EXCURSION TO KAPTTI.

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXIII, Issue 5329, 26 April 1878, Page 3

EXCURSION TO KAPTTI.

A party of excursionists numbering twenty, who had agreed to make a trip to Kapiti during the Easter holidays, left Wellington on Thursday evening by Prosser’s coach, and with tents and provisions embarked on board the steamer Osprey at 11 p.ra., in the commodious harbor of Porirua. For the information of people who do not know the Osprey, it may he as well to say that she is a paddle-boat possessing peculiar properties. She has a flat bottom, a small steam power, and a habit of going where she likes; that is, in anything approaching rough water. Having been intended to voyage in smooth and shallow waters her build is not that of an ocean-going steamer—and late on Thursday night and early on Friday morning her pleasure-seeking passengers became well acquainted with her eccentric motions. It was not very rough, but there was a head wind, although not a strong one, and after a six hours' trip Kapiti was reached. Soon after daylight a landing was effected at Rangatira Point, and preparations were made for breadfasting. Hot cross buns were held to be almost common necessaries of life on Friday morning, but they were not forthcoming. Thanks to a French cook, who was of the party, some excellent pancakes were made with condensed milk and preserved eggs, and a cross having been made upon them, it was considered that the buns had been superseded. The day was spent by some in fishing, by others in shooting, by others in looking round and doing nothing in particular, The sportsmen on shore shot goats and pigeons, the former being plentiful and the latter scarce. The fishermen caught schnapper readily, aud had to be content with a tew hapuka. At night, in the encampment, which consisted of four tents, there were told some extraordinary camp-lire yarns. Songs were sung, aud a fiddle aud fife in skilled hands supplied good instrumental music. On Saturday there was more fishing aud shooting. Sunday was spent in walking, in examining portions'of the island back from the coast, in looking for geological and botanical specimens, and in fishing aud shooting. The camp was struck at noon on Monday and a move was made to Haua Island. The party lauded at half past three, walked about, and examined the lighthouse and apparatus now no longer used. There was more fishing, aud Forirua harbor was reached at about 9 p.m. An adjournment was made to McGrath’s Hotel, aud although there had been plenty of tucker, the excursionists, longed for what one of their number called “ a good square meal,” and they eagerly asked for tea, sapper, or both. This they had great difficulty in getting, and not until after a detachment had taken partial possession of the kitchen were they promised something. One of the party, in describing their troubles, said —“ Mind you, there were any amount of people drinking and carrying oniu the bar, playing billiards, or what do you call it, pn a small table ; but when legitimate travellers wanted tea they could not get it. They had not any bread in the house, and at last they gave us boiled potatoes and butter, cold pork and tea.” After supper a start was made in one of Frosser’s coaches for Wellington, aud tho city was reached at half-past 3 o’clock. Tho trip was greatly enjoyed, and it is probable that something like it will be organised in the next holiday time, for such an excursion is a great relief to people who are closely engaged in business, ami it has one advantage, that of economy, the total cost being under £2 per head. Coming down the Ngahauranga gorge the coach was stopped by a barricade of boulders, the result of a slip, and all hands had to turn to and clear the road. As they did this they were constantly startled by some stones rolling down the hill, but the coach at last got safely by.