A Mastertonian Abroad.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume IX, Issue 3032, 18 October 1888, Page 2

A Mastertonian Abroad.

"Youn Own Correspondent," after passing through realms hotter than the depths of—-, has now reached the comparative coolness of the Mediterranean, and at present it is j only about 82 degrees in the shade, eo the pleasure of writing to you is a mild form, of exercise which can well bo indulged in, provided it is not attended with too much excitement, and that is not likely with the poor fund of incident at my command, I stopped at Sydnoy for three weeks en route, and much enjoyed the scenery and lifo there. I shall probably have some time at both Mel-

bourne and Sydney in returning. The Exhibition hud not then been opohod. In Molbourne I called upon Signor Hfig, He is living there with his family. Ho sent his kind regards to you. They are all well. He thinks of finally leaving the Colony and going Home in about a year. The" Iberia" is not one of the most modern steamers, but" she is an excellent sea boat, very steady aud exceedingly comfortable, I havo one of the best cabins on board, and, : although it is a four-berth one, I have had it to myself entirely, I am going Homo in. what is termed Second /Srttawith the intention of -returning First-Glass in a modern steamer.

In these older boats the second-class cabins aro in tho centre of the vessel —the best part,- In tho newer boats tlm first-class cabins aro in that desirablo position, and the secondclass "aft," There is, of course, electa light all over the vessel, and in all the cabius. The second-class faro is about equal to tho ordinary hotel fare in New Zealand., Tho bill-of-fare gives as much choice as is provided at Elkins' Club Hotel, Masterton. _ In the tropics, and even now while it is at all warm .there is

plenty of ice, and all wines, beor, terateel water, drinking -water, oto., aro iced.' The firat-class saloon has in addition punkahs worked by steam, and these mechanical fanscreate an admirable and refreshing draught, 00 to 08 ■was our greatest heat, but this was in the Red Sea, where the moistness of the air makes it much 'mow' unbearable than a;higher temperature in other ; places. Our experience wits..under; tho average, considering tho time of theyeaiv On this same vessel oh former occasions, there have boen several times deaths from '«liea.t, apoplexy,'') :'A stroke. of this complaint,' which is the result of oye'r-heating the body,.canses the viptiin to drop like a log.arid all tLat can he done is to place those attacked ! jetweenblocksoUc§i!\ tha,sliade, fan wind sail's, arid wait w\s tWyJeithcr recover,' or dioX Itly

once : flown': '■ !m tli "] thisp arid- In}; has] known of fiwfate Eicepfi for #e;/ lieatjiliis'l'rputisv to -Englaiicl'" iS'ihucU 'pireferdble-to: any-' ■jo'ther, except Saq Fmnciaco, More calm weather,', is. met .with; : on- an average,- and thefe is hibrelobe .seen at ■■- the places ■ of. call. We went through ,the,Suez'.Canal, .which is about.Bo.or 19; miles :> long,' in about eighteen hours. Steamers havo the last'few ; yeaia travelled in the canal by .night'as well as by day, a 20,000 .candle power electric light liung.ovei'the .bows and a portablo; dynaino is' placed oh aboard tenipor-; arily, and thus the channel for about 300 jyards in front ia lit up. The canal is worked on the block ; system and'" steamers pass eaoh other,'at wider places called stations or sidings. Our trip so far has, been a very fine weather unevehtfaToi% Tho only amusements have been a fire in midocean, one thousand miles from land,sundry scratch cricket matches, a few fights and two or three sweepstakes, The fire was in the ship's store room, and was caused by a boy leaving &• 1 lighted candle below. Half an hours suffocating Work and a liberal supplyj of water by hose quickly put it out,: atauexpe.nselofonlyaboutiiftypoynds worth of. water. damage.:; This': was in the afternoon, and there 'was; really no cause .of alarm amphgthe passengers.Notwithstanding tliis,one fellow got his family together, - , said his prayers, and armed himself with, a revolver. '-.-• The latter,- doubtless, was .to' greet pirates, eto,, .within'.ca'se. we.had to'take tothe boats. ;-It'is my grief to iiiform you, aud' if may' interest you to know that Bass' English beer is 8d a small bottle gping'home and Gd coming' out.-,';ThiSvis the bottlo sold in the colony at Is.! Unfortunately lam;doing the trip'on strictly teetotal principles, 'and the economy T might have: otherwise induged in by these low' prices must be foregone, to my loss. Jam constantly reminded of old times in the Wairarapa by various incidents. To quotes-One of our passengers, a Mr a. O. Lee, was formerly a station holder near, Carterton, and his brother subsequently was in -Mr. P. ,H, Wood's office. Also to-day, upon taking up ths Illustrated- London •News I happened to read the advertisement of Ellman's Eoyal Embrooation, when the following caught my eye, and I enolose it; 'From Messrs Hoodand Shaw.Livery Stable Keepers, Masterton Wellington, New Zealand.' June 29,1887. Sirs,—Having used your Einbrocatoin in the colonies on soveral. occasions, I have-great pleasure in saying that we always found it very satisfactory. Yours truly, Hood & Shaw.' .Wehaveonly onoinvalid oii board, although there arc several who are a bit" off colour," iuoluding one man who is a trifle" dotty the filbert," viz., a lung. The invalid is a consumptive. Hi is a compositor of Plymouth, went to the Colony for his health, and is now returning home to die. This last week or so, since the relaxation of the Red'pea, he has been helpless in bed, and is as weak as a cat.• I wrote- to England to his wife for him from Naples, If it had been to his "best girl" 1 could have managed the thing better. For somo days, and oven now, - if is touoh-and:

