OLD IDENTIANA.

Otago Witness, Issue 1898, 19 June 1890, Page 34

OLD IDENTIANA.

REMINISCENCES OF OTAGfO. VII.

Does anyone remember Mr Grant, the great Dunedin scholar, who used to write such beautiful effusions for Mr Cutten sometimes ? Who used to wear glasses, being so awfully short-sighted, and hold his head so high up that he came near falling on his back ? And, lastly, who never could on any account come downgtpiise ordinary expressions. Mrs •©harreßßciith, the landlady of the Royal, had a white cockatoo whose wise sayings and doings were as well known in Dunedin and as much admired as Mr Macandrew's politics. Well, Mr Grant was going past the Royal one day (I think Mr James Smith, of Tokomairiro, will remember the incident) when the bird addressed an observation to him a long flight above the ordinary " pretty cocky " of a common parrot. After a very attentive examination of the bird, Mr Grant remarked to Mrs Smith that the creature was an " acute fowl." Now, one of Mr Shepherd's three prisoners (mentioned last week) happened to be present, having ventured out of durance in the glare of day. " How call you the thing, your Honor ? " says Jack (for be it known Mr Grant not only wore black cloth and a white chocker, but a belltopper and spectacles). " Acute fowl," repeated the man of letters. " That be blowed for a yarn," replied the incarcerated Tar, forgetting his manners. " The animal is a cook-a-too I "

Let those who may call our three renowned prisoners myths, and I have often heard them placed in that order, but I not only have seen them taking their toddy like honest men, but I remember some of their queer yarns, and that very night Mr Grant's disputant gave us a real, good ghost story, and what's more, probably a true one.

It appears he was once on a ship that was haunted. Whether she had sailed on a Friday, carried a parson, or a black cat, been followed by a shark, or a Mother Carey's chicken, matters not. Anyway all on board who had any common sense became aware that she was doomed, and they got into so comfortable a state of mind that they were prepared for any contingency. So one dark night near the Cape, when they were beating to windward with the starboard tacks aboard, what should they see cross their bows but a large vessel, barely discernible in the gloom, gliding along with all sail set, and they knew she must be the Flying Dutchman by her rig and build. All hands were on deck, having been called to " bout ship," and there they stood gaping, awe-stricken and speechless at the sight. Nothing could now save their doom. Even the bravest felt that ; and the mate, who was as plucky a seaman as ever trod a plank, had to roar his orders loud to keep his courage up. " Ready about," cries he ; " Tend tacks and sheets " ; " Helm's alee I " But when the " Mainsail haul " came, a loud gruff voice in the air roared out " Ho, ho ! ha, ha I " Then the men were paralysed, the ship missed stays, and fell off. No one went below, but they stood about whispering with bated breath in small knots, listening to the mutteiings and groans of the spirit aloft, and bewailing their fate. Meanwhile the wind was rising fast, and the mate says, " Come, my lads, yon must up and take another reef in them topsails," but no one dared obey the order. "Come along then, my boys, and follow me ; the best man first up," roars the mate ; and up they sprang with eager, trembling ha3te, not to be first but for fear of being last. " Lay out, my bullies ! lay out 1 " cries the gallant mate, as he pushed to the weather earing. Then an awful voice sang out, almost in his ear, " I say, mate, it's mortal cold up here to-night." " Cold or hot, my friend," says the officer in a determined voice, " I mean to have another reef in this here topsail, or, d'ye see, the ship will be blowed overboard." That sail was reefed mighty quick, and you [may be sure no one lingered behind. There was a rush for the deck, and all the mate could say or do would not induce the men to reef the main topsail, though tho wind rose till it was blown clean out of the bolt ropes and split into ribbons. All that dreadful night the crew stayed huddled on the deck, and " Ho, ho ! ha, ha 1 " yelled the fiend louder and louder, as the ship

• flew through the foaming sea, till daybreak revealed the terrible sight of a white cockatoo ii the rigging. The Flying Dutchman had been a homeward bound vessel, and the " fiend " was a stray cockatoo, which had transhipped in the dark, as the vessels passed each other. That yarn may be true. Any way it ought to be by this time, for it has been printed often enough since that night. Jack's practical remark was that " if that there gent with the four eyes and the stone pipe had been there he'd ha knowed better than to hale a cockatoo by that other what you call 'em."

Old Otago.