Homeward Bound,

and at half-past four o'clock on the morning of the 9th we made fast alongside the Port Chalmers wharf, thus concluding one of the most interesting trips it could be the lot of anyone to accomplish. Were I to yield to the temptation to romance, I daresay I could make my diary of thrilling interest, but as it is I have merely stated the bare facta, I Of this I am confident, that for a total change of everyday life, as a cure for ennui and as a health restorative, there is no trip to equal this one of 1600 miles on the South Pacific. Then there are the attractions afforded by views of myriads of penguins, acres of albatrosses, and mobs of sea lions, so that altogether I think the Union Company would be fully warranted in making at least one trip per year to the Snares, Auckland, and Campbell Islands. Although the weather from start to finish was anything but pleasant, the disagreeable features were all but put to flight by the uniform courtesy of Captain Fairchild and his officers. Without the assistance which these gentlemen so willingly accorded I certainly would have been very much "at sea." In con-elusion I would tender them ray very sincere thanks, and if again I am in a position to indulge in a maritime trip, I trust my lines may fall in equally pleasant places. However long I may live I will always re-member with pleasure my cruise "Far South" in the Stella.

By way of appendix I may state that the sheep and goats left on the islands were supplied out of the Invercargill Wreck Fund, per Mr John McPherson; and the trees, grass seed, wattles and broom by Messrs Nichol Brothers and R. Cleave. The goats and sheep were distributed as follows:—Snares, 2 goats; Erebus Cove, Auckland Islands, 5 sheep; page 21 Adam's Island, 5 sheep; Figure-eight Island, 2 sheep; Tucker Cove, Campbell Islands, 6 sheep and 2 goats; Antipodes Islands, 7 sheep and 3 goats. Grass seed was sown at the Snares, at Erebus Cove, Terror Cove, Sarah's Bosom, Adam's Island, Camp Cove, Figure-eight Island, and Epigwaitt in the Auckland Islands; at Tucker Cove, the bead of N.E. harbour and N.W. in the Campbell Islands: and at the Antipodes Islands. Assorted trees and plants, consisting of gums, firs, wattles, and Scotch broom, were placed on the Aucklands, Campbells, and Antipodes.—I would like to mention that at Erebus Cove and Camp Cove, in the Aucklands, we found letters from Captain Drew, of the sealing schooner Awarua, giving a thoroughly satisfactory explanation of his reasons for taking a portion of the stores.