there were ten competitors, who went off wiih a tremendous spurt, quite regardless of saving themselves for the finish. The utter contempt in which they held such of the racing rules as refer to a "foul," was highly amusing, as the leader for the time being, on being caught by anj' of his rivals was without the slightest ceremony seiztd hold of by the shirt and breeches and hurled out of the way in the most ignominious manner. This was certainly the most entertaining part of the day's performances, and after witnessing the bicycle race which soon followed, and was won easily by our Nelson champion, Wimsett, who with M'Gee speedily distanced the solitary competitor that Wellington could bring against them. I left the ground and arranged to go on board the fleet the next day. But this I must leave for another time.