TO FIORDLAND.

Otago Witness, Issue 2810, 22 January 1908, Page 95

TO FIORDLAND.

L . DEPARTURE OF THE WAIKARE. s Gay with" brilliant bunting, tho Unlo ■> s Company's Sounds excursion steamer Wai 0 kare presented a pretty picture as 6he la; i at the George street pier at Port Ohalmcn r on Saturday. Paintwork and brass fitting; everywhere glistened in the sunlight, ant at every turn could be seen evidences of f that care and thoroughness in matters of importance and detail which at once 3 arrested attention from. 'the most casual observer. Large canvas awnings stretched fore and aft, shading the decks from the 1 sun's glare, whilst lon« screens were neatly - diaped along the railings in readiness to shield the decks from flying spray or uncongenial breeze. Big boats and little boats 3 «nd trim-looking _ motor launches were i there in plenty, giving ample promise of shore visits to fairy groves and ferny dells b in the various Sounds. All over the vessel t it was the same — from social hall to saloon, 3 —and even the engine room,, with its ponj derous mass of intricate engineering skill, 3 looker! as though* it had just left the , machine shop for a trial run. t Early in the morning a large contingent of Australian visitors arrived by thf . Maheno to join the Waikare, and the 2.3? i pjn. train conveyed the last of the pas* s sengers and their lus<-""><ve down to Port, together with a large number of friends, s who went down to witness the steamer* departure. Two gangways were^ specially set apart for potting the luggage on board, and along these a gang of nimble porterg quickly transferred the luggage -from heavily-freighted railway vans to the steamer, under the watchful eyes of" • smartly-uniformed officers. For about half T an hour there was a constant stream of ■' luggage being put on board, and all so 7 j quietly done that conversation could be i ! carried on in whispers. Large trunks and 1 substantial dressing-cases bore eloquent - testimony to the presence of gay femininity I; on board the vessel. Comparatively small ' affairs, both in size and number, betokened 1 • the fact that male travellers contrive i somehow to manage with comparatively, »• little luggage on these occasions. Some bags t ! were so covered with gay-coloured address '■ labels as >.o resemble crazy-work mosaic, I showing plainly enough that their possessors • j had been through many similar experi* ; ' ences, whilst others were so prim a'n<£ ■ ! dapper as to suggest their first appearr ance in public. Cameras figured largely i in the throng. There were big cameras i and little ones, from the " I'lL-press-the- \. button, you-do-the-rest " affair, to tha : portly old stager whose lens had surveyed ; many a wide landscape under skilful hands. At half-past 3 the Waikare was readys to • depart. Visitors and friends bade theif 1 final adieus to those on board, and a few " . ' minutes later the loud report of a signal ■ rocket announced the fact that the steamer? had cast off, the orchestra struck up* an a/pp'ropriate air, and; amid much ; waving 'o| : handkerchiefs from those on board and i the large crowd on the pier, the Waikar,< i steamed down the harbour on placid waters, . under the happiest auspices, on her way to the western fairyland. • y