LETTERS FROM LITTLE FOLKS.

Otago Witness, Issue 2104, 21 June 1894, Page 45

LETTERS FROM LITTLE FOLKS.

Dear Dot, — Since I wrote to you last we have shifted to Balclutha. I picked up the Witness and saw that Willie D. Darling has written to you again, which reminds me that I promised to write and give an account of our return trip through America. I see by Willies letter '.that he did really cross over the Forth Bridge. I should like to be able to say that I crossed over it, but our time being limited we had to be content with sailing under it, which we did twice by going from Leith to Queensferry and back again, the Forth Bridge being about the last of our visits of any consequence in the Old Country, and in a day after we began to think of our return trip. We left Glasgow in one of the Anchor line steamers, called the Furnessia, bound for New York, calling at Moville, where we took on board 600 passengers, with whom we numbered over 1400 all told. The majority of our passengers were emigrants going out in search of farming employment. I have nothing very remarkable to record of this voyage I took particular notice of the vast difference between the comfort of passengers travelling by our Union Company's steamers and the Atlantic liners. The liners are not to be compared to the Union Company's steamers. We had an exceirtionally fine trip all the way to New York, although I dare say some of our passengers thought it rough enough, but I should not boast, having got my sea legs on my previous journey home. This ship was not classed as one of the swiftest, as it took us eight days to get to New York. We stayed a fortnight there. It is a wonderfully busy city. It seems to me one could lose oneself sooner there than in London. I have been across to Brooklyn two or three times, and have seen that famous bridge. It certainly is a grand structure. It is a suspension bridge, and is really a wonderful sight. We then made preparations for our trip across the continent. We stopped at Niagara and had a good view of the falls. This is a sight I could never forget. The roaring of the falls long before we got near them was terrific. I saw theplace where Blondin walked over on a tight rope, and also the place where Captain Webb took his fatal swim. We had our photographs taken just about whero h» started to swim across We did not get the photos till we came back to New Zealand, where they were waiting for us at our address. We got a lot of curios at Niagara, and then we started for Toronto, where we stayed for another fortnight. This is a very large manufacturing city Our next stopping place was Winnipeg, in Manitoba. This town is not very old — altogether only about 15 or 16 years — yet it has a population of nearly 3Q.000 inhabitants. I saw a lot of Indians in this place. There is a great wheat-growing district* round about Manitoba, and this is the^place where thejemigrants come to take up land. The emigration barracks were full all the time Jwe were here— a month. We next got on board the train and started for San Francisco. Our railway trip this time was very interesting, as we had the prairie and the Rocky Mountains to cross, We soon

got very tired of the prairie, as we could not see anything for hundreds of miles except a vast extent of plain stretching away as far ns the eye could see on every si do I only saw one deer, flying along at twterrible rate, but there were numbers of little animals all along the prairie, called prairie dogs, or goffers. At one time there wero lots of buffaloes to be.seen, but I was told they are now almost extinct, through the Indians and cowboys destroying them In every little town wo stopped at I could sco great bands of Indians with beautifully ornamented horns. I had a set of horns made a present to mo while in Winnipeg. When wo came to the Rocky Mountains a great long carriage, all open on both sides, was hooked on, so that we could get a good view, but it was very cold when we were up n, great height— in a line almost with tho glaciors Sometimes wo wove going so slow that anyone could keep up with the train. We went through many miles of snowsheds. They are built to keep the snow slips from blocking the line. The Rocky Mountains are all very nice for scenery, but I can tell you I was not sorry when I got through them and into the open country again. It was fearful to look down when we were crossing a bridge or a viaduct — they are all so slimly built. I was 'amused, when I read Willies letter, where he says that some people are afraid to cross over tho Forth Bridge. I wonder what they would think if they had to cross over some of the f rail-looking structures that are put up about the Rockies. After wo wore clear of tho Rockies and going along nicely, enjoying what we might call a straight run, all at once we stopped at a spot where there was no town or station We were not long till we learnt what was up. 'I here had been a goods train some time in front of us, and it had ran into a tender that had been left on the track. Tho line was torn up for a considerable distance, and 16 carriages were smashed up to atoms. It was an awful wreck to look at. One man lost his life. We had to shift along the lino into another train, which was waiting to tako us on our journey. This detained us four hours. However, we wero ultimately off again, and I can tell you, Dear Dot, I was just beginning to think that I had had enough of railway travelling. I was anxious to get to San Francisco ; but there is always some new sensation to take tip one's mind, and I was greatly taken with the idea of our actually crossing an expanse of water five or six miles wide and still sitting in the train. It seems, however, that we had crossed another some time previous to this one, while I was asleep in bed. I had a good look at how it was done this time, for it was day instead of night It was at a town called Benecia There was a large, very broad boat, with four lines of railway on .board her, and we just ran on to her and stayed there till we reached the other side, and then off again on to the rails, and sped on our journey to San Francisco, where we arrived in due time.

