Sketcher.

Southern Cross, Volume 1, Issue 7, 13 May 1893, Page 10

Sketcher.

MAORILANH TO BRITAIN". NOTES BY THE WAY. (By Aurora.) No. 11. “ Give a dog a bad name and it sticks to him.” This aphorism applies equally to persons and places. If ever a place in this big world has been neviled and badly spoken of, that place must surely be the Bluff. ti Bluff by name and bluff by nature ” is the usual comment passed upon it. Go to to the north, south, east, or west of the Australian Colonies, and the very mention of poor little Campbelltown causes a cold shiver to run down the back of the individual to whom you are speaking. They shrug their shoulders, turn up their eyes and groan, which groan beinginterpreted signifies “ May I never be called upon to spend my days there.” "We, who know the place better, smile sweetly (those of us who have time to smile), and are inwardly glad that our much maligned little port does occasionally give a cold blustering g'reeting to the many non-credentialed strangers who land on her shores. They are blown further up the coast, and that is where we want the majority of them to remain ! We are so proud of our beautiful city, further up the line, with its broad streets and magnificent buildings, that it is only a very select few whom we should •care to see taking up their abode here. They may, if they choose, toil up to the top of the water tower, and from that high altitude survey the beauties <ff the surrounding scenery. They may draw" a deep breath of our pure Southland air; but, having trespassed so far upon our kindness, we shall be obliged if they will kindly pass on, unless, of course, they bring -with them an abundance of hard cash, plenty of sound business qualifications, and any amount of down-right common sense. If these be their credentials, then we shall bid them welcome, “ take them in, and do for them.” So, to the dear* old Bluff w r e would say—“ Keep on blowdng, old friend ; blow hard, and fast, and furious ; get out all your artillery of wind, rain, harl, and sleet, and let drive at them ■with might and main. Keep nothing back ; give it them square in the face, no side shots ; but a good stiff all-

rounder, something they won’t forget in a hurry. We, who ‘ ken ’ you best, know your kind old heart, and so long as you keep your smiles and sunny skies for us we are content. The growlers and the grumblers can go further up the coast. They can tarry at Dunedin, or Christchurch, or Wellington, where they will be either drenched, or frizzled, or blown straight out of existence altogether. You can be bad, old Bluff, very very bad, but you can be very very good, too, and it is your good side that we are most partial to. Many a hearty old laugh have you had as ship-load after shipload sailed away, leaving you master of the field. Keep it up, old fellow, and guard well the interests of the Bonnie country behind you.” (It is the private opinion of ‘ yours truly ’ that this last “ blow ” s about the best advertisement this part of the colony has had for seme time !) In stax-ting off on a journey by sea from Invercargill, there is only one means of exit, and that is by way of the Bluff. Are there any of my readers who would like a short description of that train journey from city to port ? Are there any of you, who have lived here for any length of time, who have not yet availed yourselves of this interesting ride, with its 'many points of beauty (P), and its long stretch of scenery !! Do any of you think there are words sufficiently forcible in the English language to carry to an untutored mind the delights of such a journey P In a traiij guaranteed to travel ten miles an hour, with a few extra miles thrown in, if' there be no specially stout chi gent icmeii, vv e embark on this journc y.

which has for its ultimate end dear old England. The first wonder in one’s mind is : “Will England ever be reached at this rate ?” the second, “ why doesn’t the old train go faster ?” All at once a brilliant idea flashes into one’s mind. Perhaps the authorities have arranged that the journey may be taken thus leisurely, so that tourists may have an opportunity of taking in to the full the beauties of the surrounding scenery ! Eagerly we turn and scan the distant landscape ! But, alas, alas, instead of our “taking in” the scenery, we find that the scenery is “ taking in ” us ! For to right and to left of us lie long stretches of the most uninteresting looking country it was ever our privilege to gaze upon.

“ Tussock to right of us, Tussock to left of us, Tussock behind us, Ugly and tumbled!’’ Here and there as -we get nearer the port, w r e catch glimpses of little nooks that look as if they might be beautiful, and as we turn the curve which brings us into full view of the ocean, we feel that here at least is something which makes up for all the barrenness lying behind. Soon the wharf, with all its hurry and rush, is in sight, and as we draw up along the ship’s side, we know that the “ goodbye’s ” have to be said, and that the “ tearing away ” process has to be gone through. With this in view we do not feel equal to give you an account of our embarking until next week. (To he continued.)