CAPTAIN JACKSON BARRY AT KIHIKIHI.

Waikato Times, Volume XXXVI, Issue 2924, 11 April 1891, Page 2

CAPTAIN JACKSON BARRY AT KIHIKIHI.

Captain Barky delivered a lecture in the public hall ou Tuesday night. The attendance was very poor indeed. The captain opened his lecture with a few preliminary remarks, and then proceeded to give an outline ol' his experiences. He was born in Cambridgeshire in 1SI!). and in IS2S entered the service of Sir John Alcock, who was then about to make a tour of the world. Sir John, accompanied with young Harry (then only nine years of age) secured a patsige to New Smith Wales in I.S'JS. The vessel was boarded by about -JOO men. When but a few months at sea, aud after having experienced very rough weather, the water supply ran short, and, to make matter* worse, typhoid fever visited the vessel. After a loss of a great number of ship's men, the vessel was compelled to put into the Cape of Good Hope to undergo repairs aud take in water. Another start was made, and ultimately Sydney harbour was reached tn January, the voyage taking nine months to accomplish. Tpyhoid fever

boinp still raging on board, the ship was placed in quarantine for six weeks. After a short stay in Sydney with Sir .loliu Alcock, Barry determined to run away. This ho did, and hid in a tank until midnight, when he was arrested by a watchman, brought before the magistrate and cautioned. Punishment ia the early days of his experience was very severe, aDd he has seen a man sentenced to seven years' imprisonment for stealing two turnips. After having rambled round Sydney for three days without foot), lie entered the service of a Mr Smith, who was the first importer of blood stock to New South Wales. Young Barry was in the habit of riding these horses, and one day, whilst at the prison, he threw a few sticks of tobacco to one of the prisoners. This was then a serious offence, and he was at once pursued by the authorities, but beiug well mounted he soon got out of their reach for the time being. The punishment which would have been inllicted on him for this oll'ence was 100 lashes; so, in order to escape this, he stowed away ou ;l whaler. On this vessel lie fell in with a lad named Winton, and in ISoS they reached Port l'hilip—then a dense bush. Not being very kindly treated ou board, they made off, intending to walk back to .Sydney. They travelled for some days without I water aud nothing to eat but a few berries. When about half dead they fortunately came across a teut, which, I although unoccupied, contained provisions, to which tlicy helped themselves. The teut belonged to BitemaiiQ, the pioneer explorer in this district. They camped there for the night, and next morning werj surprised at seeing the figure of a man, some Oft Tin in height, with long hair to his knees, advancing towards them. This man proved to be

William Buckley, the wild white man, I who had been years with the natives, having been exiled iu ISO.'!. Buckley could not speak a word of English for some short time alter, when Larry and Wiuton made use of him as an interpreter with the natives. After having gone through many narrow escapes they reached Sydney ; but were only a few days there when they weie taken on board ship and brought to New Zeal mid, the vessel anchoring at the Lay of Islands. Again they decided to run away : and, having made arrangements with a whaler then bouud for Sydney, tiiey swam ashore one night expecting to be met by the whaler's boat, but were captured by Maoris, tied hand and foot, tin own over a stick, aud carried for a distance of some two miles. Having gone that distance, tliey wore made to walk barefooted a further distance of fifteen miles, through bush. The next step was to take them into a pa, where cannibalism was carried on before their eyes. When there a few days they were treated to some food, a few days later tabooed, and shortly after married into the tribe. After a short time they escaped with two natives, and boarded a French whaler. Unfortunately, when three degrees south of the line, this vessel took fire, and Barry with Winton and two others, hung ou to a dead whale, which hail floated off the vessel, for twelve hours, being rescued next day by un open boat. Iu this boat they remained for sixteen days without food, aud at last lots were cast,

when it fell to poor Winton's fate to die. Fortunately a vessel now hove in sight aud rescued thetn, taking them oil to India, where Win ton was afterwards shot wliilst sealing a wall. Owing to the poor attondauee. Llie captain concluded his amusing lecture here, but stated his intention to again address the Kihikihi people on his return from the King Couutry. Tawhiao and Rewi and a number of natives were amongst those preseut, aud they took a lively interest in that portion of Captain Barry's lecture referring to his sojourn amongst the Maoris at the Bay of Islands in the early days. After the lecture Captain Harry was invited to Rewi's house, where he was presented with a photo of Rewi, to commemorate his having lived among the Maoris over fifty years ago. A party was arranged to escort Captain Barry through the King Country, to locate the deposit of tin ore which he came across when travelling through the country some years ago, Captain Barry left by train yesterday for Rotorua to recruit his health previous to taking the proposed trip.