A RAILWAY TRIP to FEATHERSTON.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume XIII, Issue 222, 28 October 1878, Page 2

A RAILWAY TRIP to FEATHERSTON.

A Wellington correspondent sends us the followiug:— Shortly after the official opening of the railway extension to Featherstoa I determined to see this important, line, of which I had heard so much, and accordingly proceeded at an eariy hour to the station in time to catch the morning train. At the station I met an old acquaintance and we together secured seats in the smoking saloon. It was ray first experience of railway travelling in the North Island, and I devoted the time we had before starting to a critical examination of the Fairlie Engine. It was a double bogie engine, with two f unuels, two fire-boxes, and two pairs of cylinders, and looked as if it had been intended for two " Locos," each complete in itself. The carriages were similar to those on the other lines in New Zealand. The passengers are allowed to get in and out ad lib, and are not shut in as is the case on the Australian railways, but are here treated as responsible beings who know the meaning of the starting whistle of the engine, and will for their own sakes take necessary precautions. We started almost punctually, and I was amused shortly after by a Maori lady sitting opposite to me lighting her pipe and smoking in the most comfortable manner. We had very pleasant company, and in due time arrived at the Upper Hutt. Here our troubles commenced. The line is very crooked, and we could frequently see the whole side of the " loco " apparently going ing the opposite direction, and forcibly wend ing its way along, and gruntiug violently as if laboring from an attack of the croup. I was standing with other gentlemen on the platform of the carriage, each of us holding on with two hands, but I soon began to have fear for my hat and held it on with one hand (a gentleman near me having already lost his) but I soon found that the one hand was not sufficient for holding on, with comfort to myself, so I retired to the interior of the carriage. Things gradually appeared to get worse; the wheels made an awful noise grinding on the rails, the carriage rolled from side to side, the sliding door moved spontaneously, opening or shutting in accordance with each alternate right or left curve; the carriage rolling with a motion faster but not so regular as that of a ship at sea, and at the same time vibrated in a most excruciating manner. I began to feel uncomfortable, and to distract my attention frorn the danger I thought I would take the usual solace of a pipe. I had not, however, sufficiently reflected on the possibility of so doing; for on making the attempt I soon found myself violently separated from my pet meerschaum, I looked at my fellow-passen-gers, and saw that they had also for some reason or other desisted from smoking. To read was also impossible, as I had previously discovered. Things got worse and worse, and I expected an immediate crisis. I buttoned ray coat and fixed my hat firmly ou my head. I looked again at my fellowpassengers. It is a great consolation to have fellow-sufferers— we prefer a fellow sufferer to a sympathiser. They were all silent, and each had a look of determination plainly depicted on his face. The Maori lady was holdpig on to tb,e plasp of the d.oor most energetically. J trjed to realise my position. I experienced a feeling of utter helplessness, similar to that felt during the great earthquakes. To try to jump out was absurd. Te express feay or timidity jn (be presence of Maoris would have been a degradation worse than the death now, apparently, so inevitable. It;houghfc of Punch's contemplation.'on a railway accident— "How much better than presence of mind is absence of body." The latter alternative being out of my power I reflected what had best to be done under the circumstances. I have seen people extracted from carriages immediately after a collision. In the case of Jihose w ho bad escaped fracture of limbs, the most frequent injury was caused by 'the violent concussion of the head against the side of "the carriage. I had plenty of time for contemplation, and between tup n,|ore violpuf shocks I cogitated what v/as best to. be cjonq, * an d hy way of making my fjnal preparation fop the approaching great concussion I determined to remove my false teeth so that these might not be forced down my throat— they were already uncomfortable Irom the great vibration. Their extraction is at other times not very easy, but in the present instance was i particularly so; in fact on opening my mouth they were ejected spontaneously. None of my fellow passengers remarked my movements; in facj; e^ch. one had enough' to do to think of his own safety, and having myself done all that under the circumstances was in my power, I felt a sense of relief if not safety. Luckily nothing untoward happened. We arrived at the summit safely, and were taken down the incline on the Wairarapa side by the Fell engine at a moderately slow pace. Certainly the scenery is grand, and the difficulties or" esfplonjjsj- and discovering the route, arid surveying and constructing the Hue must have' been [enormous, and reflect the greatest credit on all parties coucerned. The difficulties arc, however, by no means' at an end, as the greatest possible care will be required on so complicated a line to the end of {he pftap'ter. Jfqweyer, we at last arrived ftib Featherston,' and J immediately proceeded to the coach oilce to get a ticket for the next coach crt)3?i"ff the Kimutaka back to Wellington, but to my great disappointment I heard that since the official of the railway the coaches I'jad ceased to run." I met two' ot my" 'fellow-passengers near the coach office ' probably oil fine same errand.' I did' not inform them of my want of success. I would have liked' to return, in the coach, but did not lik^ \o.

admit that I feared the railway, especially when I had no choice. This silent deception I think helped to give me the necessary courage for my return trip, and, after satisfying a morbid craviug for strong and frequent nobblers of P.8., I returned to Wellington without any worse result than that caused by the numerous libations, to me quite un usual.