From Capetown to New Zealand.

Waimate Daily Advertiser, Volume III, Issue 123, 14 March 1901, Page 3

From Capetown to New Zealand.

By C. A. Wilson.

( Continued .) To everything there is an end, and thus at dawn on a Tuesday morning the good ship Persic was'off Cape Howe, West Australia, and after breakfast every place of vantage was crowded with eager persons desirous or seeing as much of sights as possible. About nine o clock the siren blew as a signal to the lighlhoiiß ! keeper and we were in King George’s bound. e steamed past the fort, whew » signal was run up giving Welcome to the troops returning. Cheers-arid counter cheers were given with hearty goodwill., boon we were in sight of the prettilysituated little town of Albany, and at 9.9 a,m the anchor was dropped, 16 days . 16 hours 6 minutes from our departure from the Cape, a distance or 4719 miles, while the" voyage from.-Liverpool ‘ to Albany, a distance of 10,804 miles, occupied 37 days 12 hours U minutes, an average speed' of. 12.12. up lie a per hour havipg beflh i &

The entrance to the Princess Royal Harbour, through. St. George’s Sound, appears to be rather difficult to negotiate, bill the scenr.y is superb. On the left is what appears to be a rocky island, containing fortifications, and. on the opposite aide, after passing the lighthouse and signal tower, is another-fort, with a gun or two peeping out, and sentries marching to and fro. turn, and we are in a land-locked harbour, with Mount Melville and Mount Clarence forming a splendid background, and the town nestling cosily at the feet of these mountain grants Away in the distance, can be seen the Stirling ami Parongernp Ranges. There is . a faint similarity between Albany' and Cape Town, each place being built at the foot of a high mount, while Mount Clarence resembles Table Mountain ; and Mount Melville partakes somewhat of the characteristics of Lion Mountain, I was informed that Albany is one of the principal points of defence on the Australian coast, and the forts under Mount Adelaide are mounted with heavy guns. The forts are commanded by au Impel ial o liicer of the Royal Artillery, the cost of their maintenance being c ntributed bv the several colonies of Australia. Albany is also au Imperial Navy coal depot.

The town itself ia small and rat lier scattered, vanning slightly np the hills. The climate should he exceptionally salubrious. Vvo lam led from the launch at th- 1 town jetty, one of many jutting out in o the liarhonr, and made uur way to Btirhng Terrace, overlooking the expanse of water. The returned military forces were formed up and inarched here also, being greeted with ringing cheers by the large crowd assembled to have a look at them, t’he town was quite en fete, it being a holiday, owing to the v'ot'- 1 being taken on tbe Commonwealth Hill. Bunting was gaily (lying from nearly every place, iiud every second person ( met sported a rod, white, and blue favour, In Yo. k Street, which nine, at right angles to Stirling Terrace, is situated the Town Hall, rather a pretentious-looking building for the town, with an imposing clock tower. A crowd was assemilled here, it being the place where the polling was being carried on, and also whei*.a banquet was held later on in honour of the returned Australasians from the front. A little lower down the sfre.et was Bf. Joh ’s Chinch of England, an edition rather resembling an old' Hellish castle, with its stronglybiidt square tower covered all over witii clinging evergreen. At the top of the street was a Anthony Hordern, who obtained from the Government sanction to construct the Great Southern Railway, the first built in the colony, and who died on the s.s. 4 ‘ Carthage” in 1880, on his way out from England, Many of the passengers left the ’Highways and hy-ways of the town— enlarged village would be the more correct term rand wandered off up the hills, collecting the pretty wild flowers and shrubs growing in profusion. Nearly ail came back laden with bouquets, and quite ready for the mid-day meal. Unfortunately, rain set in just after noon, and rendered getting about unpleasant, but one was consoled with the reflection that, even in the short time at onr disposal, we had been able to see most of the “ lions” of the place. After dinner, some went to the Town [Tall, where a splendid repast had been spread for tbe Soldiers of the Queen,” and those partaking appeared to thoroughly enjoy themselves. There was, of course, a series of toasts, and patriotic speeches were the order of the day. Oilier passeu. uers went to the Parade, and sitting on the seats, under cover,

enjoyed themselves quietly ing ' at the shipping in the harbour, or the view of the distant mountains. Several boats were running to and from the vessel, and just after three o’clock many made the return trip. Passengers mostly came hack weary, and heavy-laden, hut well pleased with the few houig spent ashore. To some it was the first time they had set foot on Australian soil, and a pleasing impression of first contact with the island continent was created. A ; A little mild excitement was caused by the arrest of one of..the passengers on a charge of appropriating a bottle of whisky from one of the hotels, hnd he was taken on shore with his , baggage. Many came ■ back to tbe ship, having had what they termed a real good time, bearing strong presumptive evidence of having "looked omthe wine when it was reel,” apd the colour was, consequently, transferred to their faces Whether the- excitenaen# had been to6-ipue\or the htjgot ..... ./.r h ' j

I know nof-, but. a most ■nuasait;.cal in prevailed through on fcT-Tbe. night, to the -intense delight oi those anxious for a gQod night’s repose. ! Just before six o’clock on Wednesday light,.= sleepers were awakeuecl by the rattle of chains, ami theh the screws began to churn the water, and wb were once more on our way east. At 7.15 Breaksea was passed, and the journey across the Great Australian Bight commenced. The morning was delightfully cairn, typical Australian weather vailing. Land was still plainly visible, bnt the prominent peaks were soon all that could be seen. These gradually disappeared as we travelled onwards, and soon there was nothing to be seen except the boundless ocean.