Old-time Echoes

Southern Cross, Volume 1, Issue 11, 10 June 1893, Page 3

Old-time Echoes

NOTES GIST THE BLUFF. U'OMMrXXCATED.) About, half n century ago the Bluff Harbour was much used ns a port of call by the many ships employed in whaling in these seas at that time. They were principally American, Sydney, or Hobartown vessels. Whales were then very plentiful on this coast, and many were the thrilling stories told of the mishaps and successes of different boats’ crews when following on their track. Even after getting alongside of the sea-monster it took all the skill and daring of these splendid boatmen to capture their prize without accident or loss of life. A second boat usually followed and stood-by for the purpose of picking up the crew of the first boat in ease of accident, or the receipt of a “ smack ” from the whale’s tail. In the palmy days of the whale-fishing on this coast there were at times as many as half-a-dozen whaling-ships lying at anchor in the Bluff Harbour. That would be during the thirties and forties. There was then no pilot staff at the Bluff, but vessels found their way in and out —generally'without mishap. I believe the first wreck at the Bluff was that of a vessel called the Amazon, in ’sl or’s2. She was built at Jacob’s Hirer—now Riverton. The first steam vessel that came into the Bluff Bluff was H.M.p.s. Acheron. She was commanded by Captain Stokes, who was employed in surveying the coast of New Zealand during the years 1849, ’SO, and ’sl. The Acheron survey and “ Stokes’ Charts ” produced therefrom arc yet considered very correct, although executed over forty years ago, when little or nothing was known of the coast beyond what could be gathered from the old whaling hands. When the Acheron and her smoke hove in sight of the Bluff it was thought by the whaling hands—Johnny Davies, Jack Tiger, Old Archie, and others on shore—that she was a whaler trying out a whale at sea (boiling the oil out of the blubber). The smoke of a steamer had not been seen on this coast before. It may' be said of the old whalers in those days that they knew more of steamers by hearsay than what they had seen. Amongst the last of the whaling ships visiting the Bluff in the fifties were the Curlew, Flying Childers, Postboy, etc. Captain Gilroy, now of the Bluff, was in charge of the latter. A sad accident happened on board the'Postboy just after she left the Bluff on one of her last, if not her last, cruise. On getting outside into the Straits a thunderstorm came on—the lightning was very vivid; a flash was led down the mast by some of the chains to the deck, where a young seaman named George Bryant was standing, and he was struck dead. On examination It was found that the lightning had struck him on the back of the neck. The vessel had not been many hours out, but she was put about and ran back to the Bluff for the burial of the body of poor Bryant, who had been on the coast some years, having come down in a Sydney whaler when a boy. About the middle of the fifties a number of vessels arrived at the Bluff with sheep from Twofold and Portland Bays, amongst which were the brigantine Camilla, the brig Gazelle, the ships Eli Whitney, Armin, William Hyde, and others. The latter ship grounded and lay on her bilge for some months, just about where the wharf is now. A little later—in ’59, I believe —a crew was sent round from Dunedin in the brig Content to repair andfloat the William Hyde, winch was done. She was then sailed round to Port Chalmers for use as a hulk. There was no customhouse at the Bluff till ’SB or early in ’59, when the late Captain Elies was scut down from Dunedin to take charge. He shortly afterwards removed to Invercargill, which was then but very little better than the Bluff and its “old hand huts.” He was succeeded at the Bluff by the late Mr Francis O’Toole", who represented the Customs Department at the Port for many years —I believe all through the sixties and part of the Bovcnti cs - The next steamer that came to the Bluff after th e Acheron was ths b.b. Queen, in the latter part of ’SB, and shortly after that the s.s. Pirate commenced to run from Melbourne to Port Chalmers and back, calling at the Bluff each way. Measured with the steamers of to-day Jshe was homely and slow, taking a month to do the round trip, but was thought well, of in her day. Homely and slow as she was, the old Pirate was the pioneer carrier of an intercolonial trade that now employs a magnificent fleet of steamers. The only sawn-timber building at the Bluff in 1858 was the old Argylc Hotel, containing two rooms, kept by old Mac—a good old sort—who supplied all the spirits and wines known out of one whisky cask. It mattered not what was asked for, it was given out of this cask, and all seemed satisfied with what they got —it was Hobson’s choice. The old whaling hands lived in huts between the present site of Campbclltown and Stirling Point, excepting Johnny Davies, who had removed over to Towais Point. The kindly old man s grave is yet to be seen on tne top of the hillock, at Tcwais. About the middle of the fifties Mr James Smith, who, I understand, came down in one of the sheep vessels, took up his residence at the Bluff, and for some years did the pilot work of the harbour, and generally brought in the stock ships, assisted in landing sheep, etc. A regular pilot service was established in ’59, when Mr Smith was appointed, and is therefore, both by prior

service and appointment, the fi •' t ‘ the Bluff Harbour. He is still resi'’i. 1 1 In ’59 a store was built in th- m of Campbelltown by Messrs Leggatt r v ' -yer, but it was soon after destroyed by In 1861 the Eagle Hotel was common'.-d and opened for business by the late J. G, nches, who kept it for fourteen or fifteen months.