SCHOONER IN PORT.

Taranaki Daily News, 10 January 1916, Page 5

SCHOONER IN PORT.

TIMBER VESSEL FROM PUfIKT SOUND. A SMART .VOYAGE. AN ALASKAN ADVENTURER. Sixty-four days out from Pugct Sottß* (nth n cargo of timber the schooner CS. Holmes "pieiicd up" Mount Egmost at sunrise on Saturday morning, and a fair wind brought her off Moturo* towards sunset, and here the vessel dropped anchor after her smart passage across the Pacific from the American port. Yesterday morning Captain W. Waller (the harbormaster) went out to the schooner, which was towed into the harbor by the Thomas King, berthing shortly after ten o'clock. Tlte port health officer (Dr. McClelland), a Oneterns officer, and the agents' representative awaited the vessel's arrival, and soon after she was berthed the doctor gave a clean bill of health. Quite a large number of people gathered on the wharf to see the schooner, for sailing vessels are infrequent visitors to Moturoa.

Fair weather, a splendid crew, and a ship in fine trim combined to make the voyage a smart and pleasant one, and the passage was not marked by any unusual incidents. The C. S. Holmes left Puget Sound on November 0, and rough weather greeted the schooner on clewing the land. Then calm seas and light winds prevailed, and good progress was made, the equator being passed on the twenty-sixth day out—a' splendid performance. South-east trade winds were now expected, but—a very unusual'experience—these were not encountered, and instead the wind came from the north, with heavy rain, which continued for over two weeks. Working south, one of the Cook'lslands was sighted, and this proved to foe the only land wen between Puget Sound and tiie New Ze»« land coast. After passing the Trople of Capricorn southerly winds prevailed, and these continued and gathered force as the vessel got further south. The Three Kings were sighted on January 2, and all last week was spent "tacking" down the coast. The winds were unfavorable and progress was slow, the oaptain mentioning that on one occasion the vessel covered about a hundred miles, but only made eleven miles headway. The cone of Egmont was sighted tt sunrise on Saturday morning, and 'steering for this splendid landmark, 1 1'aritutu was sighted at one o'clock ;in (the afternoon. The schooner was tb*n about twenty-five miles from port, tad she dropped anchor about 0 o'clock. Tljc vessel is in.charge, of." Captain John Uackland (who is also the owner), ami he is accompanied by his wife, his son, and his daughter. Mr. Andrew Wemmeck is mate, and Mr. L. Jensen second mate, while the crew comprises eleven hands. She is a four-masted vessel of 370 tons nett, and her length is 200 feet. Her cargo consists of 616,000 feet jof: Oregon pino and 10,000 feet of I oajf, consigned to the New Plymouth Sash and Door Tactorv and to Messrs Hy; Brown and Co., New Plvmonth. The agents are Messrs J. C. Spedding and Co.

In the past year or two several sailing ships have arrived at New Plvmouth from Puget Sound, and thp C. S. Holmes, in making tiie passage in 04 days, baa boaten her rivals for speed. The Eric took 74 days, and the H. D. Bendlxien, en two trips, took 88 days and DO days. It is twenty years since the C. S. Holmes was launched, and the greater part of her career lias been spent in the Pacific coast trade. In the last few years, however, the schooner and her genial captain have been engaged in venturesome journeys to the extreme north of Alaska. "I have had nothing but- ice and Eskimos on my voyages for the last year or two, so I thought I would take on this stunt down here to see if the sun was still shining In the South," remarked Captain Backland. The schooner took supplies for the Eskimos and various .stations in the north, and exchanged her cargo for furs, whalebone, ivory, etc. The captain timed to reach the nortiicrn latitudes in the summertime, and when the ieo began to «»ovc tlie vessel picked her wav through the (Bering Sea, thence through the Bering Sound and Zotzebno Sound, to the northernmost settlement on the seaboard of Alaska, ifany interfiling experiences befel the crew on these journeys, but the schooner never mot with mishap. Like all captains one meets on ocean-going craft, Captain Backland has visited almost every corner of tue world, and has paid many visits to New Zealand, though this is his first trip to New Plymouth. The discharge of the schooner'* csigo of limber will occupy about ton days. The vessel's future movements are indefinite, but it is probable she will proceed from here to Wellington.