BARRENJOEY BAY.

Waikato Argus, Volume IV, Issue 288, 14 May 1898, Page 1 (Supplement)

BARRENJOEY BAY.

It was in a Sydney waterside hotel that the delapidated, sun-cracked, battered wreck lifted up his voice and babbled of the good old times, By dint of hard work—honest and otherwise —he had become sole owner of a small coasting craft, big enough to smuggle with and small enough to be handled by two men. Then he arranged with a Hawkesbury syndicate to transport certain liquors to Sydney without paying duty. According to his manifest his cargo consisted of oysters, shingles, or similar trade.

Yes, the business paid all right. The materials cost at the rate of 3s 6d per gallon, and when made up sold for 14s, and as fast as it was got ready it was got rid of. But the business, like most which pay well, had its risks; if caught it meant that I would lose my boat and my friends would lose my society for months. Landing the rum in Sydney was-easy enough; at night T'd pull over from the Neutral Bay to a wharf near Erskine street; putting a cask in a bag I'd carry it up to a room at the back of one of the hotels, where a light was left burning for me. I'd leave the cask on the table, and when I returned with another cask tho first one had disappeared, but the money for it was on the table. The trouble lay in.getting the yeast up to tho Hawkesbury. This I at last managed by having a false botom built into a cask which was nicely painted and placed on the cabin table. When the revenue stationmaster came aboard, if he said he'd like a glass of grog, it was drawn off for him, under his very nose, from this innocent-looking cask. But 1 came near being caught once. I had my usual cargo of 80 gallons of rum aboard, and was making for Sydney from the Hawkesbury, but as a strong easterly wind was blowing, 1 dropped anchor inside the bay at Barrenjoey. I had turned in for the night when I heard steps on deck : it was one of the men from the station.

" Hullo, George, what brings you here to-night ?" " Got any rum aboard f " Yes, 80 gallons."

" Well, you'd better get rid of it before morning; we're coming aboard first thing—you've been informed on."

This was impartant news to a man following my profession. I felt George was incapable of joking, so I made up my mind to go back to tho Hawkesbury that night and unload, I called up the hand : he wanted to know whether the easterly had dropped. I told him that it hadn't, but that we were going to make a move for all that. We returned to the river; unloaded the rum; dug a trench in which we burried the casks, and then got back to the Bay again to our previous anchorage, just about an hour before daylight.

About ten o'clock in the morning I saw the station boat leave the station wharf , it passed all the other boats, and made straight for us. So George had not been joking. " Good morning, Jones." " Good morning, Capt. Morrison."

" What have you got aboard V "Oysters, for Sydney." " Anything else?" "No. What else do you think I carry ?" " You'd better get the hatch open." When I had got the taupaulin off tbe hatch, Capt. Morrison said he would have to get the oysters on deck, I told him he could do as he liked, but that he would not find anything. He then turned to George —my friend of the night before—■ and told him to get the shovels out of the boat.

" One moment, Capt. Morrison," I said ; " I can't allow a spade to be used on those oysters—they are live fish, and if you dig a spade into them you will kill them, and they will be no good to me. If you want tho oysters taken out of the hatch your men will have to pick them out with their hands, or you must take the consequences." So the men started putting the oysters on deck with their hands ; but it was fearfully slow work, and in handling the shells tho men cut their hands and began growling. Capt. Morrison stood it for about a quarter of an hour, and then told them to use their shovels. They got the oysters on deck, but of course, found nothing. " Are you satisfied, Captain ?" " Yes, it must have been a hoax." " Where shall I put the oysters for you ? You've got enough to keep you going for a day or two." As I got no answer I ran alongside the Government wharf and put them on the beach. I went back again to the Hawkesbury and a great discussion took place; they had another 80 gallons ready for mo; so that, with the SO gallons buried, there were 100 gallons consigned to Sydney. After much consultation I resolved to chance it and then retire from the business. The whole 160 gallons were put aboard. When I got down the coast there was, curiously enough, a strong easterly breeze blowing, which made it impossible to make for Sydney. I couldn't go back to the Hawkesbury again, so I ran into Barrenjoey, and this time dropped anchor almost alongside the Government wharf. Capt, Blorrison passed in a boat. I

hailed him and asked him whether he was eoming aboard. He replied " No." I said, " You had better. Pve got plenty of rum aboard now." He told me to go to a placo which will, I suppose, in due course receive me. I got to Sydney, landed my cargo, and called at the Customs on Mr Brown, who was in some way very friendly with Capt. Morrison- I stated my case to him, and said that the Government had no right to destroy my property. He admitted this in the abstract, and, after thinking over the matter said : " How much were the oysters worth a bushel V " Ten shillings." " How many bushels had you 1" " One hundred and twenty." "Well, if you call to-morrow I will let you have an answer." When I did call Mr Brown handed me a cheque for £6O, and told me to hold my tongue. I did.—Sydney Bulletin.