Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-03-17

! would choose as a residential site.
Nevertheless, 1t possesses one virtue: as
health resort for rheumatic subjects
it is extremely beneficial.
| The atmosphere of the hot springs
| has a marked effect in relieving this
complaint; the sulphurous fumes, no
doubt, have tonic effect.
| My little sister was a sufferer from
chronic rheumatism, and my parents
decided that it would be good thing
! for some of us children-there were IL
Of us in the family-to go out to the
island and spend the Summer months
| with HaWker.
suppose the idea was that it would
be company for him and holiday for
| lis; there was also the hope that It
might benefit poor little Ida, who was
only years old at the time In this. I
may say that they were not disap-
pointed, for the sojourn did the poor
child lot of good.
have pondered since on the prob
lem as to how any sane parents-and
mine were eminently so-could have Sc
riously contemplated such a step as
on an island volcano. unless it was that
they moderated the dangers and
thought 1t would be we'll to be rid Of
few Of us for month or two. In
any case, they packed us off.
Amid much general excitement all ar
rangements were at last made and
everything was in readiness for three
months trip. The party was made up
as follows: Julia. aged 10; George,
aged Is; Jim (myselD, aged IL; Lyell,
aged 8, and Ida, aged 4, together with
Ida's two pet cats, Blacksmith and
Kitty Doctor, ages unknown.
Az
to have come with us, but he, like a
wise youth. changed his mind Just as
we were all getting into the dinghy.
and with the simple but pertinent
statement that he was going back to
mother" disappeared. 1t is a signifi-
cant fact that in the battle of life this
lad later came out better than any of
us, and Is now star performer in the
legal world.
WE embarked on a beautiful Novem-
w Der evening. The old packet was
soon forging ahead, and with light but
favorable breeze we rounded TAU
ranga Heads and by daylight were we'll
on our way toward the island. The
voyage was uneventful, and was thor
oughly enjoyed by us boys, to whom
anything in the sailoring line was as
the Dreatn OF HE.
Poor Julia, however, was victim to
seasickness and, as the only ladies
cabin on board was the cutters hold,
her sufferings must have been intense.
To my boyhood mind, sailormen we're
the only true type of manhood, and the
dirtier and grubbier they appeared the
better. The two in this instance were
odd Alec" and "Gasay Jack" and we
used to hang with reverence and awe
upon the words of wisdom that fell from
their tobacco-stained lips.
Although knew these men for
years I never knew their real names.
1t was the same with the two that
Hawker had with him on the island at
that time-"Big Charlie" and "Griff."
Upon our arrival at the island we
made fast to a buoy In Wilson'S Bay,
and Hawker and his crew came off in
the whaleboat and took us all ashore.
landing us safely through the surf
without wetting. For the remainder
of the day all hands were fully occu-
pied in landing stores and water, which
latter had to be fioated ashore IN casks,
there being no fresh water on the
island
During the next few days the cutter
had to be loaded with sulphur, and this
was a very heavy job. George and I
fell in with the others and helped as
best we could, proud to imagine that
we were doing mems work. The only
thing that worried me was that the
sulphur fumes affected my eyes. max
ing them so sore could scarcely see.
After the cutter had sailed away
again, we settled down to the routine
of everyday life in our new surround
| ings. In the mornings Julia used to give
/ us lessons for a few hours. Then
| George would go UP to the quarry with
| the men while I helped Hawker to
| build new hut--which, may add, was
| never completed. Ida and Lyell used
to play around the seashore, making
wondrous discoveries of shells and fishes.
| Fishing was our chief sport and pas
time-and such fishing! These waters.
! by the way, have since become world
| famous as being one of the finest II not
| the finest fishing grounds in the world.
| Occasionally we used to visit Cannot
Point for eggs. Millions of sea-birds
nest on the island, and Cannot Point
was one of their favorite colonies. Gan
net eggs are a bit fishy, but they went
we'll with the salt pork and junk which
was the only meat we had.
| Canned foods-with the exception of
condensed milk-were not known In
those days, or at least they were I'M
known to us.
About every fortnight the cutter used
to arrive, bringing letters, papers, fruit
| and delicacies from home. Then fol-
lowed busy time until she was loaded
up and away again.
So the days and weeks went by, and
only once did we get diversion in the
shape of northeasterly gale which
ragged for three days. Mighty waves
dashed the shore in fury, tossing spray
. and foam aloft and SWEEPING the island
from shore to shore. The thunder of
the ocean at night. mingled with the