NEW PUBLICATION!!

Southland Times, Issue 1233, 5 April 1870, Page 3

NEW PUBLICATION!!

SOME ACCOUNT OF MY TRIP TO NEW RIVER FERRY, In the year 1870. By Jebsmiah Fusbos, D.D., A.S.S. [If.B. — All rights of reproduction and tranilation are reserved by the Author.] CHAPTER H. As th&ebb tide had yet fully two tours to run, I ordered the sails to be taken in and stowed, and sent Jack for'ard to moor the craft. The weather, although still fine, looked threatening, and the wind, which had been blowing steady all the morning from the N.£ W., drew more round to the westward, at least half a point, which, unfortunately for us, was dead ahead, our course up the New River being about MV., a little westerly. Upon Jack's returning aft, and declaring all snug, I told Bill to get the tucker out of the locker, and all hands to set to and have a good bowse out, it being more than probable we should have to use the ash before night. Just at this time a circumstance occurred which caused me no little uneasiness. Pat and Bob, who for the last hour had been keeping as far forward, and as much out of my sight as possible, appeared to be in close conversation, and evidently concocting some mischief, so I determined to keep my eye upon them for the future, and if possible mar their plot, for I felt sure that Pat, who, up to this time, had behaved, I may say heroicly, showed symptoms of a mutinous spirit. "Whilst apparently deeply engaged untying the mouth of a provision bag, I cast a furtive glance for'ard to see what these two men were about, when to my horror I espied Pat on his knees (behind Bob, who was trying all he knew to shield him from my sight), with his head thrown far back, the left arm embracing Bob's right leg, his right arm well up in the air, trying, as I thought, to swallow not only the contents of, but a bottle itself. I immediately went forward and asked Pat what he'd got there, when to my disgust, it turned out not to be, but to have been, a bottle of " Dunyille's" best whiskey, and Pat being evidently half seas over, if not more, Bob being very little better. Upon asking Pat how he came to get in that state, he exclaimed, " Arrah, by jabbers, and didn't they tell me the red bhoys were in sight, and shure don't I know myself what divils thejrare

at all, at all ; but be. 'aisey my darlint, . Pafc'B the bhoy that'll war-r-m them" ; at the same time working himself op to Buch a pitch of excitement, and performing such alarming gyrations with arms and legs, aa to co npel me to recede aft to alfow him full scope for his imaginary battle with the bhoys. Upon talking the matter over with Jack, I came f to the determination td take 1 no further notice ' of him for the present; so long as he did ; not interfere with' the' handling of the '* craft, and to allow time for the effects of ' the potheen to subside, when I should either discharge him at our first landing place, or severely reprimand him. I sent Jack for'ard to search the craft in order to find whether or not more of the eratur was aboard, and to undeceive Pat about . the red bhoysi both of which errands ; having been accomplished, and no more grog found, we turned our attention : to I the prog, which, in due time we discussed, Pat taking a rather stertorous nap for his share of the repast. It being now slack water, I thought I might as well adjust my compass. Jack superintending swinging the crafc. lam glad to sayi however, that I found it perfectly correct, which was very fortunate, saying as it did the opening of the cases, whereby the damp air is liable to get inside, which would naturally cause adhesion to any part with which the . needle might come m contact. 2.55 p.m.— My attention was drawn to a dense cloud of smoke issuing; from the edge of the bush near' Sandy Point, and which I supposed originated from a fire, ignited by some 6t J the natives, who, I was given to under- ;y---stand, lived, there, and which in fact I found to be correct, for upon looking through my 'glass I could plainly distinguish some natives, and their wharei. The flood tide having by this time set in pretty strong, I ordered Jack to loosen all sail and get ready for a start. The weather became more threatening than ever, the wind blowing in fitful guiti, although still from the same quarter. I Knowing from experience how fickle the winds are in this part of the globe, and how suddenly they chop round to the BM., And blow great, guns, I advised Jack to put a reef in sails, as I meant to carry on as long as possible. All being? | in readiness, Bill was ordered to cast off the line from the buoy, which was done in a jiffy, and we were once more pro- ' * greasing on our voyage of discovery. 3.30 p.m.— Vessel lying her course, Mount Anglem, Stewart's Island, bearing W.S. W.£W\, about 20 miles distant ; ; no snow on it. ■ 4.15 p.m:-^-"Wind drawing ahead; look-out man just sighted ' Henry's house; Pat just awake ; wanted more whiskey ; couldn't get it; took adrink of water; said he felt, sea> : sick. I felt glad of it. : Finding .-, t now our sails of no use, the wind (n being dead ahead, and the channej . too narrow to admit of my work-- - ing the vessel through, I was reluctantly compelled to have all sail taken in, and the oars shipped. There being only one pair,; - I ordered Bill and Bob to take first turn ,; at them, not considering Pat sufficiently ; recovered td perform the work. 7 p.m.—- ; Abreast of Henry's house ; . sighted more .-;; natives — some few.picanninies. JPat sum- .-, ciently recovered, with Jack relieved Bill v and Bob. On the starboard hand observed; dense scrub interspersed with large tim~ .. ber, apparently various species of Middle Island pines (pineoster gigantium). A white crane (gru» albi) just flown over ; gun not loaded, couldn't Bhoot it. On the port shore extensive prairie land; sandy, hillocks, dotted here and there with flax bushes (phormium tenax). Proceeding up the river, I discovered on this shore what appeared to me to be the ruins of some native pah, but ," Jack thought it looked more like an old stockyard, and perhaps Jack was right. Made up my mind on . my return to inspect it and make certain what it was. Fancied I heard dogs whining close to the craft; asked the others if they did? Jack and Bill said they didn't, but Pat and Bob said they did, and that they were either in, the craft or swimming alongside; ordered search to be made, when Jack and Bob burst out laughing, and, making a clean breast of it, said that they had y each brought a dog with them, and fearing I should not allow their coming aboard, had put them in two gunny bags, and stowed them away with the dunnage. After a hearty laugh, I told Bill to let them out, which he did, one a nice looking collie, the other an active Scotch terrier. Having no doubt in my own mind they would prove a valuable adjunct to our expedition, as I had been informed on reliable authority that there was plenty of game on the open land, in the shape of prairie dogs (canes rodentia), prairie cats (felidie rodentid), and rabbits, the real ,/%«» natitrceof Hookey Walker. As it was now getting dark, I turned the head of our craft towards a clump of bush we had just opened up on the port side, and ran her nose on the beach. After heaving- the swags ashore, and seeing the craft securely moored in the stream, we shouldered our loads and made at once for the bush, where I intended to pitch camp for the night. (To be continued.) -, .