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A SOUTHERN TRIP.

A WEEK IN PELOROUS SOUNDS. (By Ivor M lvor, Boys' High School, New Plymouth.) The last speech had been made, the last prize had been presented, and the last farewell handshakes had been given by the pupils to their masters. Some had finished, their only too short schoc-l life and had now to set forth upon life's troubles, whilst others, a majority of those present, were but going home for their Christmas holidays. Amongst this latter group, 1 was looking forward to these holidays, with all the enthusiasm of a. schoolboy freed from scholastic tics for eight whole weeks. Next morning T had started homewards in the first express train. Thtw started the Christmas holidays which I have always looked upon as the happiest that I have ever spent. A great home-coming awaited me on my arrival. It was Christmas Eve, when preparations for the sumptuous spread on the morrow were being made with great care and in large proportions. All the family had come home to join in the one re-union, at which wo were all homo once in the year. Christmas Day, with its well-filled stockings, came none too soon, in all the splendour of a perfect summer's day. After the beautiful dinner we decided to take a trip by motor-car to Mt. Egmont, that lofty sentinel which towers over all Taranaki, and which presents to the tourists a spot insurpassable for its magnificent mountain scenery. After a drive of but one hour, for we lived only thirty miles from there, we arrived at the gates of the reserve, where we decided to get out and walk up to the house. The beautiful scenery of the native bush, with the rata in full bloom and the twitterings of tuis and other native birds, impressed us all very much. On our arrival at the hostel, after some afternoon tea, we set. out to see Dawson's Falls, that double stream of water glissading over the precipice and forming a waterfall incomparalde for its scenic beauty. After visiting the other spots of interest, wc left for home, after having thoroughly enjoyed ourselves. By the next day's mail there came an invitation for me to visit my cousins in Wellington at any time T wished. I can hardly describe my eagerness to leave, for I had not yet visited any large city, and Wellington, our largest and capital city, is a hire for any youth who has been unaccustomed to city life. Early in the next week I boarded the southern-bound express on my tiresome journey. After a very uneventful journey Wellington was reached by seven o’clock that evening. My first view of Wellington was through the dying twilight, but I could not see the full extent of the city. Tn the morning T had my first introduction to the busy whir of city life. The continuous stream of tram-cars going at top speed along the quay, and the many motor-cars gave me much anxiety when I attempted to cross the street. My cousins took me all over the city to all its many suburbs and all the places of interest. The weather was glorious for the whole of my sojourn in Wellington, and thus I was able to have plenty nf games of tennis and also much swimming at the beaches. Towards the end of my holiday my uncle decided to take us all over to Pieton to spend a week there. So one bright, afternoon we embarked on the Mapourika. Soon we had bidden adieu to the Empire city as the small, but seaworthy vessel steamed slowly out of Port Nicholson to cross the rough waters of Cook Strait, and. after a rather boisterous passage we entered the calmer waters of Queen Charlotte Sound, from whence we soon reached Picton. Nestling on a gentle slope this snug little seaport, with its lights twinkling over the waters of the harbor, presented a very picturesque scene to our eyes, as we steamed in towards the wharf at dusk. On the day after our arrival we •set out for Endeavour Inlet on a fishing excursion in a large motor-launch. The weather conditions were perfect, and although I had not done much fishing before, T soon became accustomed to it, and we had a very good day’s sport in which our various catches ranged from sharks and hapukas down to rock cod. Before returning to Picton the boatman took us to see French Pass, that perilous pass between two rocks where once Pelorous Jack held sway over its turbulent waters. We passed the remainder of our time in swimming and boating, and when the time came to return to Wellington we al] wished that we could have stayed longer, but this was impossible, as my uncle had to go back to his business at once. Thus once more we found ourselves on board the good old Mapourika, on which, however, we did ont have quite such a rough trip atf before. When we reached Wellington, I found a letter awaiting me from home, asking me to come home, so that I might spend the short time from my holidays there ere T returned to school. Two days later T entrained in the early morning on the New Plymouth express. As the day was very hot the train journey became almost unbearable, and 1 was very thankful when our station was leached. The new term at school was to begin in two weeks’ time, so I had to make the best of the remaining period. I had already enjoyed myself io the utmost as the life in the city, and in the sounds as well as being novel was verv interesting and enjoyable. The time flew so quickly that the fortnight seemed but two brief days, in which, however, I had plenty of amusement in the form of shooting, swimming and tennis. All too soon, before T realised it, the holidays bad come to a fitting end. and I was' on the railwav station awaiting the train which was to bear me back to the toil of another te’m. Years mav come, years may go, but never shall I forget the happy times of the Christmas holidays of 1918.

Permanent link to this item
Hononga pūmau ki tēnei tūemi

https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/TDN19221215.2.50.25.1

Bibliographic details
Ngā taipitopito pukapuka

Taranaki Daily News, 15 December 1922, Page 5 (Supplement)

Word count
Tapeke kupu
1,037

A SOUTHERN TRIP. Taranaki Daily News, 15 December 1922, Page 5 (Supplement)

A SOUTHERN TRIP. Taranaki Daily News, 15 December 1922, Page 5 (Supplement)

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