A LADY'S LETTER FROM AUSTRALIA. Good-bye to Bananaland.

Otago Witness, Issue 2082, 18 January 1894, Page 46

A LADY'S LETTER FROM AUSTRALIA. Good-bye to Bananaland.

Christmas was drawing naar and Brisbane was becoming perfectly unbearable when we made up our minds to take the next boat to Sydney and spend the Christmas holidays in Hobart. So one blazing Saturday morning we bid adieu to our friends and wont on board the Aramac, one of the finest of the A.U.S.N. Company's steamers. One of these' splendid boats is timed to leave Brisbane every Saturday, and a large crowd was assembled on the wharf to see the departure of the crowds of holiday-makers. Every berth was taken, and the deck presented a lively scene, people hurrying hither and thither, buying papers, fruit, or flowers, and bidding farewell to their friends. At last the gangway was wheeled off, and everyone began to get/ out their handkerchiefs in readiness to wave, when a' belated femalo came rushing along the wharf, a bandbox in one hand and a bundle in the other, and begged to be taken on board. Once moro the heavy gangway was wheeled back and the late passeriger, perspiring profusely, hurried on board ; but no sooner had she reached the deck than she discovered she was on the wrong boat after all 1 and amid shouts of derisive laughter h he made her way back and boarded the Woodonga. This little incident served to chase away the sad looks from faces that were beginning to grow glum at tbe thought of leaving dearly-loved rriends behind, and when at last we were fairly off and the luncheon bell rang, there was a crowd of cheerful faces around the table, and everyone seemed determined to do jastice to the good. things provided.

In about an hour and a-balf we were out of the river, and one by one the passengers began to disappear. Next day the decks were by no means crowded, and many a pale face was to be seen; but the misery was short lived, for the following morning at 7

o'clock we were lying snug at Sydney wharf, the sun shining brightly through the portholes and the sea sparkling all around. The first thing to do was to get 'breakfast ; so wending our way to the Contral Coffee Palace we made up for lost time and began Che day with a hearty meal.

Strolling round to the Union Company's offices to book our passages to Hobart, wa found that every berth was taken in the Oonah. What was to be done 1 We looked at each other in dismay, then tried what persuasion could do. But all our entreaties were useless, so we rushed to the HuddartParker offices. Still no luck — not another ticket could be issued for love or money — the whole of Australia appeared to be fleeing to Tasmania. Back we rushed to the U.S.S. Company's office and booked a cabin for the Oonah's next trip, a week hence, and then resigned ourselves to the thought of spending

CHRISTMAS IN SYDNEY.

