LIFE ON MACOUARIE AND.

Otago Witness, Issue 2572, 1 July 1903, Page 13

LIFE ON MACOUARIE AND.

One of the syndicate formed at Port Chalmers to purchase the schoonei Enterprise and proceed by her to Macquarie Island for the purpose of obtaining penguin oil furnishes the following report ol the doings on the island. Mr G. Rourke says:— We left Port Chalmere on August 50, 1902, but meeting strong head winds came to anchor at the heads. During the gale we lost an anchor on September 1, and were compelled to send a whale boat back to Port Chalmers to procure another to replace it. We left the heads on September 2, but meeting head winds anchored two days later under the Nuggets. After laying there until the 11th a fair wind was experienced, and we proceeded on the voyage, arriving off the island on September 16. Bad luck attended us, and we were blown off the land again on the same day. After knocking about for 10 days we reached the island again on September 26, and anchored off Nugget Point. Landed the island party, with casks, coals, and stores, and remained there until October 5, when the party of hunters came off with the intention of proceeding to the south end of the island. We arrived at Lusitania Bay on the same night, and anchored, but were again blown off the land at midnight, and on the morning of/ the next day had the misfortune to lose a v ne\v whale boat. Arrived off Lusifcania again on October 9, with the intention of getting a boat which was on the island, but ill luck still attended us, and we were blown to sea, meeting terrible weather, which compelled the vessel to heave-to, and as both water and stores were getting scarce we shaped a course for the Auckland I&lands. During this time the crew were compelled to gather snow from the decks and off the sails and put it into the water tanks. The Aucklands were reached on October 21, and to supplement the scanty supply of provitions left on board — th© greater part having been landed at the Nuggets depot — limpets were caught on the recks and eaten three times a day ; while, after considerable trouble, some of the men succeeded in capturing a wild pig, which was, however, in very poor condition, and more like a greyhound than a pig. After filling the water tanks, we left the Aucklands on October 30, and arrived at Macquarie Island on November 13, but on account of a heavy S.E wind the vessel could not anchor at Nugget Point, and was compelled to proceed to the northwest side, and there landed the party. Reached the Nuggpts again at 4 am. of November 18, and after rafting a few casks ashore left for New Zealand. The hunting party then set to work and repaired the huts, cleaned the digesters, and repaired the steam pipes, which eadly needed attention, while pumps were procured fron* Lusitania Bay. The weather all thic time was very cold and rainy. The work of capturing the penguins and boiling t'icm down for oil was briskly carried on, and on Dot-ember 11 three of the men walked across tho island to Lusitania Bay, a distance of SO miles in 12 hours, to procure some digester glafc-seu, leaving again at 4 a.m. on the 12th on the return trip for the camp. Taking their way along the beach, they fell in with a thick fog, and lost their way, only reaching the main party at 6 p.m., footsore and exhausted. They only had a few mouldy biscuits — picked up in the hut at Lusitania Bay — to eat on the road. The poor fellows were wet to the skin, and suffered greatly during the trip. The stores were rapidly giving out, and to rabbits were trapped, and birds, 6uch as wood hens and blue jays, snared for food. On December 20 it wtvs found that the baking material and spirits (of which a small quantity had been taken) were exhausted, with the exception of a bottle of brandy, reserved for medicinal purposes. With the commencement of January the party wore reduced to greater straits. All the small stores, meat, and vegetables gave out, and by the end of the month the tobacco was exhausted, forcing tho=e who smoked to substitute tea leaves for it. On February 18 a white swan was caught, and proved an acceptable addition to the larder. At this time Charles Anderson, one of the hunters, became fieriouslv ill, and in order that the poor fellow might have more room three of the men went to the north end to live Matches were so scarce that they could only expend one match per day for fire kindling purposes. The penguins all left the island early in February for the feeding erounds. The men were considerably saddened on April 6 by the death of their comradp, Charles Anderson (a well-known resident of Port Chalmers) from dropsy. Everything that could be I'onp for him was done, but a.= thrre was no skilled aid he died after preat -suffering Tt was dpoidid to bury him at Nueget Point :.nd a proper grave was duff. A coffin of white pinp was conctructed by Mr H. Albuteon, and the body

interred with every mark of respect, the grave being covered with shingle, white stones, and shells. At the- head a hardwood cross was erected, to which a plato bearing the following inscription was affixed : " Sacred to the memory of Charles Anderson, who died April 6, 1903. Gone, but not forgotten." . The following verses were inscribed on a tablet at the foot of the grave : — " Because He Loves Me So." I love to hear the story That angel voices tell. How once the King of Glory Came down on earth to dwell. I am both weak and sinful, But this I surely know • Thp Lord came down to save me, Because He !o\ es me so.