OCCASIONAL NOTES OF AN ISLAND CRUISE.

New Zealand Herald, Volume V, Issue 1433, 20 June 1868, Page 5

OCCASIONAL NOTES OF AN ISLAND CRUISE.

[Wr -ttin for the Heralb.] 4. fineb harbour cannot; be found in the Melanesian gronp than that of Havannah in the island of Sandwich. It owes its security to the Eosition of the group of islands that are comjned in its formation. Sandwich itself, which is an irregular-shaped island of some 23 miles in diameter, lies almost in a line between Erromanjjo and Aneiteurn, the line extending S.E. and N. "W.. as nearly as may be. Tn running for: this harbour from Tanna the breeze was dead aft, and except for a few occasional showers of' rain the weather was lovely. The warning condition of our barometer, however, had led us to believe that something was brewing, and to have remained outside when a port of refuge was so easily accessible would have been foolish in the extreme, particularly as our little vessel was of such small tonnage. At daylight on Sunday morning the Southern end of the land was broad on our ! starboard bow, and we edged in towards it for I the purpose of obtaining a better view of the place. Protection Island, which forms the western wall of the harbour, shortly became distinctly visible.showing the southern entrance, ; which we passed, and ran between Protection and ' Hat Islands. The latter derives its name from ! its resemblance to a flat-crowned hat, and consists of a small low reef surmounted by a round mass of rocks, in the interstices of which were growing a considerable number of stunted trees, j In the course of another hour or so we arrived at the north-west entrance, and hauling our wind stood in between the islsnds of Protection and Deception. Deception lies to the north- j ward of Sandwich, and thus the harbour possesses three entrances. Those from the south and north are practicable for vessels of almost any draught, but that formed by the drift between Deception and Sandwich is awash at low=' ! water and r available only for boats at high tide. With a view to announce the advent of the vessel to the good people of- Sandwich we fired our swivel gun on entering the heads, the echoea from which reverberated amongst the hills and rocks in a surprising manner, and astonished some weak-minded and over-fed cormorants who were congregated upon the rocks, to such a degree that they all precipitated themselves headlong into the water and appeared no more. This entrance is guarded on either sido by masses of basaltic rocks, and is not more than a cable's length in width, but we did not find less than five fathoms in any part of the fairway. Before the echoes of the report of the gun had died away, loud shot.ts could be heard from the shore, amongst the scrub, and in the bush, which from their tone seemed to signify great consternation and astonishment, and before the vessel had progressed 100 yards further the waters were literally swarming with canoes, similar in construction to those of Tanna, each containing two or three men. Anxious to communicate with and conciliate them we hoveto, and allowed some couple of dozen canoes to hang on alongside whilst we held parley with their owners, several of whom could speak sufficient English for trading purposes, and to these we stated our willingness to purchase any produce that they might possess, and that we should remain a few days in the place. A few of these people had shells picked up from the beach, for which they demanded tobacco, but the specimens were not very fine in quality, so that no very large investments were made. Inside Havannah harbour the airs are generally light and variable, with sudden and sharp squalls from the hills. In cousequence of this it was late in the afternoon before we reached the east end of the harbour, where we intended to bring up. which we did at last in five fathoms water, about a stone's throw from the beach. Bight opposite was the residence of a native of Manilla, who had lived for some years in Sandwich, amusing himself in a profitable manner by setting the natives to work to cultivate yams and bananas for him, and occasionally supplying the Queensland cotton plantations with men at 10s. a head, whenever a vessel came down for a cargo of human flesh. This gentleman, with an extraordinary sounding name, would fain have done the same kind offices for us, but our foolish prejudices as Englishmen stood in the light of making a profit out of what we could not but look upon as anything short of slave-dealing. Our Manilla friend was dressed in European fashion, and boarded us in his own canoe, which was finished in a superior style to the general run. He was accompanied by two of his children—pretty, brown faced, dark-eyed, little boys, dresFed in cotton shirts and trousers with a gaudy handkerchief twisted round the head. At their invitation, some of us went ashore and visited their abode —a collection of slab and ; grass huts surrounded with a palisading, and guarded by a pack of half-starved and evil-minded dogs, which rushed at us like the curs that they were, and fled back again at [the sight of a boat-hook. It Hoon became apparent that this " white man" (as he delighted to be called) was a species of nabob on a small scale, and Tcept quite an extensive harem of wives. He showed us no less than eight women, nat-ves of Erromango, whom he had imported from that place for his own use and benefit. Each of them had a small family of children, so that there was quite a little settlement inside the palisading. He had several acres under cultivation with yams and bananas ; but we observed that the man and his -wives all looked sickly and thin ; and, considering the low and swampy situation of his place, we were not at all surprised at it. fc.The next morning we were boarded by a large and powerful whaleboat, pulling four oars, which came from the other side of the haruour out of a little bay in Deception Island. A pleasant - looking curly - headed Tslander, dressed in a cotton suit, was at the steer oar, and in the stern sheets were laid five muskets. On boarding us, armed, and revolver in belt, the steersman introducedhimself as " Uea Jim," s.nd nroduced a letter from the captain of H.M.S. 3?alcon warning traders against the natives of Mou, a neighbouring island, the inhabitants of which place the Falcon had been dispatched to punish, on account of various murders of ships' crews, of which they hai been guilty. After some days had elapsed, and when we were better acquainted with "Jim," lie told us his history. It appeared that he had in his youth murdered a chief of the island of Uea, in the Loyalty Group, of which he was himself a native. He then made his escape to Erromango, where he lived some years, and where he married. From that place he had removed to Deception Island, where he then lived, and acted as pilot to vessels cruising in those comparatively unknown waters. The utter disregard of the value of human life, which is generally found amongst savage nations, was particularly displayed in Jim's account o( his own career. The number of lives which that man must have taken, by his own confession, was positively dreadful, and he spoke of having shot eleven natives of Krromango before breakfast as quite a treat, and rather appetising than otherwise. Whilst lying in Havannah we yisited Jim's place, and found a very comfortable little grass hut, supplied with many of the conveniences of civilization, and occupied by two girls—Jem's wives, and natives of Erromango, who wore crinolines and Garibaldi jackets, and were very in their efforts to make us at home, and " stuff" us with baked bananas and fish. A present oC a few yards of red calico to each delighted them inexpressibly, and thoroughly secured Jim's friendship. This man was very useful to us on an after occasion in piloting us about the neighbouring islands.

