VOYAGE UNDER SAIL

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXI, Issue 21758, 24 March 1934, Page 9 (Supplement)

VOYAGE UNDER SAIL

AN AUCKLAND AUTHOR Ships and sailormen have played such a great part in the history of New Zealand—as, indeed, tliev have done wherever Englishmen have wandered and settled —that a narrative of the sea by an Aucklander should come as no surprise. " Hull Down," by Mr. P. A. baddy, is, however, a reminder that little about the sea has been written by New Zealanders apart from the historical aspect connected with colonisation. In contributing to the repair of this omission Mr. Eaddy has followed the course taken by other narrators of other lands and described a voyage in .sail half way across the world. Apart from the interest which the reader finds in following the adventures of a New Zealandcr afloat, the first part of the book is definitely of New Zealand interest, since it deals with a voyage in sin intercolonial barquentine from Kaipara to Sydney. Not only is the life of the seaman authentically portrayed but description is provided of New Zealand port scenes of three and four decades ago, when sailing craft were not the rarity they are to-day. This descriptive matter is given by the author more or less in passing, and could be treated more extensively, but the business of the narrative is with the sea and Mr. Eaddy, a good helmsman, keeps to his course. With a companion, the author set out from Auckland to see London. Already seamen of experience, they decided to ship deep water from Australia and thus work their passage to the Homeland. The train took them to Helensville, where they joined the barquentine which took them to Sydney. Here they selected a likely looking fuilrigged ship,' named for the purposes of the narrative the. Cambrian Lass, and set sail at last on- the roundabout voyage that was to end in Thames River. With fidelity the author describes the workaday life oh ship board, its monotony' and interest and its daily challenge . to' endeavour. ; Excitement ashore and afloat, including a " rough house " in a bar at, Portland, Oregon, and a collision with an iceberg, leavens the more commonplace matter.. Tales of other ships and other men carry the interest ovev what might otherwise be dull periods and sea chanties, some wellknown and others less familiar, are quoted in their true setting. In committing his experiences to print the author has pointed the way for other New Zealanders with the necessary equipment and ability. Photographs of sailing ships add interest to the reading matter. r " Hull Down," by P. A. Eaddy. (Andrew Melrose, Ltd.)