Chapter XI. PERSEVERANCE AND NORTH-EAST HARBOURS.

Otago Witness, Issue 1994, 12 May 1892, Page 43

Chapter XI. PERSEVERANCE AND NORTH-EAST HARBOURS.

The Distinguished Foreigner from Fiji — Getting Astray — Perseverance to North-East Harbours— The Albatross versus the Penguin—Discovery of the Island— The Source from which it Derived its Name— Passage to Antipodes.

A novel expedition of the Hinemoa party was planned. For prudential purposes the captain of the Bteamer selected a distinguished foreigner from Fiji, but orignally hailing from the land o1o 1 cakeB — a middleaged gentleman of the iron-grey period — and placed the ladies of the party under his proteotive powers. The directions given him were that he should ascend the hill at a given point, and, crossing over the saddle, descend again on the opposite side. Meantime, the Hinemoa would steam round to the adjoining Inlet, named North-East Harbour, or Penguin Bay, and pick up our travellers there, together with such inconsiderate trifles they themselves might pick up by the way. So far so good. The gallant Fijian seemed pleased with the generous confidence reposed in him, and, assuming a fine soft fatherly kind of air, he gatherd the young ladies together, and, placing them under his protective wings, proceeded on his way rejoicing. At the outset it looked like a kind of honeymoon trip, with a bridegroom belonging to the Mormon faitb. Proceeding up the hill the lynx eye of the skipper was upon them from the deck of the steamer, and, to bis horror, he discovered this venerable Fijian leading the young ladies astray— in a geographical sense. The whole thing was just dangerous enough to cause a sharp lookout to be kept, and for that purpose the departure of the steamer was delayed, and her position altered, so that the elderly gentleman's movements might be seen to better advantage. First one messenger was despatched, with instructions to bring him back dead or alive ; then another messenger ; and at last, after a bad hour bad been spent, word reached the ship that the objects of our solicitude had reached Penguin Bay with their Fijian guide, philosopher, and friend, all serene. The journey by sea from Perseverance to North-East Harbour, otherwise Penguin Bay, was a mere nothing, and, going under easy

steam, the Hinemoa accomplished it in little over ah hour. Arriving there about dusk on the evening of Saturday, the 31st October, anchor was cast for the night, The expedition party came on board laden with spoil. The penguin, which had hitherto been all the rage, had now to give place, and the albatross came Go the front. Some dozen or so of these noble birds were caught and strangled, and for the next few days, stuffing the skins and smoothing out the ruffled feathers became an order of the day.

The Hioemoa's crew, at all events the officers, show great aptitude for the work, and before long they produced specimens of the feathered tribe true to life. The pursuit, so far as consistent with the ship's duties, is very properly encouraged, and the men themselves display marked proficiency in various brandies of the science.

Penguin Bay is said to be easier of access than Port Perseverance, and, as a consequence, is more frequented than the other inlets. Anchorage is to be found in all parts of the bay at a depth of from five and a-half to eight and a-half fathoms. Tba harbour extends a distance of three miles inland, and increases in width as it goes upwards. It terminates in a valley of some extent, through which a stream of water the largest in the island flows. Vegetation here looks much healthier than it does elsewhere on the island, which is accounted for by the fact that the place is well sheltered from westerly weather.

Sheep left on the island some years since at the expense of the Invercargili Wreck Fund, appear to thrive well. One flock, consisting of five or six, stood by the vessel for a time, and seemed as curious about us as we were about them. They were in excellent condition, and carried a heavy fleece. Goats were also seen scampering about the harbour.

Wreckage has been found about the islands, but no wreck is known to have occurred. On one occasion a Yankee skipper abandoned two boatloads of his men, and coming on to New Zealand reported they had been lost. He owed them a wages account long in its arears, and this was the nefarious device resorted to to evade payment. That is the only occasion on which the depot stores at Perseverance came to the rescue. The fact of the abandonment leaked out, and prompt steps were taken to rescue the men. Although he fell into the hands of the authorities, the captain escaped punishment, upon what plea in law or equity, it is difficult to understand.

These islands were discovered in the year 1810 by one Frederick Hazelburgb, master of a brig named the Perseverance, and which was owned by Robert Campbell, of Sydney. These words lead us to understand how some of the places mentioned above came by their nameß. It was generally understood that the Robert Campbell referred to was identical with the member of a family of that name long settled in the southern portion of New Zealand. Such, however, is not the case, the Campbell in this instance being quite a different person. At daylight the following morning the anchor was hove, and the steamer once more got under way. A 48-hours' passage over a high rolling sea, causing the Hinemoa to roll from side to side, as if bursting with laughter at the fun of the thing, brought us to Antipodes Island. The ship had within her linings those who did not, however, look upon the v thing as a joke, and if they joined in the laughter at all it was but a faint, sickly smile. , The more serious disposed, or indisposed, did not tell up at all, and the consequence w&s food supplies and table-trimmings were decidedly at a discount. Even the announcement that we bad got within hailing distance of the ragged, jagged, topsy-turvy rocks forming the outlands to the Antipodes failed in arousing the general enthusiasm. One or two v more enterprising than the others ventured abroad as far as the hurricane-deck, but the outlook did not seem to gladden their hearts. Here, again, we had some extraordinary developments in natural phenomena. One rock we saw shot out of the^ water, straight up and down like a whipping-post, surrounded by others, some curved and some crooked, but by far the largest number sugarloafed and peaked. Some did make pretence of clothing themselves in soil and verdure, but in no case was the effort encouraging, and by far the greatest number seemed quite content to stand out in their naked deformities.

Caves and arched ways there were in superabundance, differing widely from each other in size, as well aB proportions. Some of the former were stiff-necked, narrow, and constrained, like mere rat holeB; others, again, were high, arched, and otherwise so beautifully outlined, that they would do no discredit to the colossal structure of a cathedral city. Many of the arched ways looked as if a ship in full sail, wind and weather permitting, would have had no great difficulty in driving under, while not a single one looked too mean or despicable to do service as a triumphal arch. Some of the rocke shelved out at the top, forming gigantic verandahs ; others bulged out at the bottom like flights of steps leading to and from the bottomless pit. All looked members of the one family as regards texture, but citizens of the world as regards structure.