TO NASEBY BY OTAGO.

Mount Ida Chronicle, Volume 29, Issue 1528, 11 February 1899, Page 4

TO NASEBY BY OTAGO.

[Br Job Lines.J

On a very slow train in which Mark Twain was once travelling, he is reportedto have asked the guard what the thing in front of the engine was; the'guard said it was a cow catcher. The humorist expressed surprise at a cow-catcher being in front of that train and told the guard that it had better be taken from there and put at the rear of the train, for, said he, " There is not the slighest fear of this train ever catching up to a cow, but there is a grave probability of a cow catching up to the train and climbing in at the guard's van to eat the passengers."

This little anecdote was borne forcibiiy in on me, when in a weak moment T was induced to take a passage at Dunedin for Naseby, via Ranfurly. It is but fair to say that the applicability of the story did not 3trike me just at first, no, it was, as I said before, borne in on me. I'or, leaving Dunedin that train appeared to have not a minute to spare, as the Americans say, it " fairly humped itself," and appeared to mean business. That was so that people who had delayed a minute or two over their hot coffee would have ample opportunity to miss the train to Ranfurly, a consummation, by-the-way, devoutly to be wished. But when that train had rushed at break-neck speed as far as Caversham the steam appeared to run short or the driver got tired, or something, for the rest of that painful pilgrimage was performed in pain and travail on the part of the misnomer locomotive in front.

My thanks, however, are due to the guard. He was indefatigable in his efforts to prevent iny falling into a state of dangerous coma or lethargy, and hustled me up every now and then for the ostensible purpose of looking at my ticket. lam sure he had no ulterior motive in looking at my ticket so often. I do him the justice to say that he did it purely from motives humanitarian —he wanted to keep me lively. I also wish to record my admiration for the Railway Department in their want of refreshment arrangements on this line. There is not a shadow of doubt in my mind but that too much to eat is bad for a man. The Railway Department, recognising this fact, run the Otago Central on Dr Tanner's principles, for, from the time one leaves Dunedin, 6.55 a.m., till he reaches Ranfurly almost at any time the same afternoon he has no opportunity of getting anything to eat beyond a sandwich at Hindon. This is, good. It precludes all possibility of over-feed-ing on the part of the passenger, who otherwise, on account of the time he is on the train might arrive at Ranfurly in a plethoric and aldermanic condition quite at variance with the antithesis which appears to prevail at that dyspeptic terminus.

I should like to dwell on that train journey, but on second thoughts I rather think I dwelt in it enough and to spare. To use a Hibernianism, if I dwelt on it any more I should die. Ranfurly, the terminus of the line —and some say the end of all things earthly—was reached about 2.30. At first sight this town does not strike one as a populous centre—it would require second sight (joke) to discover anything in it. Its name, however, redeems it from that obscurity to which it would otherwise be relegated. The name of this place was originally Eweburn, but after its elevation to the dignity of a railway terminus it was felt that it should be known by another name more in keeping with its newborn importance, so it was called Ranfurly. I do not know that Ranfurly is a more impressive name than Eweburn, but it is more aristocratic and dignified—just now. Some day, perhaps, Ranfurly will grow. It will have kerosene street lamps and boards over the water-courses (within the municipality), then with their growing importance the citizens may be discontented with the humility implied by Ranfurly and will burn to call the place Victoria, or Wales, or Montmorency or something. But "sufficient for the clay, <&c." The importance of Ranfurly as a commercial centre may be judged from some statistics I gathered from one of its early residents —a most reliable source, especially as the town is practically a prohibition one. He said that the local merchant had no less than eight customers on his books ; that another leading citizen was contemplating extensive additions to his adobe mansion, and in support of this intelligence pointed out x,he pile of bricks already hardening under the fierce rays of the sun for the purpose; that a coffee palace would be erected as soon as the supply of packing cases and kerosene tins warranted the step. I was much impressed with Ranfurly. The pilgrim to Nasoby takes coach at Ranfurly for about a ten mile drive. The road is exceptionally good. When I went over it the drag aud team of four was all that could be desired. I didn't learn the driver's name so I am unable to hand it down to undying fame in Tiik Chronicle, but he was a driver who appeared to have driven before. I passed a few sheep on the way who appeared to have been disputing territory with the rabbits and to have been worsted in the encounter. The sheep wore a worried look while the rabbits hopped around in sportive contentment. I nm told that the rabbit is pushing thu sheep out of the market as an article of commerce. Ho is not so big but there are more of hirn. Unlike the sheep, once the rabbit is shorn he ceases to take any active interest in things-. When a rabbit is shorn once he does not, like the sheep, start in to grow u supply of wool for the next year's shearing. Despite these apparent drawbacks he has outlived his unpopul-irity and is now, I believe, almost looked up to by Otngonians as an important factor in the prosperity of the district. There is a climate in Naseby. Everybody in Naseby says so, so it must bo right. Dunedin Ims a town hall, Christchurch has a cnthcclru], Auckland has a harbour, with each pf which tho unoffending travel leiworried by the citizens, hut Naseby has a climate. I was in Sydney once 1 VA I TO »8!so4 tl.gio, " Ytlvit do you.

