CHARMS OF SOLITUDE.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LII, Issue 198, 25 September 1909, Page 4

CHARMS OF SOLITUDE.

A LONELY OIL MAN. j LIFE AT MAOQUAIUE ISLAND. In the Auckland Herald some months \ ago a message appeared from its Duneuinl correspondent telling how an elderly member of one of the oiling parlies which regularly visit Macimano island had refused to return with his comrades to the Bluff.. News as to this man's welfare has just been received by a Christehurch resident from Mr. H. J. L. Dunlop, engineer of the Antarctic ship Nimrod. After leaving Lyttelton the Nimrod proceeded to Sydney, and then set out to try to locate certaiu islands, the actual existence of which, though they had appeared on the charts, had been a matter of doubt. While engaged in this work, the Nimrod calhd at Maequarie Island, and Mr. Dunlop thus describes his meeting at Nugget Point with this lover of solitude:—

"As we approached, we could see the old ketch Gratitude piled up high and dry on the beach. (This is the ship which surveyed the island some years ago.) Further along there were two large huts, and, to .our astonishment, wc could see a long column of smoke coining out of one of the chimneys. This caused great excitement, but we were quite prepared when, by and by, a man was seen coming out to have a look ut us. lie gazed at us a few minutes, and then disappeared into his house again. "As soou as we were anchored, the whaleboat was lowered and manned, Ilarbord (in charge) and I myself going with it. As wc drew near, the man' came out to meet us. 'lie had two little dogs with him. Ilarbord and I soon got into conversation with him. lie looked to bo about 51 years old, clean-shaven, medium height, with a touch of the Blarney stone about him. We went up towards his house, yarning, away. lie invited us in, placing a dean sack for a mat inside the door. We cleaned our feet carefully and entered into a long room with a table and forms, which would seat about ten men. This was the iiicssrooin, which the oil men used during their slay cyery season. A cheery fire was burning in the stove, and on a rack over the stove were some loaves of newly-made, bread. We were ! much impressed with the cleanliness if table, forms, and floor. Through a door we went into another room about the same size. It was fitted with ten bunks; a. little baby stove was burning brightly in the centre of the room. Round about were hanging various specimens of birds, etc., which he was stuffing and curing. We told him iio and what we were, and our principal reason for calling at the. island was to procure as many -specimens as possible. It was at this stage that lie alarmed us greatly by rushing out into the other room. We heard a metallic bang, and got a savoury sniff, which whetted our appetites for a somewhat delayed dinner, lie came in with a nicely-brownjd pie in his hand, and remarked that he had just remembered that hi 6 pie was burning. It was sea elephant's tongue, and the paste or crust was just beguiling to get burned. However, it was all right. I never met a man who used so many swear adjectives. Wo asked him if he could spare us any of his specimens, and be said, 'Certainly, yon can have the lot, as I have plenty of time to get more! before March.' This was more than we expected, hut we took all hv had down to the boat. "This man was one of the oil men who was here last season, and when the ship was ready to sail at the end of tho season he refused to go on hoaro, saying he would go back with them next year, as he wanted to get some specimens, etc., for someone in New Zealand who had promised him a certain sum of money for the. collection. He seems Io he quite happy, and not at all lonely, has plenty of coal, and stores of all sorts. All he wanted was some sui»ar. as his lot had got wet during two" or three days' absence when he was up on the hills and lost in a dense fog. This also put him out two days in his calendar. He was very surprised to find he was two days behind with his calendar, lie wns sure he had ticked the days off when he got back. 'Good heaven's,' he I said, 'I must have been out four davs, then.' We then bade him good-bye."