The intense transparency and depth of blue tint of the waters of Havannah harbour were Tery striking, and the pictures presented to the eye on a calm day, when looking over the vessel's side, were no less varied than lovely. Differently eoloredgroves of coral, whose branch-

ing. amis ramified into endless projecting points, were festooned with red and green sea-weed— were alire with myriads of brilliantly-scaled little fish, darting between Jthe sprays of coral, or remaining suspended and motionless in these fairy groves. At a depth of 5 and 6 fathoms we could see the beche-le-mer, so much esteemed by the Celestials when dried and smoked, dotting the sandy intervals between the corals, some of them being 18 inches and two feet in length. The soil of almost the whole of Sandwich Island is very fertile, but the gem of the whole place is Deception, which is indeed an " Kmerald Isle," being about four miles long by perhaps two wide, and consisting entirely of gentle slopes terraced one above the other, and comparatively clear of bush with the exception of a belt of cocoa-nut trees. Deception seems admirably adapted for a station for the feeding of cattle. The sugar cane attains a very large size, and is both long in the joint and well-flavoured. A singlo yam has been known to run ovor a hundred pounds in weight, and, during our stay, wo luxuriated on fried bananas, which were brought to us in great quantities and of unusual size. The few days spent in Havannah harbour were so extremely pleasant that we resolved on a future occasion to pay it another visit, and we parted with " Jim " under a special promise to return about the time that the yams were fit for gathering in.

Penny Readings.—This instructive class of entertainment will be given in Edwardes-stroet School Eoom, on Monday evening. Auckland (Jlttb.—A meeting of members will be held to-daj at 2 o'clock, for the purpose of electing members. Masonic. —A meeting of the St. Andrew's Lodge will be held in the Lodge Boom on Monday evening next, at 7.30. Tub Lighting of the Queen-street Wharf. —There have been continued complaints of late of the lax manner in which the lighting of the Queen-street Wharf is attended to. Yesterday evening, at six o'clock, for want of the usual lights, the Enterprise ran right up to the Queen • street Wharf. The evening was very hazy, and there was, therefore, all the more reason that the lamps should have been properly cared for. We would call the attention of the authorities to the continued complaints on this subject. The IStii Royal Irish.—The Sergeants of this distinguished regiment are following in the footsteps of the old 65tli. Yesterday evening they gave their first quadrille p!irt3 r , and considering that it was their first attempt in Auckland iu this line., it was a decided success. It will be kept up on the first and third Friday in every month and will be interspersed with an occasional ball. Next Friday will be the second party that they will give, and besides the sergeants of the regiment, we understand that many civilians have been invited. Gas Lamp Stolen. —Last evening some malicious or wanton persons stole the gas lamp at the junction of Pitt-street and Tincent-street. It is suspected that the thieves may have committed the theft for the purpose of some crime, for toe spot, although open, is a very lonely one at nicht. The City Board have offered a reward of £10 upon bringing such offenders to justice, payable upon conviction, to persons giving information. We are informed that at a quarter to ten o'clock the lamp was alight, and at ton o'clock it had been taken away and the light turned ofi", nothing but the lamp-post re-

