A TRIP HOME.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXI, Issue 3023, 21 October 1908, Page 7

A TRIP HOME.

THE VOYAGE DESCRIBED. (By J. C. Alpass.) No. 6. The following day we sighted a number of steamers, and also passed :aear to a three masted ship in full -sail, of which we counted 25. For days after we saw no ships •of any kind. The younger portion of the passengers were busy at the numerous outdoor games, while the •older ones sat and looked on, or read fitting beneath the numerous awnings. There was a general feeling of laziness, which daily increased, * and if it continues to" increase at the same ratio we shal! require to engage Indian Ayas to roll up our food in little pellets and fire it into orr mouths off their thumbs, as we shall -certainly get too lazy to feed ourselves. Down near Cape Horn we >used to walk the deck briskly for an Jiour or more astretcn; in the tropics three or four turns and we .are tried. About 7 o'clock a.m. on June 22nd we crossed the Equator in one night passing from the shortest day in the Southern Hemisphere to the longest day in the Northern Hemisphere. At' this latitude the highest temperature recorded on deck •so far has baen bO degrees Fah., so that under the awnr.gs it has always ;faeen comfortable. On this date we passed near to a four-masted German barque, the Adelaide, of Bremen. She presented a very fire sight with 29 sail 3 set, but moving very slowly. JFor some days after we saw NO SIGNS OF SHIPS •or anything to relieve the monotony of the journey. The younger passengers were busy finishing up the competitions in the various outdoor games. As soon as we had got settled on the ship a public meeting of the passengers was convened and committees appointed to draw up programmes and arrange for various in and outdoor games and sports, also •concerts. The indoor games were , held in the cold weather, and the outdoor sports held over for higher latiudes. A Concert Committee was .also chosen, and with the able assistance of musical talent from the thirdclass several very creditaole concerts _ -were held. One plain and fancy •dress ball was held on the second clasa upper deck, which passed off rsatisfactorily, there being quite sufficient dancers for the size of the space -available. As far as amusements i went, the third clr.ss were by far the •most lively. They had a dance al:mo<st every evening in the fine weather. Some of them could never keep their feet still if the music was going. For a couple of days before . reaching Teneriffe the majority of i the passengers were busy writing j betters and addressing cards. A j :notice was put up to the effect that I English stamps for the ocean mail I could be obtained en board, tut it ( ■was but a very short time befoie the .supply gave out. | Early on Sunday, June 28th, we j were aroused by a voice from the j next cabin informing us that th<? Peak of Teneriffe was in sight. We had a look at it through the porthole, then dressed and went on deck, ■where we found a few passengers with opera glasses. Although we ihad an unusually clear view of the peak, its appearance was SOMEWHAT DISAPPOINTING, as we had been expecting to see a mount over 12,000 feet high standing like a sugar loaf on a plain, whereas from our point of view it only appeared like an extra high peak in a range of gradually sloping hills. It was explained that the peak was : much further away than it appeared, j which made its height not appear as j we had expected, and that the lower j hills between us and the peak were a ; separate range, the peak itself rising •distinct from the plain jbeyond. As • we steamed along the coast we could . -distinctly see houses here, and there amongst the hills and gullies of what like a very broken and barren country. We "also paßsed several -small towns or villages. And our passengers generally wondered where •or how the • inhabitants of so many houses could find food to sat, as we could distinguish but very little land /that appeared to be cultivated. A /patch of green could be discerned / here and there, usually at the foot of I a little valley, evidently where the j "denudation from the mountains at the i back had been deposited. As we j • drew nearer to Santa Cruz, the capi- | tal of the island, there was more cul- i tivation visible. The hills were not •:sp broken, and sloped away gradually | inland. Division lines, fences, or i something of the kind, were plainly j visible, with patches of green here . and there, which we were afterwards informed was maize and banana trees. We dropped anchor outside of the breakwater, and in but a very short time a little tug with two coal barges w T as alongside. A number of natives ■ came on board with various commodities for sale—cigars of all brands and ' prices being the principal commodity. Most of the passengers had donned their shore attire, and were buying • coupons off agents, who had come on board. To shore and back and one hour's ride in a carriage for three shillings was the programme of most passengers. Our steam launch had ' not gone far before we realised what a different craft we were on to the lonic. What previously had appeared a calm sea was now quite rough. Now our little craft would be like a - cork on the top of a wave, then she would be down in the trough of the sea, and anon she would climb the next wave, and dip her nose into its crest, covering those in the fore part with salt spray. We had to round the end of the breakwater, and then head for the : landing steps, where we were all pleased to step on shore, even if only on a Spanish island, where lesidents are not of dhe best repute. Quite a row of four-wheeled carriages were lined up waiting for our arrival. Four of us took our seats in one of the vehicles, and were soon rattling • over the roughly paved streets drawn by three horses harnessed abreast, (Tc be continued).