From Capetown to New Zealand.

Waimate Daily Advertiser, Volume III, Issue 119, 5 March 1901, Page 3

From Capetown to New Zealand.

By C. A. Wilson,

■{Jontinued.) An ocean voyage is about the most monotonous form of travel that can bo imagined unless ■something can be devised to drive away dull care, and with this intention all sorts of pastimes are engaged in. Besides those enumerated last week, there were numerous concerts, held in the mess-room, and attended by the passengers. They were always very enjoyable, and when, on occasions, the comic element was 4, ised up for a character :s mg the merriment was intense. 1,-ere were some really good voices on board, a clever ventriloquist, and a gentleman who was an expert hypnotist, some step dancers, and last, but not least, a good crowd of appreciators. Card tournaments were arranged every few days, and at about the same interval a sweepstake was arranged on the days run. This affords a gr-mt scope for the intelkgent observer. He mu a edentate the amount of wind an i sea, he must know if one screw cm..-pod during the day or night. The method of procedure was a fellows: A certain number of I tickets would be sold, and the buyers would give the number of miles they thought the ship would have travelled in the twenty-four hours. When the list was full, say forty members were required, an auction would be held ju t before eight bell (12 a,m.) If you .hid a ticket that you felt ■sue would win, you would •keep it, or you could have it put up to auction with the rest. The bolder of a ticket was entitled to bid for any he chose, and in many cases the favourite numbers were sold at -over 20s (one case was recorded as having seen 475, but that was -before the Cape was reached). If the owner of the ticket cared to H it go he got what it brought with no risk, otherwise he would have to bid higher and take his •chance of winning. The tickets brought all prices, from 6d -advance onwards, and the excitement was very great as the board •was being put up. {To he continued.)