Humour

Southern Cross, Volume 2, Issue 9, 2 June 1894, Page 12

Humour

THE WHITE NELLIE. The Hinemoa was lying 1 at anchor —the phrase is capable of a double interpretation —in Teraki Bay, on the S.B. side of the main island of the Snares group, wind-bound, and her passengers had nothing to do but “ yarn,” watch the flying scud overhead, the sea-birds on shore, and the sullen “ rollers ” as they dashed against the beetling cliffs or lost themselves in the depths of the caverns, the black mouths of which yawned like so many entrances to the regions of eternal darkness. Presently came circling round the steamer a flight of “ mollyhawks ” (“ monimawks ” is the right name) and nellies, the latter a bird larger to look at than the ordinary goose, and commonly of greyish colour, inclining to slate. “ There now,” said the skipper, “ there’s a chance for some of you gentlemen that have keen eyes and are good on the trigger. Look out for the ‘ white nellie.’ ” All eyes were turned to the speaker, who went on in matter-of-fact and measured tones to tell that occasionally among the race there occurred a freak of nature in the shape of a pure snowy white nellie. “ Only five specimens are known to be in the ornithological collections of the world,” he avouched. “Of these two are in America, one in Britain, one in Vienna, and one in the unrivalled collection of the Czar of Russia. A sixth would be eagerly competed for —it would fetch anything from £SO to £250. So keep your eyes open and your cartridges dry.” Every owner of a gun went for it, word was passed forward among the crew, and every man owning a shooting iron was within five minutes ready for aetion. I, who tell this “ owre true story,” have an instinctive dread of firearms, and felt nervous as the muzzles of a half-score or so of weapons were turned by their owners in all directions, but principally, it seemed to me, in mine. Yet I did not go below. There was a fascination in the scene, and a glow of expectation that drowned the sense of fear. A half-hour or more of watchfulness passed, the strained faculties of the sharp - shooters were relaxing, when suddenly there rang out the cry “ a white nellie !” And lo ! down to leeward, in the midst of an ferial escort of dun grey relations, there was visible, in splendid contrast, biought out the more boldly by a background of black cloud, a pure white nellie. As if aware of its value the bird kept at a safe distance—long enough in fact to enable the several excited shootists to discuss and decide upon the manner of apportionment of the proceeds of the prize—when taken. How much ammunition was expended, and how much breath spent in what might have been —but did not sound like —prayers, the veracious chronicler w r ill not take upon himself to estimate, but whatever the quantity it was wasted, for evening closed in and sent all but the anchor watch below. Next day the steamer went round to the other side of the island. A shore shooting party was arranged. It was away only a few hours, and returned with, among other “ game ”•—- seven white nellies. Those passengers are to this day uncertain as to whether they were “had” by the skipper, or that Dame Nature has of late been in a more than usually sportive mood.