San Francisco is the place of all places that I should like to live in, with its magnificent

climate and splendid walks. There is a place on the outskirts of the city where I tisedto go very often. It reminded me very much of St. Clair. It was generally crowded every day with visitors, and there was every attraction for them. There were refreshments of every kind and music of all sorts, shows, and phonographs, in which you put your nickle in the slot, and you could hear almost anything, from a comic song to a lecture by some great man. Of course you will know that a nickle is a piece of nickle silver nearly the size of a^ixpence and valued at sc, or 2^d. We stayed in San Fran1 cisco for nearly one month, then once more aboard a steamer called the Monowai, one of the Union boats, and off for the land of my birth, New Zealand We stayed at Honolulu for about a day, and also at Samoa, where we secured a few curios. In about 20 days I was in Auckland, where i stayed for a week. Our t.iip from San Francisco to New Zealand was delightful. But we were not, done with the sea yet. Of all the ships I have been in round the world I never got such a shaking in any as 1 did on board the Wairarapa, but I was a thorough sailor by that time and always answered to the calls of the gong. I have only given you a rough outline of our trip, and I hope that it is not too long. I wrote from Lawrence last time, but I am living now in Balclutha. — Yours truly, Balclutha, June 14-. Johnnie Kbrh. [No, Johnnie, not a bit. Your experiences are most interesting, and it is evident that you kept your eyes open during your trip round the world, — Dot.] Dear Dot, — I am a curious-looking little brown Mare. I was born in the King Country, North Island, five years ago. Some time since some white men went up (here and bought a mob of us from the Maoris, and we were driven away and put on board a vessel and brought to a place called Christchurch, where we were all sold. I was running in a paddock near Christchurch for some time, and then I was put in a railway truck with some of my mates, and when i I was taken out I found myself in Invercargill. Dear Dot, what with being taken from my native home and shipping and railway trucks, I got very poor and miserable looking, and a lot of men in the saleyards said I was old and no good. How would some of the ladies I read about in the Witness look if they were poor,,and ragged ? But my present maßter knew what he was doing when he bought me and one of my mates. I bad never been ridden when I came here, and when my master got on my back I tried to buok him off ; but I was too weak, so I stood still and would not move at all. Master's wife came and poked me with a long stick, but it was no good. I might have gone if there had been a Maori, on my back, as some of them are very cruel when their young horses will not go, but my master got off and gave me a good drilling, and get on again, and I thought I had better go quietly or I might get the dose repeated ; and I am very glad I went, aft master is very kind to me. He says I will let people know whether I am old or not when I get fat, as master says I am

the pluckiest pony he ever rode, and he says if I go quiet in harness, and Jet /Distress and the children* ride and drive me, I will have a good home. When I go in harness I hope I will have an open bridle on, as my face is not like any other horse's face here. I have large white rings round my eyes, and my nose is all spreckled with white. Did you ever see a horse with a face like that, Dot ? Some people say I had ringworm, but I never had. It is just a freak of Nature. I will tell the little folks how I get on when I am pnt in harness later od.— Yours truly, Spkeckles. Tißbury, June 9. , [Thank you, Spreckles, foj your interesting letter. At a distance I should think you would look as if you were wearing large spectacles, and I am sure many of the little folks will be wishing they could see you. We shall certainly look forward to your account of your first trip in harness, and I hope you will not disappoint your kind master and mistress — Dot.] t D mw £ot,— I am writing to you again, and i will tell you about a picnic. Some of my school companions and I arranged to go up the Wisp one Saturday lately. At 11 o'clock we started away, and we reached the summit about 1 o'clock. We boiled the billy first thing, and had luncheon. We next took a good view of the surrounding scenery. Looking towards the east we could see the sea, and from the sea ran up a line of bushy hills right up to where %!? W , e^ T s .t^ u . clillg The P«ncipar.of this range (Table Hill) is easily recognised by its likeness to a table. Following on from where we wero standing, to tho west is a chain of hills all shapes and forms, from rugged peaks to round domes Tho principal of these is Mount Sturdy and The Dome. To the north arc the Wild Dog Ranges. To the north-east Stony Hill, in which there is a large gap at the top. It is supposed that the stone that lies at tho foot rolled out, but I was not there to see May I write again ?— Yours truly, M. S. Harbis. One-tree Bush, Purckoreki, Juno 14-. [Of course you may whenever you like — . Dot.]

