NINETY-FIRST BIRTHDAY.

Otago Witness, Issue 3755, 2 March 1926, Page 72

NINETY-FIRST BIRTHDAY.

CELEBRATED BY EARLY COLONIST. MR CHARLES FOUNTAIN'S REMINISCENCES. When the felicitation “Many happy returns ot the day” on the passing his ninety-first year was voiced to Mr Charles Wolsey Fountain on Friday, he confidently expressed the intention of celebrating many more birthdays. His chances appear excellent, for our representative found him active in body and mind, and possessed of all his faculties. Cicero wrote, “To live long, it is necessary to‘ live slow,’’ with which Mr Foun tain is wholly in agreement. When called on at the residence of his son, Mr R. G. H Fountain, Easther crescent, Kew he readily gave the secret of longevity, stating, “It is vitality and a store of it, built up in the younger days. I believe that when a man reaches the age of 50 years his vitality begins to ebb. He should have a reserve of strength in store from which ho can diaw, and he can only, build that up by leading a healthy life in his youth. I am no novelty, by any means, for I am positive that with a determination to live and a stock of energy a man can live for many years. I am enjoying ufe and I want to live to a still riper old age If I were racked with pain I, like the sufferers, would be happy to leave this world, but I have not an ache or pain, and I am possessed of all my faculties.” Mr Fountain retains the spirit of the early colonists, and despite tne hardships and trials incidental to life in New Zealand 60 years ago, he is light-hearted, and at peace with the world. Hurry finds no place in Mr Fountain’s scheme of things and he refuses to carry its burden for he believes it eventually takes toll of the precious store of vitality so essential i.o longevity. Tobacco has a sincere devotee in Mr Fountain. He has smoked since he was 12 years of age, when, at a private school in Norfolk, he stole his first pipeful from a secreted packet of tobacco purchased by the elder boy g with their pocket money. Mr Fountain still smokes and he believes the habit has not been harmful, but that in fact it has been beneficial to his health. For the past 20 years, Mr Fountain has worn glasses when walking, but hi s hearing is so perfect that he is able to converse on the telephone. Although he has not played bowls this season, Mr Fountain is determined that next summer will see him trailing the kitty again. Bowling is his favourite sport, and in the years gone by he was his club’s champion on many occasions. To have seen four sovereigns on the British throne is Mr Fountain’s present record. William IV was king when he was given his name on February 26, 1835, in a house on the South Town road. Great Yarmouth, his parents being members of old Norfolk families. For seven years, he was in a boarding school and at the age of 15 yoars he went to London to join tne soap and oandle manufacturing firm controlled by his unole. The firm met disaster during the Crimean War and Mr Fountain was stranded. However, he obtained a position with another firm but the desire to emigrate absorbed his thoughts and in June. 1860, he sailed with his wife and foutyear-oIJ child on the ship Wellesley for The vessel was one of a line of sailers and had been engaged in the East Indies trade being later converted into a passenger and mail carrier for the Australian trade. Mr Fountain resided in Melbourne for two years till news of the gold rushes in New Zealand reached the colony. The fever claimed him and leaving his wife and child with relatives he sailed for Dunedin in August. 1862, in the ship Accrington, a steamer which had been converted into a sailer. The ship oarried 1025 passengers all bound for the goldfields of

Otago. On a wet Saturday the Accrington came to anchor off tbo Otago Heads and a paddle and two screw steamers came alongside to take the passengers off for Dunedin. Mr Fountain's passage was booked for Port Chalme >s and the skipper of the passenger boat was compelled to land him at tho port that night. In those days, he told the reporter, the port comprised a short jetty, and hotel and a store, and from the latter he purchased two pounds of a cost of Is 6d per lb and also a loaf, which cost Is 6d. They had just stepped from the boat when word was received that Hartley and Riley had arrived in Dunedin with the news of the discovery of gold in the Dunstan River. Naturally the gold-seekers were anxious to reach the “El Dorado” at once. That night they pitched their tent by a charming lagoon near Port Chalmers. Although Mr Fountain has visited the port on several occasions in latter years to find the lagoon again he has not been successful. Next morning the party of prospectors walked along the newly-formed road—really a path—from Port Chalmers to Dunedin and the supplies of water for drinking en route pleased the Australians who had anticipated a shortage typical of Australia. On that night, the tent was pitched in the bush which extended across the road from Pine Ilill on a portion of the site now occupied by the Botanical Gardens. On the first wagons leaving for the Dunstan, the party placed their baggage, for which the freight charge was Is 6d per lb. The men walked behind the wagons all the way and after a week’s tramp, _Mr Fountain’s party reachod its camp in a bend of the river, tflose to the present township of Clyde. For the first two or three days the party was fairly successful, obtaining some rich wash dirt. During the third day a drizzle set in and the river began to rise. That night the camp, tho cradles, and the mining appliances were removed to a higher terrace above the river bed, and the party lay down for the night on a bed of tussocks. At 3 a.m. Mr Fountain discovered that the water waa rising, and the trench dug round the tent had overflowed. He aroused his companions and they had only time to reach to a higher level before the flood swept the camp away. The river rose to 35ft above its previous level, all the camps being destroyed. Mr Fountain is of the opinion that several prospectors were also carried away in the flood waters, because many being elated at the success attending their search for gold, investments had been made in Urge quantities of liquor. With the Dunstan field ruined, all the prospectors moved away to fresh fields. One miner, though, was an optimist, and stayed at the river for a year in the hopes that the waters would subside, but this, however, did not eventuate. Later his party participated in the Nokomai rush, but it was unsuccessful. Owing to the necessity of “paddocking” the gold was not obtainable in payable quantities, although a few good nuggets were secured. An enormous quantity of goods for the diggers was accumulated at Nokomai, and when the miners departed from the diggings the goods were left behind. Mr Fountain holds the opinion that the rush was caused by Police Inspector Brannigan, who considered that it would be a good ruse to bring about the clearance of Dunedin by spreading the rumour. Mr Fountain’s party then disbanded, two men WR«fng over the ranges to Invercargill, and Mr Fountain and his mate walking back to Dunedin. The last day’s walk was from Tokomairiro, a distance of 36 miles. On arrival at Dunedin, after many days on the road, he called on a Mr Charles Cooper, a merchant, in Princes street south, and was permitted to sleep in the rear of the store. He had, however, chosen a bed on a heap of potatoes, and at 3 a.m. he was forced to rise owing to being overrun by rats. He then spent the remainder of the night, with the rain falling heavily, inside the frame of a building, which later wa s known as the Imperial Hotel. “As I ate well and slept well in New Zealand, I decided to make my home in tho colony,” continued Mr Fountain. His wife and two children travelled across from Melbourne in a steamer which reached Port Chalmers about a year after his arrival. Mr Fountain was in business in Dunedin for some time, and then joined the employ of Mr Edward Brundle. a cabinetmaker. He was oi,o of the founders of the Roslyn Bowling Club, of which he is a Mfe member, and he also assisted in the formation of the Port Chalmers green, and, in addition, is a member of the Wanganui, Wellington, and Christchurch Clubs. In 1896 Mr Fountain, with his wife, left Dunedin for the North Island, and the greater part of the past 30 years have been spent in Wanganui, where Mrs Fountain died 14 years ago. He has 11 children. 40 grandchildren, and 25 great-grand-children. Mr Fountain is a member of the Masonic Craft, and while resident in Dunedin was one of the promiment members of the Masonic Dramatic Societv. His visit is for the purpose of seeing the Exhibition, and he stated that this was tho third Exhibition lie had seen here.