niaming. Phovixcial Council. —Mr. Swanson's resolutions in favor of the immediate utilization of the Grammar School Trust Fund, by the foundation of a Grammar School, were passed unanimously, after a most interesting debate, which lasted" nearly three hours. There was a remarkable change of opinion on the part of several lion, members. A very high compliment was paid, to Dr. Kidd and Mr. McKae during the progress of the debate. Both these gentlemen frere candidates for the presidency of Kelson College, and out of forty-five candidates, were amoiigst the five who were eliminated as most eligible. Dr. E-idd stood second, and Mr. McKae fourth. The third and fifth were gentlemen from Australia, so that of the five, Auckland contributed the only eligible candidates in New Zealand, with the exception of the Kev. Mr. Simmons. The Council negatived the resolution of Mr. Hunter, relating to the claim of Mr. P. Grace, also Mr. Cheeseman's resolution in favor of. payment to Mr. Grace, £930, for work alleged to be done and not paid. The Government produced a deed of release in full of all demands executed by Mr. Grace and his sureties. Mr. Newman's motion in favor of an amendment of the City Board Act, was carried, also a motion by Dr. Nicholson for a bill to license pawnbrokers. A motion bv Captain Cooper, inviting his Honor to issue Crown Grants to School Teachers who had served part of their time in the service of the Province was agreed to. The debates are more than usually interesting, and will be found reported in detail in another column. The Council adjourned at 20 minutes to 10 o'clock. Miss Hebbert, the well-known and popular actress, and for some time lessee of the St. James' Theatre, London, applied for a divorce from her husband, on the charge ot desertion and adultery. It appeared that the petitioner, whose marriage name was Mrs. Crabb, was separated from her husband by deed, but subsequently, information coming to light, a petition was filed. The Court held that the separation being mutual did not sustain the chargo of desertion, and that there was no evidence of the adultery. The petition was dismissed. A new Episcopalian Church has been erected at West Hamilton. It is a very neat building, and. reflects credit upon Messrs. Hall and Slater of Hamilton. It was opened on Sunday week, by the Eev. L. Pritt. Military Expenditube in the Colonies.— From a return published recently, it appears that the sums included in the army estimates for 1868-69, on account of the military expenditure in the colonies, amount to £3,388,023. The total colonial contributions to be paid into the exchequer during the ensuing year amount to only £3G5,700. Eire at Hamilton.—On the morning of the 11th instant, Captain Steele, residing at Hamilton, was ■wakened about 4 o'clock by cries of " fire," from his daughter. Mr. Steele made his way as quickly as possible to the kitchen, when he discovered thatone side of theapartment together with the roof were wrapt in a perfect sLeet of flame. Captain Steele, however, acted at once with the greatest coolness and presence of mind, and with, the assistance of his family, procured a ladder, by means of which, together with a plentiful supply of water, which was fortunately close at hand, the flames were provented from extending themselves and ultimately extinguished. Considerable damage was done to the house, one side being completely burnt through and the roof much injured, besides a good deal of household furniture, which was completely Captain Steele believes the fire to have been caused by a spark lodging on a stuffed mat, and thence communicating to the wall. The house is insured in the New Zealand Insurance Company's Offices. Mhs. Lewis' annual juvenile ball, held on the eve of the midwinter vacation, came oif yesterday evening, and was, as it always has been, a source of intense enjoyment to the large party assembled. We understand that an information has been laid by Crown Banger Eyland, against Mr. Von der Heyde, for an alleged breach of the Animals Protection Act. Mr. Von der Heyde was on his own land at the time that Byland states the breach to have been committed, and we believe that he was not in pursuit of game. The case will probably come on for investigation on the 23rd instant. ZxiZLt&z^^J.:-a

Bemukea School.—The midwinter vacation, of Messrs, Hullett and Ker's.. school, at Kemuera, commenced yesterday. ~.. '~ Important Case—Beeach of the .DistilliAv tion Act.—At the Police Court, an important 1 caso of this nature, was brought before the magistrates. Mr. Campion, of the Exchange Hotel, was the defendant, and the information had been laid by a person of the name of -Leggett, formerly in the employ of Mr. Campion. The Court fined Mr. Campion in thepenalty of £50, but Mr. Beveridge, who was retained for the defence, stated that he should give notice of appeal. The Court was crowded during the hearing of the caso by persons interested in the licensed victualling business, and the informer was loudly hooted on leaving tho Court. Hill-side, Mount Eden.—We regret to observe that there was an error in our advertisement of yesterday, respecting the sale of Mr. J. Ogilvie's furniture. The advertisement which should have contained " horses and cows," was, through inadvertence, worded " houses and land."