THE WALLABIES’ TOUR.

Evening Star, Issue 13099, 4 November 1908, Page 3

THE WALLABIES’ TOUR.

NOTES BY E. E. BOOTH,„THE “ALL BLACK.” Mr E. E. Booth, - who is' accompanying the Australian team of footballers on their English tour, writes us as follows from Newton Abbot, Devon, under date of September 25 : To give a fully detailed account of our voyage on the Omrah from Fremantle would occupy too much space. Our sendoff was worthy ,of remark. The New Zealanders on the wharf, many of whom were gave a lively hafca and the war cry “ Kumati ” in real Maori style. Th© voyage through the Indian Ocean to Ceylon was very smooth, the cMef event being a visit from Father Neptune, which ceremony was very elaborately carried out. Deck cricket, sports, and training occupied •all day. and th© team kept their condition down very well; Wo also had social evenings and dances. At Colombo we were soon all ashore and flying round in rickshaws. W© had a fine fine visiting the museum. Communion Gardens, pagodas, Hindoo and Mahomedan temples. The native quarter was most interesting, and some natives queried if we were footballers, and asked for the “All Blacks.” We did not play at Ceylon, owing to the local players’ suspension at present. We had an easy, quick run to Suez. , At Port Said the team rushed ashore and sampled cigarettes of all makes, especially the famous Egyptian and Turkish. Selling cigarettes and smoking seem the chief occupations of the inhabitants of Port Said. The variety of nationalities in these towns is surprising. The Mediterranean Sea trip was simply like an ideal yachting cruise. At Naples we were early ashore, and spent hours amongst the ruined “homes” of 2,000 years ago. The relics and paintings, especially of their early civilisation, are marvellous, and have to be seen to bo appreciated. The remains of petrified humanity in th© museum excite wonderment. We dined well at Cook’s Hotel, returning by rail. Naples with its harbor, and Mount Vesuvius, is certainly on© of the sights of the world. We had just time to see th© cathedral, ancient State prison and its gruesome relics, and a brief run through the town museum, before departure. C. E. Murrain, through a serious illness, was put off at Naples and sent back to Sydney by Mr M’Mahon. This cast a damper somewhat on the party. Mr M’Mahon and Mr E. S. Marks (rep. Amateur Athletic Association of Australasia) went overland to London. Fine weather continued to Marseilles, where many left the Oniirah and railed over France. We had no time ashore, but spent three good hours at Gibraltar. Tobacco is \ery cheap here. Th© Australians are great cigarette smokers, and bought a fair stock. The grapes here from Morocco are th© best I have ever tasted. The formidable fortress in its strength and importance is very imposing, and worthy of a visit any time. We encountered a bad fog in the English Channel. Early on Saturday afternoon we steamed into Plymouth, ana had a splendid reception by a crowded boat-load of football enthusiasts and officials of the English Rugby Union, and also Devon and Cornwall Counties. A band played ‘ Home, sweet home,’ and the meeting was in every way a hearty one. I could not help comparing it with the reception w© obtained there in 1905, when a small party of half a dozen only received us, and when we had to hunt round Plymouth to get breakfast for thirty hungry men. Upon our arrival at the Hoe th© crowd cheered, and th© Mayor of Plymouth (Sir Charles Radford) officially received the team and welcomed them to England. The warsMps in the harbor, H.M.S. Hiberia and Davenport, made quit© a showing in honor of (he occasion. The team had a fine banquet in the Royal Hotel, and attended a theatre party in the evening. I met several old friends and acquaintances of 1905-06, and in fact since landing have had nothing but “ Well, and whait of this one, and what of that one?” Truly the “All Blacks” will live in the English memory for many a long day yet. After a visit to the wansMps th© team entrained to Newton Abbot, and received a fine ovation by hundreds of the inhabitants at the railway, station. On Monday the training exercises started early, and are regularly continued day by day. The weather has been very dull since arrival, and most of the work lias been in th© mud. Photographers and Press men are in constant attendance, and the team are really having quite a lively time all round. To-day w© went to Torquay, the famous Devon watering place. Many visitors frequent this town yet, although the season is over. The London papers have been naming this team “ The Rabbits,” but the men resent this misnomer, and the ‘ Daily Mail ’ has given us the title of “ The Wallabies.” All the team are in excellent health and spirits, and very keen on selection in the initial match against Devon County. Devon’s team contains many who opposed New Zealand in 1905. it is generally thought here that the game has improved since our visit, and the Australians have a harder “ hoe to row ” than we did. The local football team have flourished well since the All Blacks’ visit. To-day I received notice from A. Adams (ex-Otago University) asking me to use my endeavors to arrange a match between the United Hospitals against the Australian Wallabies.