DEPARTURE OF THE GALATEA.

Westport Times, Volume V, Issue 779, 21 February 1871, Page 2

DEPARTURE OF THE GALATEA.

The Auckland correspondent of the " Lyttelton Times " writes : At 10 10 a.m. the Galatea rounded flag staff hill, and entered the eastern passage. The Luna ran up to the Galatea's port quarter, the Royal Alfred taking up a similar position on the starboard side. At this time the Galatea's booms, bridges, hammocks, nettings, tops and fore, main, and mi?en chains, were densely packed with officers, middies, and blue-jackets, who cheered incessantly for some time, Afterwards the Choral Society sang " Auld Lang Syne," and " Home Sweet Home." In return' the Galatea's band played several familiar, airs with much expression. Then his Koyal Highness leaned over the ship's stern and waved his cap and bowed a great many times. At half-past 10 the excursionists were gratified br a display which few of their, wdl ever forget. Suddenly from all the yard arms of the Galatea, from every sprit and boom end, and high over all on the main, fore and mizen trucks, sailors stood and wavel small variously colored flags, -cheering us the while. A white haired aged tar waved the royal standard from the main truck. As he stood ou one leg and waved the regal emblem round his head, two younger men on the fore and mizen trucks did h .tmge to the standard by bowing and loworiug two Union Jacks in his direction. It seemed a perilous thing to see three men standing upright at such a dizzy elevation, with only small circles of wood a few inches in circumferenco to support

them, aud it waa worth while to note 'low coolly they did it. Besides waving a Union .Tack in his right hand, the fore-truck man |held a white bird in his loft. Afterwards all three sat cross-legged upou tho trucks, occasionally cheering. Meantime, Tom, the elephant, came to the Galatea's port gangway and bade us farewell in a series of grand salaams. He was answered with loud and reiterated cheers. Conspicuous amongst the sailors in the Galatea's port fore chains were the Duke's Chinese servant boys. They were dressed in loose white robes, and waved their adieus with their blue silk caps. Whilst this display was in progress, ■ the Clio dropped alongside the Galatea, manned yards, aud cheered, and just before we reached the reef the Clio's crew repeated tho performance in honor of the Governor and friends of Commodore Stirling, on board tho Luna.