A TRIP TO THE SOUNDS.

Inangahua Times, Volume VIII, Issue 1250, 26 March 1883, Page 2

A TRIP TO THE SOUNDS.

(From the Otago Daily Times).

Boats were soon out again in all directions, but the soaking rain soon drove most of them back for dinner, laden with spoils of all sorts. They reported, amongst other things, that the shallow water near the white beach was literally crawling with crayfish, great numbers of which they brought back. Finding that they did not take the bait very well, the passengers jumped overboard into the shallow water, and simply picked up the best -and biggeßfrtheyxould*see,andas-tnftny-as they wanted. These large crayfish have a curious large spur on one of the points of the front legs, by which they catch and hold any bait presented to them, and give your fingers a very ugly nip if you catch their legs.

The preparations for the concert were on a grand scale. The main deck was roofed in with canvas, hung with flags, and with coloured lanterns here and there. But long before dinner was over the rain was coming down in such [incessant torrents — a rods of rain," as Dr Hector said — that it became quite evident that there could be no concert on the main deck, for though no actual rain came through, the beating of it on the canvas caused a thin mist . which damped everything under it. Captain Cameron was however, equal to the occassion, arid soon had the piano taken down into the main saloon under the opening up to the social hall so that those upstairs as well as down could hear perfectly. The concert passed off successfully, the tin- whistle and melodious playing of the sailors, as also their songs, comic and sentimental, affording peculiar pleasure to the company. There was a full house, and everything was well received except a reading by a Melbourne gentleman from " The. Luck of Roaring Camp," which created a strained and painful sensation, and the Committee were informed that they must exercise some supervision in future over what was read. "At a quarter-past 1 1 all went to bed, delighted with the entertainment, but with sorrowful thoughts about the morrow and its weather.

On Saturday morning the wind was in the S.W., and tho weather had cleared ; so after breakfast we steamed out of the North Port, down past Great Island, through Return Channel and out into the Southern Ocean. It was rituch calmer then yesterday, with fine fresh air, and but little swell, and most of tho ladies kept the deck as we sailed along the coast enjoying the scene. The land is comparatively low and sloping, and there are many tracts of land that no doubt could be settled upon and some few coves, with rivers running into them, wher-? boats could no doubt land. The higli hills, pretty far back, were bare of wood, but covered with yellow grass where the rocks where bare.

As we nearedthe entrance to Dusky Sound, the Five Fingers Point on Five Fingers Peninsula stood like sentinels to this portal of beauty; for as we turned towards the entrance to Dusky Sound a scene gradually unfolded itself which for grandeur and extent, and yet majestic beauty, excels anything I had ever imagined — in fact, the entrance to Dusky Sound on snch a morning defies all my powers of description ; and as we stood on the forecastle drinking in with delight the glorious scene, exclamations of pleasure came from surprised and delighted lips every moment. But they were all and almost unconscious. Words would fail to express what we thought and felt. A grand and reverent feeling of upliftment seemed to carry us out of ourselves. But I must try

and give some poor description of it, but know I will utterly fail in conveying even an idea of what the scene is

like.

Dusky Sound is three miles wide at its mouth from head to head, and about 20 miles long. We could see mountain peaks away beyond the head of it, with snow patches on them, but between them and us were five different tiers of mountains, the distance being brought out in prospective by the veil of haze between each. Oh, the beauty of that scene I shall never forget 1 and as I write and i*ecall it to my memory, is a new fresh delight. I had looked forward with hope to seeing and enjoying Dusky Sound, mainly from its historic associations with Captain Cook, grand old who made this his. hca:lquaflors in the fv.<uth: bv.t the grandeur and beauty of tin. 1 .sct:.e soon

eclipsed everything else, and drove everything out of one's mind save the superb delight of drinking in the scenery. Then this grand picture was cleft by the long lane of water stret- . ching in sinuous lines away — away, till it narrowed into apparently a deep and narrow gorge. And then, as we passed very slowly up past Anchor Island, and now between Indian Island and Long Island on the one hand, and Resolution Island on the other, past the mouth ef Acheron Channel, and on to Decherty's place, opposite Cooper Island, we felt the glorious scene was simply indescribable, and would have liked for a rest to allow us to recall its ever-changing beauties and infinite variety of delight. But as we had promised Docherty to go ashore, there was no help for it but to go, accora panied by and the a number of other people. There was some delay and bungling after we got into tho boat whilst we wera alongside, as they would insist on not casting us off, but kept backing the steamer in towards • the" shore/tb pur greWrolTand *frignt. i "~'"^ They meant it well, but as we were on the weather side of the ship, it was attended with considerable danger to u5...... The sailors and officers are evidently not much acquainted with boats, and it will be fortunate if no accident ocr curs before the Sounds trip is ended.