" PELORUS JACK " AND THE PENGUIN.

o Muck lias been written about "Pelorus Jack," and on some points writers are at variance (says the New Zealand Times), but on one there is no room for any doubt, and that was, "He knew the Penguin." For from the day that an attempt was made upon his life from her deck, he gave that steamer a wide berth. It was perfectly futile for passengers to ask her skipper for information so constantly enquired .of all in command of steamers pursuing the French Pass route of the Sounds trip, "When shall we see Pelorus JackPV So far as the Penguin was concerned, his Majesty might be said to be non-exist-ent, only a mythical tale of the sea, another of tlia Sea Serpent fables. Year after year went by, and under no circumstances would Pelorus Jack emerge' from the silent deep when the Penguin was ploughing her furrows therein. Men ceased to wonder at Jack's non-appearance under the cireamstaiioes, but was it to be a lifelong grudge to be • remembered against this perfectly innocent craft? The solution of the problem very narrowly escaped' never being solved, for only some six weeks ago, and thus a similar period previous to the Penguin's plunge into its deep grave off the Terawhiti coast line, Pelorus Jack presumably concluded it was time to forgive and forget, and once again came out to meet the Penguin (he can generally be seen a mile distant making a bee-line for the oncoming steamer), and as of olden days, before evil designs were made upon his life, he playfully fraternised with this ship and her company, and has continued such fraternal visits on several occasions since.