RECLUSES OF THE SOUNDS

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LI, Issue 321, 12 January 1909, Page 2

RECLUSES OF THE SOUNDS

THE CALL OF THE WILD. Cliristchurch, January 10. -Mr. 1!. M. Laing, describing 'in the tress the recent visit to the Sounds of a number of Christ church ve.sideats wiites : --n-hose of „s who went ashore i at liisnee May met a former teacher of the Duu'cdiii Normal School, who leads a I 'hermit's life on a lilt 1,. j,,|„ m | ~.V e ral miles inside of Puysegur point. tor sonic twenty odd years lie has lived by himselt chiellv in this sound and h-i's now lost all desir,. to visit the outer world. liclorc ilis „,.,.;,,, | ,„,,.,, ||( , , ]|( a lew months on an islet not a mile =n eiicumlerem-e at Hie junction of lliompson. Smith, Doubtful am | |t,,„|. saw Sounds, and it is now named after him. Seymour Island.

'-Tin. Sounds liiivc always had mi „ltraction for il„. recluse or the solitary ! prospector. Sutherland, who now keep's | tin' accommodation house at Mill'orcl (iml after whom the j»rcut falls an' named, spent years alone prospect ii'--«n<l vxj.loiiii". Dodiortv. who hi,," wirnderod about Preservation anil Duskv tor minerals, ami died suddonlv m one of the Sounds, was anollier cxn»>l>l'" of (In. wanderer win, slums I lie life of (lie town. Mr. Ilcnrv. the for"'l'r e:irelaker„f llcsnliilion Island and now at Kapili. also belongs to the same fypc.

''At Duskv Sound we mel. Lieutenant (.ohlfinch, (he pre,eii| caretaker of Desolation Island, and his wife. The latter two mouths ago. in a brave attempt In .pun her husband, walked from Orepuki lo Preservation Inlet. Becoming exhausted on (he way. she look shelter while her snide sought, i,.,. help ■-.,- Preservation Talct. Ue left lier protected from the storm in a hollow tree, willi a (ire in front of it. Unfortunately (he tree itself caught fire, and to avoid be- | ini; burned she hail to leave it and spend i Hi- rest of the irglit exposed to the "'dement weatjlier. On assistance nrriv- I niff she fhm)!,vf reached Pvesorvation Tn-! let. and from there was nhle to join her j husband hv boat." I