Home and Back.

Patea Mail, 24 July 1880, Page 3

Home and Back.

The following notes of a trip to England and back in six months have been sent to us by an old Patea resident; — HOMEWARD BY SAILING SHIP. On .Saturday, January 10, 1880, at five o’clock, left Wellington in the good ship Wairon, Capiain Adams, and crew of 30 all told, with 13 passengers. After a favorable passage, with northerly winds prevailing, reached and sighted Capo Horn, the southernmost part of America, February 2, having travelled 4104 miles (nautical) in 23 days, or 191} miles per diem. After passing Cape Horn, changed course to about N E., and crossed Equator March 5, in longitude 32.35 VV.; distance from Capo Horn to the Line as run by ship being 4389 miles in 32 days, or 137 miles per diem ; wind generally favorable, but light. From the Equator to the latitude of Corvo, one of the Azores, March 30, 25 days ; thence to the coast of England, April 5, distance 1400 miles; time 7 days, 200 miles per diem ; being towed by steamer Scotia to Gravesend at 8.30 p.nn, April 9. Total distance travelled by ship from Wellington to Gravesend, i3,G28 miles, in 90 (lays, or 151} miles (nautical) per diem • The Wairoais a fine iron ship, owned by the New Zealand Shipping Company, anil was well found in provisions and water ; the captain and crew being all that could be desired. The passage money from Wellington to London ranged from £23 to £SO. The ship, though not considered a very fast one, is comfortable, and made occasionally from 13} to 14 knots per hour, the best day’s work being 278 miles, and the smallest 2(5 miles.

RETURN 13V STEAMSHIP. Left Plymouth at i p.m., May 15, 1880, per s.s. Liguria, one of the Orient lino, 4666 tons register, 6000 tons burthen ; 2000 horse-power ; Captain G. Darlcy, and crew of 122 all told. Passengers—Saloon, 62 ; second cabin, 72 ; third cabin and steerage, 276 : total, 532 ; but as this number represents statute adults, the gross total would be about 600, including chib dren. The length’of the vessel from head rail to taffrail is 436 feet; width, 43 feet; deptli of hold, 37 feet ; barque-rigged ; two funnels. Besides her immense irain engines, she has one forward for weighing anchor, four powerful steam winches on upper deck, one engine for steering, and another small one for various purposes. The accommodation in the saloon and second cabin is almost perfection ; but the third cabin and steerage require great improvement. The expression “ cheap and nasty” would apply to this part of the ship. Darkness, or nearly so, indifferent ventilation, sanitary regulations and discipline quite unknown, wretched washing accommodation ; food, though good and abundant, very badly served ; gambling, obscenity, blasphemy, and -.quarrelling night and day being the general rule; selfishness, greediness, and, disregard to all moral rule being very strongly developed. , Drunkenness, except when in port, was fortunately not common, as grog was not sold indiscriminately. On the other hand, the discipline and general conduct of the crew was excellent. Perfection cannot be expected in the way of comfort for a voyage of say 14,000 miles, at . the small sum of £l4 14s, the lowest rate of passage to Australia, or £l9 19s to New Zealand, equal to about JR per mile, with maintenance and passage thrown in. Still, stricter discipline;] cleanliness, and order would tend greatly to increase both the comfort of the passengers and

the popularity of this already popular line. The nationalities reuresented on board were numerous, a great number of old colonists returning “ home ” after a visit to their old home—Germany, Switzerland, Sweden, &c., being well represented. The upper deck during (he day was a rather lively sort of village, with its 600 inhabitants;. the,live-stock being numerous, and requiring attention, 15 large bullocks, 1 milch cow, hundreds of geese, turkeys, ducks, fowls, &e., sheep and pigs by the score, giving quite a farming appearance to the deck ; while the two butchers, two bakers, a barber, and a host, of stewards and cooks, were all busy in their 'various avocations. Sundays were noticeable days, as in fine, weather passengers would be seen on (heir way to the various places of worship (?>) morning and evening. But to resume the voyage. After a beautiful passage of 6 day 184 hours, we anchored at St. Vincent, one of the Cape de Verde Islands, at 7-30 a.in., May 22 ; distance from Plymouth 2,162 miles,about 320 miles per diem. A barren, uninteresting place, inhabited by a mongrel lot, between Portuguese and African. Took on board about "500 tons of coal, with water, &c., and left again at 1 a.m., 24th. While at this port a boat swamped alongside the vessel, and 19 men, women, and children were all struggling in the water at once. Fortunately all were saved, though one passenger, who was in very delicate health, died a week after, partly through the accident. After a continuance of strong S.E. winds, with heavy sea running, we arrived and anchored off Cape Town at 1 a.m., June 6 ; distance from Saint Vincent 3946 miles, in 13 days, at about 303 miles per diem. Landed and visited the town ; being Sunday, saw the place at a disadvantage. Noticed the meat as being very inferior. The various sorts of buildings, from one to four storeys high, side by side, gave the town a peculiar appearance. The Dutch names and the Malay cab and omnibus drivers were curious follows. Left Cape Town same afternoon at 4, and got heavy weather from S.S.E. and S.W., with .rough water to the Semaphore at Adelaide, at which place ave anchored at 7-15 a.m., June 24 ; distance run from the Cape 5736 miles ; time 17 days 15 hours, at 323 miles per diem. Total nautical miles traversed from Plymouth to Adelaide 11844 ; time 37 days 94 hours, or about 312 miles per diem. From Adelaide (a most beautiful city) to Melbourne, and thence via Hobart Town per “Tararua ” to Wellington.