PATER'S CHATS WITH THE BOYS.

Otago Witness, Issue 2363, 8 June 1899, Page 58

PATER'S CHATS WITH THE BOYS.

WHAT BECAME OF COOK'S SHIP THE

ENDEAVOUR?

The subjoined letter will, I am sure, be of interest to many of my readers, and I give it publicity in the hope that we may get definite information as to whether the wreck in Dusky Sound — I believe it is still visible — is the Endeavour or not. There are many well versed in early New Zealand history', and possibly some historical data not generally known may become the property of young New Zealanders. The fate of the Endeavour given in my Chat a week or two ago is the substance of an' extended note which appeared, I think, in the Argus or Australasian or one of the Sydney papers a week or two before. I'll look it up if I have time ; but some of my readers might help. If I come across the issue I am indebted to for the version I gave, I'll communicate with the editor of the paper and get as full information as possible on a subject we are so much interested in.

" Wellington, May 22, 1899. "To Pater, Otago Witness.

" Dear Pater, — In your last communication tc the Otago Witness, speaking" of Captain Cook's ship the Endeavour, you say that she was, after having become a whaler, broken~up by a gale in 1815. My object in addressing you ia to ask if the data from which you write your account of the end of the ship is reliable. The late Captain Fftirchild has quite another story of the close of this ship's life. I believe that the following will a^ nearly as possible represent his account — namely, that Captain Cook's ship the Endeavour was sold by the Admiralty, and sventually was brought out to New South Wales, and was used as a trader and finally wrecked in Dusky Sound on the 28th of September, 1795. I understand, too, that Captain Fairchild made careful measurements of the wreck, wjiich correspond in every particular with those of Cook's ship. It was Captain Fairchild's intention, so I have been told, to have prepared an account of this ship for publication. Several persons have obtained small pieces of the ship wrecked in Dusky Sound, which they value as relics associated with a great man, whote voyages in these seas are a historical fact, and from sentimental, as well as othci reasons, they would lik'i to be sure of their position. If possible, will you kindly try and ascertain the leal facts of the case, even if only for the satibf action of "ONE OF YOUR BOYS."

Perhaps the following, condensed from Dr Hocken's " Notes on the Old Derelict' Ship in Facile Harbour, Dusky Buy," will help to elucidate the problem. For this parsigraph I am indebted to a gentleman who has collected from the Dunedin papers a splendid collection of clippings dealing with events pertaining to New Zealand history. "It takes a great deal of time to

make antiquities. . . . TJie Jast remnants of an old wieeked vessel are still to be seen in Facile Harbour, Dusky Bay. Numerous and various have been the conjectures as to the how, whence, and where of this ocean waif, which, if my conclusions, are correct, has been resting in its grave for near upon a hundred years The last discussion I am acquainted with appeared in some of the December numbeis of the Southland Times in 1882. (Here follows a description of the Madagascar mystery.) Ten years ago, when on a trip to the West Coast, I first saw this mysterious vessel as our steamer passed her. Her stern was rather high out of the water, and upon it was plainly legible, ' Saville, London.' But little more could be seen, as we so quickly glided past. Since that time I have allowed no opportunity to escape of gaining any reliable information of her. (The Doctor then describes Mr Wm. Docherty's examination of the wreck and surrounding country, and refers to relics foi warded by Mr Docherty to him (Dr Hocken.) Captain Fairchild, of the Hinemoa, has most kindly given me a full account of -his visit to the wreck in 1878: — ' "ohe is in a little nook, or pocket, so small jhat it was impcssible for her to c&il &. She must have

bean hauled in with ropes made fast to trees. She is l^Oft long -and about 32ft beam. Her outside plank is sin thick — all East India teak. She is sheathed with pure copper, and all the bolts used in building her are pure copper also. She is built about one-third of English oak and two-thirds teak. Her stern is in 20ft of water, and her bow in sft only. She was known by the whalers to be there 65 years ago, and was an old ship then. 1 " The derelict, however, may be an '■ Endeavour," but further particulars culled from Dr Hocken's paper are held over for next week.

CORRESPONDENCE.

"Temuka." — I am sorry that I could not grant your request, even if your letter had reached me in time, for I haven't time to write private letters to readers of my column, unless for some very special reason. Curiously, only last week I saw a little volume of poetical extracts singing the praises of tobacco, and Barrie has dedicated one of his, books to a pipe. I see, too, by the Advocate (the Wesleyan paper), that specially trained athletes, although abstaining from tobacco and spirituous liquors, were not in the Spanish-Americal war able to hold their own against the average soldier. I fancy, however, that overtraining in their case made the system more liable to fever and other sicknesses going. But all this is rather against you, isn't it? Well, here's a little of the "other side if yo.u choose to it up. Read " The Twentieth Door,* by Sheldon, and near the end of chapter IV you wjll see a strong paragraph or two against the use of tobacco. They are taken from a book called " The Tobacco Problem," by Meta Lander. It is full of startling statements and statistics. Take the following as instances: The annual expenditure in the United States on tobacco is far in excess of even the annual expenditure for necessax-ies, books, clothing, schools, and churches. Forty million dollars are spent" annually in religion, and 200 millions in tobacco. (These figures don't work out as being above amount spent in necessaries, surely! — Pater.) , Dr Willard Parker • says that tobacco is ruining the American schools and colleges, dwarfing both body and mind.^ Dr B. W. Richardson declares that the effects, often severe on those who have attained manhood, are especially injurious to, the young, in whom it causes impairment of- growth, premature manhood, and physical prostration. The Emperor Louis Napoleon ordered an examination of the colleges of France, and finding that the average standing in both scholarship and character was lower among those who used the weed than among those who abstained issued an edict forbidding its use in all national institutions. It is also said that the best scholars in Yale College are . abstainers from tobacco, as they are, too, in Oxford and Cambridge.

Perhaps these lines will fortify my correspondent's position. Though now 'going down the hill, I neither- smoke nor drink. I have been told' that I miss lots of fun ; perhaps I do. But as I haven't much time for fun, the loss isn't felt. The time may come when I shall deem it necessary to do both i "but under present conditions I don't feel the need of either, so" " am not taking any." PROHIBITION IN THE SOUDAN.

For fear my remark that those athletes abstaining fared worse in the Spanish; American war than the average soldier* may be quoted against abstinence in the field, I must draw attention to the late Soudan campaign. "Lord Kitchener rigorously prohibited liquor in the camp, at any rate so far as Tommy Atkins was concerned, finding by past experience that soldiers are better without it. Some brewer sent hundreds of casks to rail head, but they were sent back to Cairo instanter, and at the brewer's expense. The Greeks are born traders, and they follow our Egyptian aimies in shoals to buy and sell. Some of them tried to smuggle liquois into the camp ; but every drop was run into the sand. If you want rather an amusing) account of the liquor question in the Soudan, read Burleigh's "Sirdar and Khalifa." Perhaps some one will retort, read " The Pathology of Thirst," a chapter in " With Kitchener to KharLomn." Certainly it is a bit of brilliant writing. But Steevens, like Burleigh, puts &tre&s on mineral waters, and he finds tea refreshing. Besides, an "Abu Hamcd '* concocted chink, and whiskies and sodas, did .not necessarily, give staying power. Steevens did not lie in his clothes for a week on end, nor did he tramp 30 miles a day on foot. To test, if liquor gave staj'ing power, he would have to do his choie the same as Tommy Atkins did. Now, I hadn't the slightest intention of writing moie than half a dozen lines on tobacco and liquor : the subject grew, ;md my current reading, fitting in, led me on.