THE FRINGE OF THE EMPIRE.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXXVIII, Issue 11825, 30 November 1901, Page 1 (Supplement)

THE FRINGE OF THE EMPIRE.

No. I. SKETCHES AND SNAPSHOTS OF NEW ZEALAND EXTENDED. THE CRUISE OF THE COUNTESS.

[BY JOSI.MT MARTIN.]

Oxce more the attractions of the Coral Islands proved too powerful for mortal resistance, particularly as exceptional advantages were offered, and a cruise among the newlyannexed islands formed part of the programme. Then again there was the prospect of sailing the Southern Seas not in the swift and stately steamer, but in the Island schooner, just as the pioneer missionary and trader used to navigate among coral shoals and treacherous reefs.

So with such a comfortable vessel as the newly-built Government schooner Countess- of Ranfurly, equipped with all the latest improvements ami provided with a large and powerful auxiliaryoil engine, commanded by Captain Wotsley, late of the s.s. Tutanekai, and with Captain W. D. Reid, the shipping master of Auckland, with his many years of practical experience in Island schooners, as an extra master and pilot, the congenial companionship of Mr. S. Percy Smith, and Mr. C. Colebrook, of Customs, what more could be desired to complete an alluring programme and ensure a pleasant and prosperous voyage? As it was supposed to be the best season of the ear—between the winter gales and the summer hurricanes—it was no won-, der that so many friends should congratulate us on the prospect of such an ideal yacht ing cruise, and generously proffer their assistance to the photographer, offering to carry his swag and do all his rough work if only we could find room for them on board.

So we overhauled our Island outfit once again, packing everything into small boxes for convenience of portage, until there were as many as twenty packages to look after, besides innumerable parcels of literature, etc., kindly contributed by many friends for the entertainment and amusement of the passengers pro tern., and for distribution among the outlying islanders later on.

AT SEA. There were some unavoidable delays in getting away, our departure being announced several times before we . left Auckland ; and when at last we did make a start it was to find a howling tempest waiting for us outside, to give us the first taste of bad weather. The frolicsome' gambols of our active little schooner began before we were out of the Hauraki Gulf, and our first night and morning, as we cleared the Great Barrier, gave us an early experience of the delights of tumbling about in a rough seaway, our education in this branch of knowledge being well-nigh perfected before we left the vessel.

It was somewhat disturbing to find all the unsecured and portable properties in our deck-house flying about in all directions, as if instinct with life, and then rushing madly to and fro across the floor; but when the seas began to wash across the deck and over the sill of our cabin door the " swishswash" of splashing water added to our distraction, and also to the whirling mill of books, papers, boots, and boxes that were pounding each other into a sodden pulp with such of our garments as escaped from time to time and joined the general pellmell. Some of us made feeble and ineffective efforts to mop up the intruding flood, bat with no more effect than Mrs. Partington's broom had on the incoming Atlantic. So we resigned ourselves to the inevitable, secure in the thought that our photographic gear was carefully stowed away in the lockers, safe enough from damp and destruction.

After the straining our Countess endured during this gale . it was necessary to get back into smooth water to tighten up the rigging. So our course was altered back across to Whangaroii, where, in a quiet anchorage, we were ablo to reset the stays and clean out the cabin.

Once more, and in better weather, we set sail for the Kermadecs, but our wind soon fell light, and we were treated to a few days' dead calm, with a heaving sea that flapped the sails and banged the blocks, with a noise like the discharge of artillery. At last we set the engine to work and soon passed out of the calm area and. had all the wind we wished for, and much more than was comfortable. This rapidly increased to a gale, and we had to heave-to and watch the gambols of the frisky Countess as she rolled and danced in that stormy sea.

Thanks to the ready skill and resource of our pilot and captain our little vessel besaved splendidly, and rode the gale in perfect safety. The great ocean rollers that threatened every moment to engulf our little craft were truly magnificent. Sometimes as we bucked over the billows the aneroid would register a. rise and fall of nearly a hundred feet in a few seconds, and we often rolled over to an angle of 45deg. and back again in less than no time. "Why don't you take a snapshot of the seas?" was a frequent inquiry. Why, indeed ! Because the photographer found plenty of employment for both hands in clinging tenaciously to any support that offered, and, therefore, it was quite impossible to manipulate a camera. If a kinematograph could have recorded the terrible menacing waves into which we plunged continuously its exhibition would have made a great sensation at any popular entertainment. Our commissariat suffered severely, for it was almost impossible to keep anything cooking on the fire, and even in the galley, while the passage to and from the diningsaloon was perilous in the extreme, both to the viands that had to be carried from the galley and to the passengers who had to negotiate the dangers of the passage from the deck-house to the saloon.

