A Holiday on Stewart Island.

Waimate Daily Advertiser, Issue 39, 18 February 1899, Page 2

A Holiday on Stewart Island.

An ideal place for a holiday is the universal verdict of visitors to the some\vhat unknown Stewart Island, and we hope that the following account of a most enjoyable fortnight spent there will give our readels some idea of the place. First of all, ;\ou ha-\e got to get there. This, at fiist sight, would seem an uiir necessary remark, but the writer found that getting there was decidedly an exneuence. After finding your way to the fHlulf, a place ]u&tly famed for good fellows and bad weather, you are infoimed that " the tug leaves for Stewart Island on Wednesday morning at £>.!30 ; return tare, 7 s 6d." Accordingly, at the appointed time, you make jour way to tile wharf with youv luggage (and it is advisable to look after it pcisonallj until it is put on board), you find that a small paddle steamer, the " Awarua," is in readiness to take touiists across the straits. During the holiday season; thei'e is always a good number making the trip, and at the start all is bustle and life onboard tlie steamer. I iittlc time is lost m getting under weigh, ;md for a while all goes well. But as feoon as you get outside the harbour the tug begins to show her true character. There is a decided want of monotony about the motions she indulges it. First of all she takes a dip straight down. Then she rolls to the light, then to the left, then back again to the oiiginal position and so on, a sort of four beats to the bar measure m slow time. Some people say they like it. The writer certainly did not. In a very shoit time he was forced to make his way to the side, and there he letnaincd for the ne\t two hours, taking no interest m anything but his own wretchedness. The only time he did feel inclined for action was when a friend I'.une round and took a snapshot of him. However, the tap at last came to an end, aad we ai rived at Halt Moon Bay. We were rather surprised to see quite a crow d waiting on the jetty, for we had the idea that thei'e weie very few people on Ktewprt Island. But we afteiwaids found out that the arm al of the tug on Wednesdays was the event of the week, "which accounts foi the unexpected crowd. It did not take long to get ashore, and all hands at once set about getting accommodation. There aie two or three accommodation houses, and in the holiday season some of the le^idents let their cottages to tourists ; so that those who expected to pass their holiday m tents were rather disappointed. Oban> the township of Half Moon Bay is, in many respects, like most up-country place s*.5 *. They have two small stores, a school, and a post office kept by the school teacher, but there is this great difference — prohibition reigns supreme in Stewart Island, and if a man wants " a drop " to drive away the effects of sea sickness, he can't get it for loVe or money in Oban. He has to bring it across from the Bluff. You can get plenty there. Most of our party, which numbered 11, were lucky enough to get rooms at (.ioodall'fi, <vi accommodation house two minutes' walk from the jetty. The writer and a fuend had ananged to stay at '• The Neck " with a Mr Thompson, who holds the position of teacher at the Native school there. Mr Thompson was waiting for us, and he took us to a friend's house to get some lunch. One, at least, did not enjoy it, and then Oui Oui having got the m ail, we were ready to go back to the Neck. Oui Oui is the propnetor of a cutter, and ho bungs the mails to meet the tug every Wednesday. He is a haltcaste, and his propel* name is George Ghapalur. but he never gets anything but '• Our Oui.*' At first we thought it was thought was Wiwi, -which is a decidedly Maoii name, and we were greatly s\vc prised when we were told the proper spelling. We did not like the idea of another two or three hours on the water, but on •enquiring if we could walk to the Nock •we were told that it would take a week, through almost impenetrable bush, so we howetl to the inevitable, and got things ■aboard. Oui Oui's boat, the " Kiwi," is a l'fctle one-master, about 10 tons burden, and Oui Oui is a most reliable sailor, who knows the island perfectly. His crew consists of " Battray." a half-caste boy. There was very little wind, so we made hat slow progress. We were soon out of Half Moon Bay and round the point. After tacking backwards and forwards for a long time, we at last got through the passage between the mainland and an island called Native Island, and we were in the fatuous Patterson Inlet. This inlet is of far greater extent than we imagined. Its arms run for miles into the island in several directions, and as the water is very deep, it would make a harbour fit to hold the largest fleet in the world.

Oui Oui had id take part of the mai* svross to Uh r a; an island on the other side of the inlet* This island is occupied by die luani, Mr Trail, who keeps a store, and &$ his slock is a varied one, he _ has cuStdmeiß from Oban, as well as from the Neck and the islands around him. We spent half an hour examining the bush around the store. Mr Trail's brother, the former occupant, was a naturalist and imported a great Variety of palms and other trees which are growing splendidly among the native ones, so that Ins garden is Worth seeing. After the niail, had been fixed up, we started. Our destination was only a mile or 1 so distant, but as the wind had died down, we got into the " dingy " and Battray rowed us ashore, reaching the Neck about half past six o'clock, to be heartily welcomed by Mrs Thompson, who had been watching us tacking about the inlet. (To be continued.)