Season”

The Missing Cook

Incidents of the “Cruising Season”

From Our Own Correspondent.

New Caledonia, July 16.

OUR cruising season, as far as Sydney boats are concerned, seems to have come to an end with the visit of the Wan ganella at the end of June.

The latter made the usual stay of twenty four hours; visits to the various places of interest were arranged for the tourists, and a ball was given in their honour at the Town Hall.

At the hour appointed for sailing, an important member of the culinary staff was missing. It is said that he had partaken of and enjoyed the local hospitality to the full. The distracted agents finally ran him to earth, and the ship was able to leave, but slightly after schedule.

This recalls a rather amusing incident which took place when the Strathnaver, the largest vessel ever to enter the port of Noumea, paid us a visit a few months ago.

A fair sea was running and, when the ladder was lowered and the pilot launch came alongside, the pilot missed his hold and, to the horror of all on board, fell into the shark-infested ocean.

Several modern lifebelts which are elec trically illuminated when they hit the water were thrown to him, but he showed a callous indifference towards these expen sive luxuries, and seemed anxious only to retrieve his new felt hat. It was with a feeling of relief that those watching finally saw him clamber safely up the rope ladder,, none the worse for his short immersion.

The visit of the American tourist ship, the Los Angeles, which is due at the end of this month, will finally close our cruising season.