, go whether the poor beggar reaches i Plymouth or not. We are hoping ho j. will hold out and are doing allposj sible for the man, The doctor very l kindly "sounded," meto ; d»y, He . said uo disease of the lungs, but very great 'weakness, and necessity for . every care. He said that I should ' on no account winter in England, This means that I shall only spend two months there,and then go to the J Continent to France and Italy, or . even perhaps to Algiers, for it is hardly -worth while travelling for three months'for a stay at Home of j only two months. "Have you ever , been to Port Said—this ond of tho , Suez Canal I It's a tropical place, so are the inhabitants. There is only one warmer- habitation either in this 1 world or out of it, and most of the ] Port Saidites ■ are bound to roach it j sooner or later, That gossipy book ! "John Bull's .neighbour".dosoants upon the immorahty of the Parisians and. says that even in Europe's gayest capital there is even to Be seen every evening by thoso who know where to go a Tableaux Yivant of whom the subjects are stark naked women on a revolving platform, their points being intensified and vividly exhibited by a

powerful liino light. But this is tame compared with Port Said, the wickedest spot on,the Globe: Here in the main street may be seen, several saloons, anil in the side streets numbers of suoh places, where any'enterprang- and curious gentlemen■ bent upon . what ho terms " enjoying himself," may at any time of the day or night.have the pleasure of seeing women whoso entire olothmg, is rather less than-Eve wore after "The Fall," If thd visitor is a bit of a Ma, and is inclined to say: " Show us what you can and damn the expense," he may for" about 20s witness tk whole establishment. Generally about four or five womon of all nationalities do a can-cm in Nature's garb. Some of our passengers saw all there was to bo seen in this way. My guide, an Arab boy, considerately

pointed out to mo several establishments, but I'gently remonstrated with him in his efforts to lead me astray, and tho foregoing is a des- ' cription of, those 1 : who did go. The ; thing is disgusting to those who aro '' new to such vicious and low attrac- ! tions, aud one or two mon who did in weakness aocompauy others, were by ' no means pleased with thoir experi- ] enco, The temperature of the, sea : water one day in the Red .Sea iwas ( 80 degrees, How is that for. high ? ' Love to' Bob the irrepressible, and { the others in the office, You can tell from this how'l am progressing, j With best wishes to all, fa. .''■.! Orient Liner" Iberia,"- l Mediteiranoan Sea, 24th Aug,, /88, ! (Oneday from Gibraltk-.) ' -