Involuntary excursions were frequent episodes, and many amusing incidents occurred, not. always without danger to the person whose " corpus vile" was treated like a football. In one of these little lurches one of our number, who was just seating himself to breakfast, was suddenly shot right over the table through a doorway into a cabin opposite his seat. Needless to relate, the table itself was cleared of all traces of that breakfast in the same act. We soon got: quite used to this sort of thing, and after considerable practice and many ludicrous failures we succeeded to some extent in maintaining the equilibrium of cups and plates, even if their contents were frequently dispersed over all and sundry.

THE KERMADECS. Through many days of stormy weather we beat up to the Kermadecs and found a little smooth water under the lee of Sunday Island. Here the camera was brought into requisition to get some "shots" at the bold outlines of this island home of a solitary family. I had the. pleasure of spending just six weeks on board the Countess, in which time she made three trips:—l. Auckland to Rarotonga, via Kermadecs, three weeks. 2. Rarotonga to Nine, via Aitutaki, and 3. Niue to Rarotonga; via Palmerston Inlands. During this time 'ire were favoured with only six really line days, scarcely an average amount. Those who' had pictured in such glowing colours the delights of an ideal yachting trip Mere somewhat disappointed, but they had a rare experience of equinoctial gales, and learned several valuable lessons in navigation ami equitation. It was broadly hinted that Jonah, in the person of the camera-man, must have been on board, to account for the persistent bad weather which dogged the Countess on each trip. However, on the return to Rarotonga he felt quite ready to give the schooner the benefit of the doubt, and to transfer his baleful influence to the steamer Ovalau. RAROTONGA FROM THE SEA. As the morning dawned we are all called on deck to get our first view of Rarotonga, and we see a dark cloud hovering over the hori- . zou* which gradually takes a iu'wer shape.

and presently reveals, sharp and clear against the sky, a dark, serrated outline with three sharp points, rising conspicuously above the rest, to a height of nearly 3000 ft. As the light of the early sunbeams touches these points the soft, pearly mist begins to roll itself away into the ravines, and in a few minutes the whole scene is lit up with blight and vivid colour, relieved by the soft grey clouds, which give depth and beauty to one of the most impressive scenes in the tropics.

Under the protection of these steep and massive walls of basaltic rock the line of whitened houses along the water frontage gleam out from beneath their leafy canopy, and indicate the position of the adjoining coastal towns of Avatiu and Avarua. The thin white line of the encircling reef seems to have no break, but as we cautiously approach the shore a native pilot and crew come off to guide us through a narrow opening in the reef into a tiny dock, dignified by the name of a harbour, where we are safely moored only a few yards from the wharf.

The Auckland steamer Ova tail arriving soon after us. anchors off this opening, and her panting little launch conveys the cargo boats to and fro. 9 LANDING. As we land under thoss frowning heights we are more than ever impressed with their grandeur, as clothed in luxurious verdure from base to summit their pointed crests pierce the canopy of cloud which lingers lovingly above and around them, gathering and sending down those reviving streams which give life and fertility to this "beautiful isle of the sea;'

As we come in contact with the wharf and sheds, the Customhouse and stores, we are suddenly brought back to the work-a-day world. The men and women that we meet* are so like our own colonials and Maoris that we seem to wake up as from a dream to find ourselves at home among our own people once again. We miss the familiar greeting " Tenakoe," and do not take kindly to its equivalent " Orana" (May you live!) ; it sounds so very much like the " Y'r honour." which we always associate with the traditional' Irishman. THE QUEEN OF RAROTOXGA. (Jin- first business, after our welcome from the British Resident and several good friends who had been expecting our arrival, was to call and pay our respects to Makea, the exQueen, who received us with much native grace and kindly feeling. We were very much struck with the truly remarkable personality of this grand old lady, her face and figure presenting a- most extraordinary resemblance to that of Madame Blavatski, as exhibited in some of her later portraits. Unfortunately for our photographer the lady was suffering from an attack of infiuenza, and begged to be excused from sitting for her portrait, for, perhaps, the hundredth time, for nearly every visitor carries a camera, and considers that his first duty is to secure a portrait of the most famous woman of these islands.

A DRIVE. Our goad friends on shore very kindly place a buggy at our disposal for a drive round the island, and we thoroughly enjoy the delightful trip of about twenty miles along a. good road, through some charming vistas of tropical scenery. For most of the way the road is shaded by magnificent trees, or leads through long avenues of graceful palms, with occasional glimpses of surf and sea. Passing several native villages, and crossing several streams, we get many grand sights of the towering peaks and their for-est-clad ravines.

The island has been exceptionally favoured by Nature, not only with scenic attractions, which are a constant source of pleasure and delight, but with a soil remarkably rich and productive—the source of abundant wealth. Only a little larger than Rangitoto it must at one time have sup■ported .a, population of many thousands, now reduced to a little under 2000, including both natives and aliens. The secret of its great fertility is the abundant water supply, due to its great elevation.