Another Fire Experience.

The ship was again on fire during the passage from London to Lyttelton, 1879-80. On this occasion the Piako left London on October 23, 1879. She encountered a cyclone in the Bay of Biscay, but no serious damage resulted, and all went well until October 25th, when fire broke out and passengers and crew had a trying experience. The "Lyttelton Times," reporting the arrival of the ship, says:—"An event that caused consternation amongst the passengers and crew occurred at 7.50 a.m. on Christmas morning, when a case of rockets in the storeroom aft, in the 'tween decks, exploded, and a large quantity of smoke issued from the after hatch. The fire hoses were at once got down the 'tween decks and the fire eventually subdued without any serious damage. As may be imagined the occurrence created considerable alarm until it was discovered all was safe."

Mr. H. Freeman, residing in Mountain Road, Auckland, was a passenger by the Piako on this occasion, and refer-page 273ring to the fire writes:—"When the alarm was given most of the passengers were still in their bunks. We were then about 1200 miles from the nearest land, St. Paul's Island, in the Indian Ocean. The fire occurred after a rough night, during which the ship had been rolling heavily. About 7.45 on Christmas morning there was an explosion below and we thought that some of the ship's rockets had been loosened and ignited by knocking against one another. I remember well the boatswain calling out, 'All hands on deck, ship on fire.' The pumps were quickly manned, and the fire which was discovered amongst the stores was soon subdued, but we passed a very anxious time until all was reported safe."