ARRIVAL OF THE SHIP RAKAIA FROM LONDON.

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXIII, Issue 5471, 9 October 1878, Page 2

ARRIVAL OF THE SHIP RAKAIA FROM LONDON.

The good ship Rakaia, from London, with ' migrants on board, was signalled as bein'' 401 imileads early yesterday; all well. At mid'' * off tho vernment steamer Stella went out tr --jay the Golet services, however, were not roq r j tow her in. riro steamer got out-ide the wind .aired, as before round to the south-east. Pilot r chopped suddenly Mr. in dose to the wharf, wfar Holmes brought the r«madSS& on arrival Dr .re she was brought up. health QffteW** - Johnston and Captain cleared the w boarded her, and very shortly cle ea number sf shore boats ouiotf.mnvwsMi , en^,o{ thosa onboMd ,but of ?” a i,in rfirny' permitted to mount tho gangway, pie ship into p or £ exceptionally clean—to use Oivpain .jriay'g words, he says that “ho never a J»' with Immigrants arrive In such order.” Jor ov lQ 4 ( | OC y L and'tween decks (particulvrly tho slng^, gi r is apartments) are white through sheer tabbing ; all the fittings are In the same excellent »rder. She brings 27 married men, 27 married vomen. 02 single men, and 08 single girls, 17 boys, md 17 girls. During tho passage there have been hrec births, as follows Mrs. Scotland a daughter m September 11, Mrs. Hope a sou on September 20, •md Mrs. Cooley a son on July 7. The whole of the ussengers have enjoyed remarkably good health, and :>a ship’s surgeon, D Russell, has not had a hard , irao of It, on the contrary he says the passage has “a jolly one.” The hospital for the single girls /asset npirt on the port side of the saloon, and that r>r tho married women on tho starboard side, while ' he dispensary was 'arranged just at the break of the wop, wh ch made everything very handy and con.enient la this line From the passengers we 1 arn ::»nt tho captain and Dr. Russell have been most nnfiring in their exertions to promote the moral welfare .»? those on board, while tho matron and her assistant have tended in no small degree to the pleasantness j the voyage. Friendly and temperance meetings •/ere organised on board, there being no less than 130 • :oo l Templars on board. Addresses were frequently delivered by the master and doctor, who state that ;hey have almost become regular orators. Meetings •f this kind on board a ship with emigrants tend no 'doubt greatly to relieve the monotony of a long sea voyage. One Instance worth recording Is the Interest that the ship’s cook, named Morgan, took in the total abstinence movement amongst tho passengers. To show how much his services have been appreciated, :ho passengers are raising a sum of money to purchase v watch and chain for himthis, at any Tate, Is an •vent that is seldom or never heard of on t-oard an immigrant ship. Tho only thing that at all marred dm spirits of those on board was the loss by drown- ■ ngef one of tho ship’s hands, mimed F. Taylor, who :li overlx-ard while trying to pass a rope into a bathDaily, on*’ of the quiPtorraaster*, at once lumped over after him with a life-buoy,. Ho swam .il about the spot where the boy was supposed to be, cpulil see nothing of him. A second buoy was then brown overboard, a lifeboat lowered, and. tho ship •ovc-to. Tho boat was on the spot where the lad yiw ■it j'coa in less than three minutes, but nothing "luldbc seen of him. A most efficient fire brigade ■/as organised on board, and .as an instance of the iroflcU-ncy of the company we were Informed by Cap : dn Metcalf that before ho had well finished Ringing die alarm the pumps were manned and water pi vying ;n the decks from the hose. This is a very creditable ml useful institution on board a ship, more partlcu•rirly where there are a largo number of passengers, • D d irreat credit is due to the master for bis: efforts In -.Tganim such In AstOttcwfflUtlj

Captftiu iletcalf and Dr. Russell wore respected by the jwwHnger* it will be sufficient to sav that both these gentlemen were presented with moat. flattering testimonial*. ' The following is a brief report of passage.os supplied by Captain MetcalfOti .July 6.i left fly-. mouth. Sound. having on boatd 27 married couples. 02 slngle.men. Od single women, 34 children, and 2 nfantSyp'and a .* rew numbering: 40,; total on board, 3:osotus. Experienced moderate westerly weather to Madera. whir.h w»* passed on -14th; and moderate trades; with' fine weather, until Tosing them in*lat. ISdeg.; on 22nd ; thence to the Kquator had bafiling southerly winds and calms, crossing on August s,>dn 29deg.: W. lung. Communicated with the French barque Gangs, -Iquiqui to Falmouth, and sent letters by:her, on July‘2s. On 27th an.O.S. nailed, Taylor, fell overboard and was drowned,’, though every effort was made to save him, a quartermaster named Daily risking his own life by jumping overboard after him with a lifebuoy. Experienced very ordinary south-east trades till .August JA.losiug. them. In 20dcg. south thence had light and variable winds to 23rd, when belter winds were fallen in with, and some fair runs made. On September 6, by the carrying away of the jib stkyband, the foretopmast was sprung so badly as so require shifting, and the following day the fore'▼ard whs carried away also. The weather fit this time was bitterly cold and wet. The only gales experienced during the passage were In full operation, ami the work of stripping and re-rigging had to be-per-formed under no small difficulties. During succes- , give gales the ship bad to b.; run under after-sail alone, ; but behaved admirably, andcontlnued to to make good ’ running, i new topmast was soon got up, but the work of making and tilling a new foreyard, with the sea breaking on board at short intervals, proved both difficult and dangerous. By the untiring energy of officers and crew, for which they deserve the greatest credit, everything was replaced in a short time. Southerly and westerly winds, at time* li-ffit, were experienced from the Lewm to Tasmania, and very n\oderato westerly winds with fine weather thence to Capo Farewell, which was sighted at 10 a.m. on the 4th, making the passage from New Plymouth to the landfall luß9days. The winds here became southeasterly, fresh, with fine weather. Had to beat through Cook Strait, -and off Tory Channel on the 7th experienced six boars' calm, the ship drifting back to The Brothers. At 8 p.m. on the 7th a breeze sprangup from the north-west, carrying the vessel to off the Heads at 11.30 p.m. Made short boards between the headlands till daylight. Were boarded by Mr. Holmes (pilot) at 7 a. m. on the Bth, and at 10 anchored la the fairway. The usual amusements, combined with strict exercise and iuspec ion. have kepi the minds and bodies of the immigrants well employed. The amusements consisted of theatre, concerts, entertainments, magic lantern, and galanty show, with music and d.v.cing in abundance, with occasional lectures on subjects of interest. A Band of Hope temperance society and temperance si terhood have been formed, and to one or other the majority of the immlgra its belong. They have passed their time profit- : ably and pleasantly- No breaches of discipline of any moment have occurred during the voyage. There has been no serious illness, and no deaths. The meridian, of Greenwich was crossed on August 26th in 37deg. south ; Cape of Good Hope on August 31 in 37deg. south: Cape Leuwin on September 21 in 46deg. south; Tasmania on September 23 in 45jdeg. south * Capo Farewell on October 4, at noon; arrived off port on October 7, at midnight, and arrived here as above.