A QUEER LOOLING CHAFT

Greymouth Evening Star, 24 February 1920, Page 5

A QUEER LOOLING CHAFT

IN GREY RIYER.

“ROMANCE” OF THE SWALLOW.

HER FIRST VISUL

The arrival of the'steamer Swallow in Greymouth this morning created a considerable amount of curiosity, not only among the regular habitues of the* wharf, but among townspeople generally. The peculiar proportions of the vessel coupled with the fact that she came into port with a flag not usually seen flown on a vessel of that type, was responsible for a good deal of conjecture and many suggestions as to the origin of the queer looking craft and its hard looking weatKerbitten crew were put forward liy interested spectators, one of whom evidently mistaking the flag flying on the side of the vessel for the emblem of France, remarked that he was certain that the vessel was a French gunboat which had been picked up somewhere on the Coast.

A “Greymouth Evening Star” reporter was promptly despatched to find out all he could about the Swallow and, judging from the patched up sides of the vessel and her peculiar appearance, he anticipated securing a romantic history and expected to see plates all over the cabins telling of some noble deeds of daring in which she had been engaged during the stormy days of war. The fact that “Swallow, Rangoon” was painted in white letters on the vessel’s bows also tendered to supply the element of mystery. ACROSS THE TASMAN. Our reporter, after risking his neck in crossing the narrow gangway, interviewed the master of the Swallow, Captain M. McKenzie, and obtained—not a thrilling account as he expected but a most prosaic story of. the peculiar looking craft’s career. It may as well be said at once that the Swallow has never done anything more romantic than act as a dredge in Sydney harbour and “(s)wullow” across the Tasman Sea with cargo.

This conversion from hopper to cargo carrier was made about eighteen months ago, when everything that could float was converted for cargo carrying purposes. The Swallow was originally .engaged in hopping” about in Rangoon harbour and was afterwards bought by the Sydney Harbour Trust and obar tered to a private company when she was converted —hence the patched up appearance of the sides of the boat, width of beam and the exceptionally large amount of hatch space amidships. The mystery of the flag was soon cleared up. When she left Westport the Swallow had mails on board for Greymouth and, consequently, had the mail flag flying when .she ar rived in port. The similarity between the mail and the French flags evidently accounted for the remarks anent the French “gunboat.” NOT A “TOP NOTCHER.” The Swallow has travelled a few thousand miles o’er the seas since her conversion, among the voyages essayed by her being one to Java, whilst the Australian Coast knows the vessel well. She lias been to Wellington and Auckland and came to Westport for “bunkers.” The Swallow is 800 tons gross and has a nett tonnage of 500 tons. Although she certainly does not look like a “top notcher” our representative was assured that she is a first rate seadjoat, and in her short career has weathered a few pretty heavy storms. The trip over from Wellington was fairy stormy.

The “Swallow” is on her first visit to Greymouth and will be in port until Thursday or Friday, loadingtimber for Sydney, and will probably take about 10,000 or 15,000 feet.