think of our "harbour ? I said, "Where is it?" That was silly of course, but it -was effective. ; "In Naseby I have been asked, " What do you think of our climate?" I invariably say, "Where is it?" It seems to me that this Naseby climate is streaky iD the summer, and from what; I hear it is too consolidated in the winter. In the latter season JKansen would find it salubrious. He could have all the fun he wanted without going to the North Pole. But climates at best are uninteresting to speak of. Before dismissing the Naseby one, however, T would like to say that from information gathered from outside sources, this climate is likely to bring money into the town—it is a valuable asset, for the cogent reason that it is healthy. Consumptives and pleuromoniaes (I think that word is mine) come here from distant parts to eke out a few more years of an existence that elsewhere would be foreshortened. In this connection and lest outsiders should imbibe a wrong-' impression from what I have said, I should mention that there is a cemetery here—a nice breezy cemetery, containing some very creditable tombstones 1 and monuments. Were I not engaged at a fabulous salary to write for': this paper I should like to be buried in the Naseby cemetery. f

Talking of consumptives, I believe it is intended to establish a sanatorium here. It is a humane and charitable idea, and should bring in the shekels of gold and the shekels of silver, i . This brings me to the staple product of Naseby. Gold. Everywhere is evidence of the ransacking, of Nature's treasure chest by -the übiquitous Chow and the enterprising pakeha. The ground 5s everywhere excavated, and acres of stones exposed to view by the " sluicing "' operations carried on in the " rush for the spoil." Waterraces and flumes wind their sinuous lengths over the landscape like gigantic boa-constrictors. The force of water thus obtained is utilised for elevators. An elevator is a thing that raises the mud and gravel to a height of some feet or some feet and a half—l am not sure of the exact height thence the gravel and mud flow over inclined planes or tables covered with blankets, and the gold in some mysterious and accommodating manner sticks in the blankets whence it is washed and sold to the banks for coin of the realm, afterwards being exchanged for beer and rum and other delicacies of the season, and so the game goei on. The reduction of gold to beer is partly a chemical process, partly gastronomic, but it gets there just the same, It is a curious relationship that beer bears to gold. Gold buys beer and soddens the purchaser, and Us afterwards squirted into the patientin its bi-chlorido form to correct the ravages caused by beer. Curious, isn't it?

Besides elevators for getting gold there is a dredge. A dredge is a sort of mixture of ship and house. It has a lot of buckets, called hoppers, on the endless chain principle. These scoop up the mud and gravel from the bottom of the creek, and the stuff is then treated "in the same manner as that brought up by the elevators. The approach to the dredge over the track of stones and rubbish left by it would not, one would think, be selected by lovers for the interchange of those vows peculiar to their kind. Yet -I found the element of romance even here. I have ventured to relate the incident in verse, calling it:

A NASEBY IDYLL; They walked together hand in hand, Down by the dredge ; A youth and a maid at Cupid's command, Down by the dredge. As the hoppers went round with a rythmical swish, He said " Tell me the returns of your love, love, I wish." Then she answered him promptly, " One ounce to the dish."

I find that effort very exhausting so will return from the realms of romance to prosaic facts. There is an athemeum here. The building is not imposing but the stove inside is satisfactory. The recreation ground is a credit to the town and to those whose foresight secured. the reserve. There are two banks here, the buildings being substantial and ornaments to the town. There are a butter factory and a flour mill amongst the industries of the district. Some very pretty private residences are to be found surrounding the town, whilst the spiritual welfare of the inhabitants is looked after by the Church of Eng-; land, the Roman Catholic and Presbyterian Churches. The Salvation Army wage a fierce and bloodless war against sin of all branches. It has a barracks and a band and appears to scratch along in a very satisfactory and exhilarating manner.