A REMINISCENCE

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LII, Issue 70, 19 April 1909, Page 4

A REMINISCENCE

FRANK. T. BCLI.KN'S OLD SHIP. At the Rattray Street wharf, says the Otago Daily Times, now lies a vessel once as we'll known in our harbor almost as any of our Union Company's steamers. She is now known as Uvc barque Dalston, and she Hies the Norwegian Hag, being owned by .Messrs A. J. llrefslau and to.. Kristiatisaud. Norway (and others). ' Built in Hull in '1853. she has had a long and eventful career. After trading for some years as the Scimitar, she was purchased by the New Zealand Shipping Company and renamed tlie P.angiliKci. She was employed in the early seventies and eighties in the emigrant and cargo trade between London and New Zealand, and must have brought many thousands to these shores, lu those days she was looked upon as a "cruel*." ship. Frauk T. Bulleii speaks of her as the "line clipper Rangitikei.'' Mr. Bullen came out in her as an ordinary seaman in 1873. (If another ordinary seaman that same voyage I'rank Bullen says: "His career has been more wonderful than mine by a great deal. His story belongs to himself, and 1 am not without hope that some day he will give it to the world." They were again- shipmates in other seas. At the close of that voyage, owing to the captain of the Rangitikei leaving, all hands but the apprentices were paid off, and Mr. Bullen joined a Liverpool barque, the West lurk, then lying at Port Chalmers. Incidents in connection with the Homeward voyage of that vessel, entitled "The Change in the Starboard Watch," appeared some time ago in a London magazine, contributed by Frank Bullen, and one of the characters specially mentioned, and A.ll. on board, is also, like his old shipmate Frank Bullen, an author of several interesting volumes.

Hemiuders of the IJalstou's early days are still visible on board: "Scimitar" is stamped on the old ship bell on the forecastle head, and "Kangitikei'' on the main capstan on poop.

Although she is now barque rigged, one can se ( . her clipper bow, her long poop, and her peculiarly-shaped stern, and.also, as a link with past days, iiu-"black-and-white painted ports—just as 4(i years ago. She was originally built for the East Indies trade, and has been a successful trader. She used to make very smart passages outwards and homewards in the olden days, and she still retains, her good'name. She pissed into other hands 'when the New Zealand Shipping Company went in more for steamers, and again her name was changed, this time lo "Halston," probably after the London suburb*of that name. She is a vessel 0 f 1140 tons net register, tier present mutter is Captain K. M. Bie, of (irimstad, who brings with him also his good lady.

To revert to the now famous author's (Frank T. Bullen's) connection with the above old ship, he writes: "Cod knows how, from an ill-used childhood, and a boyhood ivithuut one gleam of brightness. I drifted to Port Chalmers in the Kangitikei (Captain r'"x was in command, and Ben l-'ox. his son. wins converted in Port Chalmers, but drowned by falling from aloft on the Homeward passage), and there found for the liisl lime in my life what 'was the true meaning of the word ■friend.' l-'or she fthv Itangitikcil was a blessed craft indeed." iTriink llulleu. the sailor-boy of that day. recently appeared at .Marlborough House, by invitation of the Prince and Princess of Wales, u, K j V e the members of that lioyal household some useful and interesting information, probably, in part, similar to the lectures Ire. sonie three years ago. delivered in Dnnedin—another contribution to •'The Log of a Sea-waif."