ON THE DUTY.

Otago Witness, Issue 2801, 20 November 1907, Page 15

ON THE DUTY.

THE AMOKURA AT SEA. The Government training-ship Amokura, formerly the (Sparrow, -which hae been - lying ci Thorndon for a considerable time, t left on Saturday, November 2, for a 10j days' cruise -with her boy-crew. After i leaving Wellington the little white yachtlike craft ran through Cook Strait and spent the first night snugly at anchor in Queen Charlotte Sound. * Next day the little ship cruised out ' in the strait under sail purposely to give the required instruc- \ I tion in sailorising and handling a ship i under canvas. She proved herself a very J 1 good sea-boat, ,and with a light wind and all sail eet made between four and five knot 6 per hour. I Owing to the arrival of one of the 6ailor's enejaiea—fog— rit was-, fpuud neces- j sary to again seetk sbwter. ■Thie'wa* done, and the little «raft anchored in Ship>Oove, opposite the identical beach where Captain Cook careened his ship to repair her. bot- ! torn in the year 1769. Wiien the past is! reviewed the spot seems most atyo»riate: j What a ohange tft^tdbea jiJ«ceT In the one 'case w« have the old-time mariner or sea-dog, 'full of his traditions and tideis according to his day; the first to arrive and I to discover * country, which, in a little , over * century, has risen and is playing an important part in the Tilling and destiny lof the Empire, f n 'the other case, we see the result of his discoveries : the land, peopled by his descendants, having in 1 their veins the blood of the olej sea-dogs, gazing respectfully at the time-honoured spot where the first ship underwent the first overhaul in the country of their birth* This was truly a mast suitable place to 1 cast anchor. ■ • ■ j The next day, instead .of the Endeavour j being careened on the beach, as would bo , seen in the year 1769, the boats- of the Amokura were' to be seen careened and being subjected to a- ylgorous scrubbing J with sand and canvas by the descendants I of the discoverer of tfoe soil. What a happy lot these boys are! Each boat's crow cleaning thair. own boats, and -each co-6'xain vicing vAih tße others to have j his boat to look the cleanest, each of j these coxswains in charge of a beat thinking | himself of equally as much importance ac ' Captain Cook. The boyfeh prattle, jowal remarks, and laughter, then the urging voioe . of the coxswain, " Clean her up," " Scrub hard. "More sand, £ing«r," "Jlore \ water. Toby," etc., woul^ have gladdened the heart of our formef navigator and j discoverer could he have heard it. ' 'to Thursday the Amokura age-in erunod j

in the strait under canvas,

Thi6 time,

I having to contend with a. stiff breeze -«nd a nasty sea, she demonstrated her sailing capabilities extent of seven and ahalf * knots per* hour, which is not considered bad. The ship was steered and '_, worked -by t the boy-crew > entirely, despite * M seasicksr j [ n T-iievspifti* of detetminarioft: 'Bhfi^wnrfeysr ihe'^-i^s #i*t£ lhan -^ft^a^el^ Boys might be seen gqing to the wheel* v«ach one carrying a- bucket, fully deter.mined to "do or,,di§ < '' a;v Hera wae_ truly the-, j spirit of the ancestral sea-dog. The irtotto- ! "No surrender^-' ••»£* -everywhere- 4n strongj evidence. Sails. W«fre set. And ' handled, " yards were braced, the'"rfup tacked and" weared, rolled and, pitched, •*^ J> "no render," although IBH£r£L J^r^Jd^jjJHfe. Jl^Lj tribute the briny deep. A full day of this would be anaugh k to tiumbla >the strongest man, but not so with the AniO; kura boys, who each vied with the other in ! the policy' of **"no Surrender.' 77 * -'* ' !- Picton mas made on the evening of Thursday, the 7th inst., for the purpose, of , obtaining water- and' fresh provisions, after which another cruise will eventuate, so i that on returning to Welling-ton the boyj crew of the Amdkurs ' will be reaij hardened j sailors, well fit to op-hold the traditJona of a -oountry whose main line of offence, ' defence, and very existence must be the 1 ever-rolliilg sea.