Dear Dot, —It is a long time since I last wrote to you This time I shall tell you how I enjoyed myself at the Hook bush. I went in tho dray with my uncle, and my brother and sister wero also with us. The Hook bush is seven miles from Waimatc. My father and undo had a tent up there We started away about halfpast 8 in tho morning, and reached there at about dinner time. We had dinner, and then we went up on the hills. We went into the bush and got a lot of pretty ferns. We saw a woodhen. There are not many woodhens about Waimate now. There used to be a lot, but they have all gone back to the hills. We saw a lot of pretty birds, and heard them singing There is a splendid view to* be had from the hills where we were. ' We could see all tho township of Waimate ; we saw the Elginshire, which was wrecked near Timaru. It was a nice clear day, and the sun was shining'on'it at the time when wo looked. It made us very tired climbing tho hills. We reached homo about 5 o'clock at night.— Yours truly, Maggie Patterson (aged 10 years). Wnimate, June 17.

Dear Dot, — I have made up my mind to write to you to tell you something about the place I live in. It has been a pretty cold winter this year so far, but there has not been any ice yet. I was down at Evans's Flat for nearly two months at Christmas time, and I have been up ,at Coal Creek for about a month. There was | plenty of fruit, principally strawberries, pears, j peaches, and plams. I have a black cat with a white face ; please will you give me a name for it. It is not a very, nice place up here, as it so quiet. There are a^out 60 children going to this school. We have about a mile to go to school, and the roads are very bad. There are a lot of people with chilblains about here. There are not many houses about here, but there are a few more than there were a while back.— Yours truly, Ann Bowden Miller's Flat, June 12. dl2^'Dear Dot,— You do not often get a letter from the little folks at Kyeburn, so I thought I .would write one to you. We have a large St. Bernard dog. We call him Leo. We have also a greyhound puppy. He is nearly one-year-old ; please will you give me a name for him. lam in the Third Standard: I have four brothers, all younger than myself. Four of us go to school. Baby is only two years old,*so he stays at home. We have |ome cousins in Dunedin. They stayed with us for one month. I hope they will" come again soon. We have four cows, bat only one is milking. We have a little pony —our very own. We call her Nancy. We got her as a present from uncle. A service of Bong, entitled " The Oiled Feather," is to be given at the schoolhouse on Friday. Some children from Naseby are coming to sing. We have one mile to walk to school, and sometimes it is so wet that we cannot go. Dear Dot, I think this is all this time. ' I shall write a longer letter next time. — Yours truly, Osborne Brown (aged 10 years). Kyeburn Diggings, June 10. Dbae Dot,— l am in the Second Standard at school. I have two miles and a-half to walk to school every morning. I have three oats and one kitten ; will you please give me names for them. We are milking two cows. Some of the people dig here for gold, and some have farms. I have three sisters and four brothers. — Yours truly, Bella Tate. Macraes, June 8. [Call the cat and kittens Rik, Tik, Rikki, and Tav, after Rikki-tikki-tavi.— Dot.] " Deab Dot, — I am very sorry to say that the big. rat is dead, and the mother rat has got a sore leg. We are milking three cows just now. Their names are Jeai ie, Jeep, Spot, and Tiny. We have a nice little heifer calf— please will you give me a name for it — and also a nice black and white cat called Gip. — Yours truly, The Hunter, June 8. Nellie Dooley. [Call the calf Queenie.— Dot.] Dear Dot,— l live at Catlin'a River. I like to read the little folks' letters in the Witness, and I thought I would write one two. Dear Dot, Catlins is a very pretty place in summer when the rata is in flower, so I hope you will come down and see us. I have one sister and one little brother. Their names are Harriet

and Robert. I h >ye a black and white kitten, and also a grey ie; please, Dot, will you give me names for the n.— Yours truly,

Catling June Katie Sangster. [Oall the kitten 6 Dinah and Donna.— Dot.]