LEAVING SYDNEY.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 120, 13 February 1908, Page 8

LEAVING SYDNEY.

HARBOUR' SCENES; A NEW ZEALANDER'S IMPRESSIONS. The blazing Sydney sun struck down mercilessly on : tho noisesome neighbourhood of Margaret Street. The cab drew up smartly boforo a great barn, where'triicks, carts and passengers tied themselves' into- knot-s -that were speedily unravelled: to ; tli<i -accoriipaniment, in some cases, of. languSgo in keeping with the temperature. Australia-reeks with adjcctives. '-. ;l 'i- :(. .... \ , "Phewl" said a fat man; arid it was hot! Trickling little rivulets of 1 perspiration ran, wanton down the arm, reducing" the shirtcuff to a parody of the proper thing, and the dodging of tho vehicular traific .in tho Uhion ! Company's big shed did not induce a shadier fooling. In splendid/contrast;, to the drab surroundings—the backs' of. cheap boardinghouses, hotels, and bulk-s.toresfjrlay the Marama, the pride of the red-funnel fleet, cool, clean, and refreshing to ]6he;eyei.in Her-green and white coat, on the "point", of leaving' for Wellington.: / :; : - Passengers and friends, pari ted perspiringly up the gangway to. the -.shaded deck aloft.. The bcmuslined.k'difis'.fitting on- the deck-chairs fanned themselves-.fiercely a's thcy chatted a world of '. nothingsjY interspersed with an occasional 'something- to.- those they were leaving behind.' : - Confetti on the deck, gangway, and wharf. They were going to taste- tho,. new life in tho cleauer, greener land across .tile Tasman Sea. She, hugged by a gill Idoked appror hpnsively glad, and shed : a 'furtive tear or two. He looked bored and hot ; rather rc-

■ seated the confetti habit, and brushed tho joy paper briskly from'his hat arid coat whenever ono of the party tackled liim. , A gong jangled, and.the;iriehds exchangeddamp kisses and ind scuttled down tho gangway to the .Cfistering wharf, where they stood heroically,' sljouting familiarities to those on boardi. -.'-Tne., Wellington person viewing that ; crowdr'would have imagined it was raining, fdr'iiearjy every man held up a black umbrella','andp incongruously onough, tho larly of, Sydney town also favours black in the gingham, line. •<- "Give my love to 'Jennie!",' called outan oxcited little woman..; - 'Tell her'{o come over and seo us when she' : : gets..a,.chance!" > ■ ■ ■ "By'r leave," growled a f Bailor-man, as lie triced up tho gangway.,. • i-;:: "I'll. bo back when- tho; drought breaks," cried a "second-class" to his'friends ashore, who insinuated, that '-the' last- fi#'hours had not by any means been drbughty. . ; "Keep a bright a wit' from Wooloomooloo.,.;' 1 ! Donn^'pasiS,Noo-Zeal'n in the night, or It's hony a speck of mud !V;,xThis';snJly induced, a roar of; laughter, I'vwhiph' ww'rffollbwbd.'.bjr tho'tinkling andj;: in- 'liusw'er, tho steamer backed out fj&jir-Mle 'crowded wharf with great dignity ; .poirit'ed , her bow downharbour, and the air.;.freshened. "Gooa-bye! Good-bye!' 1 Godd-bye !". came out across; tho water';'" Handkerchiefs ' fluttered. A sweet-voiced cornet played "We fjarted on the.shorefrohj.':th"d'.-wuiarf, as tho liner gathered way and . spei'past the. regiment of dull,■ "dirty:'Vharves itbat; are the teeth in tho mouth .'of Darling'jH.irboHr.. Down past Cicular ; the Re"d : Sea liners lay lifolessly jaiiguprqusiri the', tropic heat, and then Farm ,Covq .opfcns-out,-with H:M.S. Powerful in'the'middl<3?distance; and. tho ' Gardens—Sydney'^',wonderfully bbantifiil Botanical Gardens—shiiiiiigHike '.-emerald behind. ■ Past the historic' Xadys Macquarrie's Ohair ; past Woolconipdlid! Bay, then Rush- . cutter's Bay, Double,' Bay, and Rose l Bay; alive with small craft,, and surrounded with,, perhaps, tho finest .seaside; residences in-the world. Crowded ferijy^bpats' are ahead'and on each sido of ris;«r'tfsb.ing to Manly,' Watson's Bay, and a score of other sea-swept paradises. As wo overhauled the erbwded ferry-boats .they parted ithis way and that, to the right to Valplusei'and' Watson's, to tho left to Clifton (formerly the Chowder of notoriety) and Manlyjvand 'jyo wero left, with only two graceful yachts skimiiiing headwards on our starboard quarter/ iThey gavo us a cheery salute, and a'monster shark, as'.their, convoy, showed a dusky * fin as we took tho lift and scud ;of ocean .way. Astern, the '' frowning cliffs of South Head leered out menacingly hungry in.thoir bold aggressiveness, but tho sun was out, tl\6 was ; fair, and there was nothing for. them' save great piles of seaweed that played.a soggy game of touch with the snarling rocks below.' Eastward Ho! Nothing save, tile white horses of tho Tasman- ahead, \away back a misty blue lino—Australia., ..Sydney is des-, tined to be 'dno' of. world's' centres, and I will not smile when its : pooplo ; speak of the surpassingly beautiful. • Thoy can ' lavish no praise that'is not'short of justice; can say nothing tpo' : exfravaSant with tho aid of an open dictionary;-;.^p^'itivas fashioned in the superlative. . y\ ..