ABOUND THE WORLD

Otago Witness, Issue 1851, 30 March 1904, Page 61

ABOUND THE WORLD

• (Fbpm Ota.go Witness Specials.) Port Elizabeth, February 19. Dear Pasouin, — The company leave South Africa by the" Oswestry Grange at 4 o'clock this afternoon for Western Australia. We bar) a very big send-off last night. Tha house was packed, and as the curtain was lowered tor the first tilme the audience sang Auld lang &jne," in which we joinad. The curtain had to be "raised fully a dozen times before the aud : enco would leave the theatre. Since last writing, we put on the "Geisha, "In Town I " and "Gay j?arisenne." We played a cricket match here against a team of "Malays, and h?d a splendid day. About 500 Malays were present. In tho afternoon, when ihe l.adies turned out, which they did in full force, tlie ground looked one mass of colour. The Malays are very fair cricketers — they beat us badly. As promised in one of my letters. I will give you a full li3t of those members of the company who have left and others who have married in this country. Mr and Mrs Raw, gone to England. Mr and Mrs O'Connor, gone to England. Miss Nina Osborne, gone to England. Miss E. Allen, gone to England. Miss W. Karkeek, gone to England. Miss Zoe Karkeek, married at Durban. Miss A. Curtice, married at Johannesburg. Mr Percy Alymer and Dolly Wilson, married in Capetown. Miss M. Boon, left in Pretoria. Miss R. Grindley, left in Capetown. Mr C. Griffiths, lctft in Capetown. Sfr P. Deverson, left in Pert Elizabeth. Miss Alice Edgar, married iii Johannesburg. Miiss Leah Davis, married in Christchurch. Miss A. Drumm, left in Capetown. Mr P. O' Sullivan, left in Port Elizabeth. Miss Gertie Campion, who is at present ill in Johannesburg, where her s-ister, Kittie Campion, has gone to assist in musing her. The foregoing list represents the members of the company who have left us since we have been in South Africa. George Young and Miss Ermcson were married in Capetown, but are still with the company. Another marrkga took place here on Tuesday, Februavay 16, when Miss Mollie O'Sullivan was married to a Mr T. Dingey. Miss O'Sullivan is going to stay in South Africa for the present ; but hopes to pay a visit to New Zealand in a shorl while. Our company will be a bit changed when we get back. A bouquet of flowers has just been gent round to each lady member of the company from a well-known gentleman here, to take on the boat with them. The Malays have also sent two big baskets of fruit to eat on board. 1 believe they are coining down in full forceto see us off. Everybody seems sorry th?.i we aie going. You may not receive this letter before we are in Australia, as the mail does not close until 22nd, and we leave to-day, ]9ih.

Xeanr.g Australia, Owestiy C-iange, Maich 9. As you will see by the abo\ c, I am unriting this on the boat, a day before we airive, as we expect to get into Fremantle by 1 o'clock to-rncrrow afternoon. On tb ; s bost we- have had tJie most enjoyable trip that the company

has evei had in all its travel*. As you know, tin? io no smill thing to say. We left Port Elizabeth at 5 o'clock on Friday aftomocn, Febiuaiy 19. Ihe whaif wa, packed with friencU wishing us a pleasant tr p home, and although we were returning to our homes, there was not one of the con«pany who did not feel a pang of regret at the thought of leaving so many good fi'iencU behind in South Africa. Especially we thought of Muss Gertie Campion, ill in Johannesburg (received a wire just before the boat left to cay that she was greatly improved). As the Oswebtiy Grange left her anchorage m the- bay, she fired three guns as a send-off to the public of Port Elizabeth, who had treated us with such kindness and courtesy during our season there. The Oswestry Grange we found was a wellappointed ship. Although we have had the usual snare of rough weather, there has been very little seasickness among the company, and not one of us has been ill during the trip. Besides our company, there were only threa other passengers, who soon -joined in with u=. Captain Taylor and his officers proved themselves (to use a slang phrase) perfect "white n'.en." On our second day out Cartain Taylor gave orders that a ."stage should be erected. I have teen a few ■mpromptu stages, but never such a one as was put up on the Oswestry G-ran<»e. It had a low of electric footlights, also two rows of lights in the flies, and an electric bell io ring in the turns! You can say that it hsd all the modern improvements of an up-to-date theatre. We gave conceits every Monday, Wednesday, and Saturday. They were all thoroughly enjoyed by the steerage passengers and crew and officers of the ship. One night they gave iis in return a rca! seamen's concert, with seamen's chcius, and we had the pleasure of sitting in front and enlevmg this conceit a.-; well as if we had been siitir.g in the front stalls of a thaatie. We also had' a very interesting lecture on tha Marconi system ot wireless telegraphy by a new member of our company, Mr J Willis, who was thorouahly at home on the subject. The officers were delighted with t-ie lecture. To-day, the 9th of March, Mr Willis (with the assistance of the chief engineer) sent a message through to Fremantle, our distance to inemantle at the iime being about 250 miles. The weather has been very kind to u=, and although ws arc about 'three days late, at has been caused through the very strong head winds that have been blowing since we startad. Last night, Tuesday, March 8, Captain laylor gave us a big dinner, at tha conclusion of which we presented the captain and the "hicf steward with illuminated addre&ses, the work of W. S. Percy.

- Perth, W.A.. March 11. Landed at Fremant'.e at, half-psst 8 this morning— later than we thought, owing to the strong head winds b" owing. Saw a \ery big waterspout just as we caught sight of the coast line of "Western Australia, and directly after fiat witnessed a big fight between a large whale, a thresher, and a swordflsh, in which the whale was bsaten. We passed Rottenest Island at haif-paet 6, and weie mot by the pilot, who took us to our anchorige, where we lay out all night. JEa-d a great view of thp town lights of Preinantle It put us iv mind of the night we were lying out m Table Bay, S.A., wondering what the country wss like At S o'clock the next morning the doctor came aboard, and after he had passed us. we steamed slowly up to the wharaf, where Mr T. Pollard was waiting for us. He looked very well, and was pleased to see the company again. At 11 o'clock we caught the train to Perth, saying good-bye with great regret to Captain Taylor and the officers and crew ot the Oswestry Grange. Th.is concluded a trip that will always remain to- us as the most cmoyable one of our lives. Tbe kmaness we received on that boat wciucl be hard to cq^al. H 3 o'clock 'in the afternoon we had a rehearsal of the "Messenger Boy, as w.e play it here for the first time in the west on Monday, March 14. Mr Pollard had 12 girls waiting for to replace those who have left or married in South Africa. Miss OKve Xienton arrives on Monday to play the part of Rosa (Miss G-erfc c Campion's part) in the '-Messcngei- Boy." Miss May Beatty is to play with us for the Adelaide season. "Will be able to, let you know more in my next. We are to play here for three weeks, aud then go up -to the goldfields. And thence to Adelaide. It is Koocl to be back m Australia again. Everything s:ems fresh, and the food so different. To-day we tasted grilled meat, and saw fnr.t at a reasonable price, such as applet at 4d a dozen, and not 4d each. Well, must close now, with best wishes from Mr Pollard and his company, and— Yours sincerely,