AN HONOURED VISITOR.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 19763, 14 April 1926, Page 5

AN HONOURED VISITOR.

JAMES CRAWFORD OF XASEBY. CHILEAN VETERAN AT LOGAN PARK. TRYING THE AMUSEMENTS. After having served with the British fleet through the Crimean war, seen adventures of'all kinds in the early days of Victoria, and joined in. the Central Otago cold rush on his arrival in New Zealand, most men would be content to spend the golden autumn of life in the peace and seclusion of their homes. Not so Mr James Crawford, of Nasebj. He is 96 years of age, but decided that the Exhibition should not be missed, so he made the journey, arriving at Logan Park yesterday, where he was met ana honoured as the oldest visitor. STILL HALE AND HEARTY. Though he walks with the aid of sticks. ■Mr Crawford is particularly hale ana hearty for a man of his years, takes an active interest in current affairs, and is fond of his pipe and paper uy the fireside at the close of a day that is still crammed with usefulness. Yesterday he commenced his tour of inspection in the morning with the determination to see as much as the average person, and well he succeeded. In fact, he found time to spend exciting moments on several of the Amusements Park devices. The Caterpillar appealed strongly, and in he got, but the attendant, in recognition of his years, kept the device running slowly. This did not suit a man who had come through the Crimean campaign, even though he had seen 96 summers. “Hi, there!” called Mr Crawford. Let her go, my lad.” , With a grin of admiration the attendant did so, and the veteran finished the journey in great delight. ~ . afterwards he found time to tell ot a few of the outstanding events ot his life. THE WAR AT SEA. The Exhibition’s elderly visitor was born in Scotland, and when still a boy went to sea on a merchant ship. While with that service he sailed eight times up the Mediterranean, gaining a close and intimate knowledge of the Near Eastern countries. In 1850 he joined the navy, and after a period of training on the old Victory he was transferred to a man-o’-war brig. , r Then came the Crimean War. Mr Crawford left for Malta on the steam man-o’-war Tiger, and afterwards joined the Trafalgar. This was considered a superbattlcship—one of the largest in the British fleet, and it carried a crew of 1400 men and many troops up the'Black Sea to the war zone. ‘T was fortunate in being-transferred to the Trafalgar,” said the veteran, “as shortly afterwards the Tiger was wrecked on a rocky coast at Odessa. The Cossacks swarmed down the hills, firing as they came, and the whole of the crew was taken prisoners.” MEETING FLORENCE NIGHTINGALE. Throughout the war Mr Crawford remained on the Trafalgar, which took part in the attack on Sebastopol. The ship’s company was attacked with cholera in the Black Sea. and 101 died in three days, but he came through the whole campaign safely, and on the return of the ship to Portsmouth three medals struck to commemorate the campaign were pinned on his breast by Queen Victoria. These he wore yesterday, and they have always remained amongst his most cherished possessions. “At Constantinople I saw Miss Florence Nightingale,” he continued. “Do I remember her clearly? Well, I should say so, even though it is long ago and I was very voung. At the time I was what was known as a side-boy, and my duties included looking after the ladders on the side of the ship when visitors were coming abroad. “At the time there were many stories of the ‘Lady of the Lamp,’ and the wonderful work she and her companion nurses were doing amongst the sick and wounded, and under the bad conditions that prevailed. Ships’ companies talked about her, and the troops worshipped her. “It was Christmas Day, and we heard that Miss Nightingale was expected on board to make an inspection of the ship. gbe arrived I helped her up the

ladders and on to the ship—a quiet, kindly woman, with a heart of gold.” LIFE IN NEW ZEALAND. In 1856, Mr Crawford sailed from Aberdeen on the ship Lochiel, landing in Victoria, but after four years he continued on to New Zealand, landing in Dunedin in October 1861, from the third ship that had up to that time left Melbourne for the southern part of New Zealand. “There were three hotels in Dunedin then, but it was a very small place,” he added. “I was passing down the street shortly after my arrival when 1 saw two men trying to put up a post at the corner. I helped them. with it, and between the three of us we got it into position. That, I discovered, was the first lamp post to be erected in Dunedin. “Then I joined the gold rush to the Central, and after many years on the fields there I settled in Naseby, where I have remained to this day. I regard the wonderful climate of Naseby, or ‘Hogburn’ as I know it, as the chief reason for n y good health and longevity.” Then, in conclusion, Mr Crawford gave his impressions of ihe Exhibition. “It is a grand affair,” was his simple tribute. “I am very interested in the hand of the Argyll and Sutherland High.landers, for I saw many of the men of the original regiment on the Crimea, and helped to nurse those who were snicKer with cholera. The British Court is my favourite, and the models of the men-of-war of past days interested me greatly.”