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after. Age and hardship have made him a mere skeleton, but there is still great vitality apparent in his bright eyes, which kindle when he is spoken to of old times. He has been, as most of the readers of the Mail know, residing at Mr McPhail’s, at Island Bay, but recently an attack of illness rendered it necessary to bring him to Akaroa for medical aid. Simpson is an old sailor, who was born in Berkshire just seventy years ago, according to his own account, though many fancy he is much older. He was early apprenticed to the owner of some vessels running in the West India trade, and he spent his time in the ordinary manner. When he had completed his time, he shipped for Sydney in a large ship called the Mary Ann. This vessel was built for troops, and took out the 28th Regiment to New South Wales. Her commander, Captain Smith, is described by Simpson as a perfect brute, and dire were the quarrels that took place between him and the men. This gentleman was familiarly known as “Pirate Smith,” and Simpson warmly asserts that he had as good a right to fly the death’s head and cross bones flag as Captain Kidd ever had. Arrived in Sydney, the crew struck and went ashore, refusing to go aboard the Mary Ann again. Brought up before the magistrates, the option was given them of sailing in the vessel or forfeiting their wages and clothes. They all preferred the latter alternative, and stopped in the Colony. It was at a time when whaling was the principal occupation of sailors in these seas, and in Sydney Simpson soon fell in with Captain Hempleman, who, finding him a good hand in a whale-boat, engaged him to go with him for a trip in the brig Bee, as boat-steerer, with one and a half shares. This was in the beginning of 1835, about forty-seven years ago, so Simpson must have been about twenty-three years of age at the time.

Captain Hempleman had been in command of