But where should we go was the next question. To the mountains, up the Hawkeabury, or down to Manly ? But Dangar Island on theHawkesbury was closed, and the mountains were too expensive, so we decided to spend our week of waiting at Manly. No doubt you all know this charming seaside resort, with its lovely ocean beach, its rocks, its baths, its wild flowers, and its charming villas. It is only three-quarters of an hour from Sydney by steamer, and the fare, which used to be Is 6d return, is now reduced to 9d and 6d by two rival companies, and the public are leaping the benefit. What a splendid thing opposition is 1 Well, we went down to Manly with our bag and baggage, and there we fished and boated and bathed to our heart's content. One night we went to the opera, and saw Nellie Stewart in "Princess Ida," and on Christmas Eve we went shopping. The streets of Sydney were a sight to see. The pavements were thronged with foot passengers, the shops were looking their best, the arcades were gay with flags and Chinese lanterns, the flowers and fruit were exquisite. "A Meny Christmas," written In flowers, filled one window, while orchids, water lilies, Christmas lilies, ferns, and moss graced another, and bunohes of holly and that graceful wild flower known as Christmas bush were everywhere to be seen. One enterprising grocer had adorned his windows with a colossal cake weighing three tone, and an enormous cheese weighing one ton, each containing coupons of different value — ss, 10s, £1, &c. We made up our minds to try oar luck', and decided to invest in lib of cheese and 21b of cake, but alas I when we reached the shop only the crumbs remained, and these were being sold at 3d a lb. We bought some cheese, bat oar Blice contained no coupons, and we should have concluded that the whole thing was a fraud had not we heard from friends that their piece contained two 10s coupons. Next we visited that wonderful shop known as Anthony Hordern's, but here it was an utter impossibility to get served. There was an acre of toys, round whioh children swarmed like bees. No one would think times were bad in Sydney to see the money spent in toys and amusements. ' Our Christmas dinner was eaten in lodgings, bat tasted none the worse for that. We went oat in a boat fishing in the afternoon, bat the rain descended and wet us through, and we came home drenched, and decided "it was not a bit like Christmas." What do people expect it to be like, I wonder 7 Every one you meet says it is not a bit like Christmas every year. Boxing Day broke fine and sunny, and 20,000 people came down to Manly to a picnic, the oheap fares evidently inducing the holi-day-makers to visit this charming spot, and Chowder Bay played second fiddle on Boxing Day, for the Wooleomooloogentry patronised Manly. The place was like a fair. All day long we walked to and fro inspecting the multitudes. There were no end of amusements — minstrels, tumblers, fortune-tellers, swings, &c. At 4 o'clock the holidaymakers began to think of returning, and then both lines of steamers were taxed to their utmost. The scene on the wharf was one not easily forgotten as the people surged and scrambled to get on board the steamers — women fainting, children screaming, men swearing, struggling, and pushing. Then when each boat got away it made the watcher's blood run cold to see it swaying from side to side with its immense human freight, the paddle wheel almost out of the water and every lurch threatening to upset it. However, they all got safely home at last, though many did not get away until 11 p.m., having waited from 3 in the afternoon.

But our week was drawing to a close, and on the 28th we bade adien to Manly, and went on board the Oonah

EN BOTJTB FOB HOBART.

The weather had turned cold and damp, and we almost longed for one of Brisbane's .broiling days. Once more the decks are crowded ; once more good-byes are said, and as the twilight deepens we steam past Sydney beads and leave the lovely city of the sea behind. So crowded is the boat that tents are being rigged up over the hold for some of the male passengers, the social hall 1b turned into cabins, .and part of the steerage is fitted up for saloon passengers. Three relays of travellers go down bo dinner — for the first and last time, for, alas 1 that night the weather changes and our troubles begin. Next morning everyone is ill, the ship is rocking, the screw racing, the timbers creaking. Who can describe the agonies of rough weather at sea ? As the day wears on the weather grows worse ; then the engines slow down, and for 24 hours we knock about in the straits. Once we shipped a terrible sea, and one poor lady was washed out of her cabin, and had to be carried up to the social hall ; another went into hysterics, a third had fits, while a fourth indulged in a succession of faint iog fits. We were due at Hobart on Saturday night, but did not arrive till Sunday morning, and then at 7 a.m. we were put ashore cold and breakfastless in a drizzling rain, after one of the roughest trips we had ever known. However, at Heathorn's Hbtel we found a haven of rest, and in the comfortable drawing room we sat round the fire and discussed the journey with our fellow passengers. How we enjoyed the Christmas fare at dinnertime ! Never were plum pudding and mince pies so appreciated, and never did strawberries and oream taste so delioious. Alter

the eternal pineapples and bananas, the cherries and gooseberries and currants seem so refreshing. Truly Hobart is a paradise of fruit. All New Year's Day we hunted for lodgings, bnt the same tale met us at every house — " All full." From place to place we drove for three hours, visiting almost every street in Hobart, and then when we had quite despaired of finding rooms we hit on a charming little Beaside cottage, where we could be " taken in and done for." So here we are in our cottage by the sea, eating raspberries and drinking milk fresh from the cow ; luxuriating in bedroom fires, too, for it is cold, bitterly cold, and it Beems like a dream that only a fortnight ago we were in sunny Queensland with the thermometer lOldeg in the shade. Cigarette.