ENGLAND THROUGH THE STRAITS OF MAGELLAN.

New Zealand Mail, Issue 907, 19 July 1889, Page 30

ENGLAND THROUGH THE STRAITS OF MAGELLAN.

We have received from a passenger the following brief account of the laßt voyage Home from Wellington of the Tongariro, by which steamer, it will be remembered, Lady and Miss Jervoia went Home : As the big ship glided gracefully away from tho wharf she preseuted quit 6 an animated appearance with her large number of passengers on board, and having, in addition, the officers and crew of H.M.S. Dart going Home on furlough, singing the well-known sailors’ditty, “We’re homeward bound.” Everything being ready, we got our last look of the harbour in the afternoon and prepared ourselves for the 14 days’ run to Cape Horn, the bad weather which one is supposed to look for being in my mind greatly exaggerated, although not much was seen of my fellow travellers for the first two days, most of them having succumbed to the usual mal-de-mer. On Sunday, however, a goodly muster was seen at service (held in the saloon), and it reminded one somewhat of a man-of-war, seeing so many bluejackets amongst the congregation. On Monday a committee, presided o7er by our gallant commander, met for the purpose of catering for the amusement of _us all, and right well they carried out their selfimposed duties—entertainments of one kind or another taking place almost every day ; but I must Bay they all paled before the one arranged by Captain Bone, unknown to any one, and of which I shall attempt a brief but very inadequate sketch. Everything was going splendidly, and we were looking forward to seeing Cape Horn, when one morning about 8 o’clock we heard of land being in sight. Everyone of course rushed on deck when the welcome and surprising news was, we are just entering the wonderful Straits of Magellan, and wonderful indeed they proved to be. As the steamer proceeded np the straits snow-capped peaks met our view. Mount Bnrney, with its broad snowfields and glaciers descending into the valleys, was distinctly visible. As the ship ran into Sea Reach the land narrowed rapidly, and waß only a short distance from the ship. Several glaciers were passed, and at about 3 p.m, the most beautiful of all met our view. This is called Glacier Bay, the ice running down almost to the water’s edge. From the topmost peaks to the terminal face the length is about two miles and a half, the peak being almost 4000 ft high. For about a mile <of its length it is quite half a mile wide. During the latter part of its course it is full of crevesses of a deep blue colour, which ahows in bold relief the dazzling white of the snow. This is, without doubt, the finest sight in the whole of the Straits, and alone well repays one for a visit. This first part of the Straits resembles the Alpine region of New Zealand, commencing about three thousand feet above the sea level, the most striking feature being the absolute Barrenness of the rocks. After this was passed the scenery quite changed, the ship going through narrow channels more like valleys, with trees and other vegetation on each side of ns. Darkoesa now came on, and before daylight Lundy Point was passed, the lights of the settlement being distinctly visible. Daylight found the steamer in a wide sound, with low flat land on each side, narrowing until the shores wen quite close, and again widening till the shore faded in the distance aB we passed Cape Virgins. The navigation of the Straits is considered by most people to be very difficult, but this evidently is not the opinion of our captain, who told me he intends (weather permitting) in future taking this route in preference to sounding Cape Horn. We reached Rio after a pleasant run, and Stayed there over a day, thus affording us plenty of time for exploring this lovely mlace. There was the usual diversity of ©pinion regarding this and Sydney harbour, bat to my mind the former stands alone. After leaving Rio we were rather unfortnnate in the weather, encountering strong bead winds, but to those travelling for pleasure, it is of no moment. While in the ’tropics we had several days' sports, cricket, Ac., which made the time pass pleasantly, and I must not forget to mention a very movel feature on board ship, viz., a fancy bazaar arranged by Lady Jervois in aid of 4he Merchant Seamen’s Orphanage, whose £unds benefited to the amount of £23, the making of the various articles being relegated to the ladies. We stopped some hours at St. Vincent and Teneriffe, where we were joined by several new passengers and got .the latest English news. We had lovely weather across the bay and to Plymouth, and there ended to me the most interesting and agreeable voyage I ever made. Lady and Miss Jervois enjoyed the voyage thoroughly. Doth ladies were capital sailors, and meither suffered the slightest from seasickness. Lady Jervois was loud in her {praises of New Zealand. She told me she thought there was no country on earth equal rto it, and she left it with the deepest regret Miss Jervois made herself very popular on beard, and she and her mother had cosy orfternoon teas, to which invitations were envied. Miss Jervois went ashore at Rio and made several purchases of curios. Yellow fever bad been rife for some time before «ur visit, but I was glad to find the town Uaaalthy when we arrived , there. We were sail sorry when the voyage was over, for a gileasanter trip was never made.