Windsor & Richmond Gazette, Saturday, March 3, 1900 - page 6 On Inland Waters (III) Among Orchards and Cornfields Written Specially for the Gazette by J. C. G. The Colo is very deep in places, though there is much shallow water - seemingly deposits of recent years. Many fine orchards greet the eye on either side, notably those of Messrs. W. and J. METHERELL, who believe in irrigation, and pump water by steam engine for the purpose. Adjoining them is Mr. KEMP's old orchard and residence - his home in pre-champion days. From this point, up stream is the Long Reach, straight as an arrow for a mile and a half - and this was the training course for more than one champion. Downstream again, Mr. TURNBULL has a fine orchard and nice residence. There are roads along the river, and also to Kurrajong, Richmond, and Windsor. The river is navigable for about nine miles. The "beauty spots" among the Colo and Lower Portland are many and exquisite in their loveliness - they are so all up and down the river, but where I have indicated they are known to me - engraved in my memory, and yet their owners seem to place but little value on them ; ! they talk of hundreds of pounds, where they might speak of thousands. A seven-acre orchard will give one a living no doubt, but surely that should not be all for a young man to look forward to. A certain seven-acre patch I know should be worth at least £10,000 to a man desiring a quiet, healthful and beautiful home, with a broad river at his feet, his estate encircled by walls of rock, rocky terraces to build upon, and heaps of stone to build with. As for the soil - let the peaches, pears, apples, tomatoes, passion fruit, maize, melons, marrows, pumpkins, which I have seen growing there answer. It cannot be surpassed. This seven-acre orchard is not a dream, nor a fairy tale. It exists in the solid. Opposite EVERINGHAM's Point one may find it. Its owner is "Joe" BROWN (Joe ain't takin' any "mister") the grandson of "Fisherman BROWN" of whom I have heard as one of the ancients. Joe is not ancient - not in his husbandry, anyhow. His orchard is a credit to him, and Jo! e himself is a man worth knowing. Wile in camp, J. B. was our very go od friend, and spared himself no exertion to afford us pleasure. If I have eulogised him, he deserves all I have written. Joe not only keeps his own lot in capital order, but works another orchard opposite with Mr. E. MITCHELL, and here, also, the fruit is exceptionally fine. EVERINGHAM's Point is of large extent - one of the earliest settlements, no doubt ; there is every evidence of it. Mr. E. MITCHELL farms the principal farm ; his son Wesley another, while between there is a large area of pastures whereon in the old days wheat was grown. "I have cut many an acre of wheat down there with a sickle" said a lady friend to me one day. But we have gone farther afield for our wheat growing - fruit for a metropolitan population is more profitable. On the Point is the Wesleyan chapel, in which the Rev. Mr. TARN holds service o'Sundays. The chapel is 16 years old, and is a neat little structure of stone. In Mr. and Mrs. MITCHELL we found good friends, and the boys most co! mpanionable - and we spent some pleasant evenings with the family. They are everywhere - at Sackville, Lower Portland, Leet's Vale, and Lower Hawkesbury. One might call them the "Clan MITCHELL" ; so also the EVERINGHAM's, the CAVANOUGH's, the HERPS', the JONES', the ROSES and other families. Some of our party went down by steamer to RECKLESS' - where the nephews of my old friend, Mr. Michael McMAHON, of Comleroy Road, were road making. I towed the boat down for them, and rather a stiff job it was, for the wind beats the tide easily ; had it been the other way I should have up-sail. As it was I did my best, and the return home in the dark - the songs we sung and the fun we had - was the reward. Another warm row was to "Rexford," the nice home of Mr. W. R. NEWELL, which, I may say, for comfort and repleteness is as near perfection as possible. The orchard is of small area, but as Mr. NEWELL is a man of resource, method, and order, his small area probably gives better returns than many larger properties. The house is of stone, and built from Mr. NEWELL's own designs. It is on a commanding site, and just the place in which to spend a few weeks in the hot season, for the house is the coolest of any I had been in. Like Mr. KEMP, Mr. NEWELL is handy with tools ; he also works with his head - has some artistic ideas and agrees with me as to the importance of the Hawkesbury as a tourist's route and sanatorium. I saw many things at "Rexford" which surprised me - particularly in regard to literature and art - which is not strange, however, seeing that Mr. NEWELL comes of a literary and an artistic stock. Suffice it to say, we spent a most enjoyable afternoon at "Rexford," for after the squire showing us over the house and grounds he gave me a game on his billiard table and a good Manila cigar ; while Mrs. NEWELL most hospitably provided us with "afternoon te! a" on the broad cool verandah. The visit concluded with a little music (by Miss NEWELL and two of our party) and we embarked in our galliot, giving a verse of "Auld Lang Syne" as we pulled out into the stream - head on to the wash of an approaching steamer - for these rollers are none too pleasant in a deeply loaded skiff. Again, our return home in the gloaming was most pleasurable. Opposite our camp on Portland Reach is the fine large orchard of Mrs. CHRISTIE, widow of the late J. T. CHRISTIE, which is worked by her two younger sons. They have their hands fill, for there are 75 acres to attend to - yet it is in very fair condition. The crop of fruit - peaches and nectarines in particular - was phenomenal this season and a sight for our party to see, for some of them were strangers to Hawkesbury orchards. This orchard is one of the oldest at Lower Portland and famed for its oranges, which have fetched good prices in England. This farm adjoins Mr. Peter KEMP's, and th! e homestead forms a pretty picture from the spur at the rear of our ca mp. As our party at any time included but four persons of the male persuasion, the ladies became experts with the oars, and often pulled long distances. And as the men returned to their businesses, still more physical exertion devolved upon the women folk, but they never shirked, and browned hands and sunburned faces became the correct thing. We were present at St. John's tea fight on New Year's Day ; also the public school picnic on Anniversary Day, and enjoyed ourselves immensely, in spite of searching sunbeams and exceedingly hot tea - for we met many old acquaintances of my own, and joined with them in the games. Fancy rounders with something like 30 (more or less) aside. At the picnic (on the Colo opposite Mr. Peter KEMP's) we got on famously, for we found Mr. JAMES, the teacher, a very cordial, hearty host, and in the Rev. Mr. TARN a real good liberal parson, and a patriotic outspoken gentleman. May his shadow never grow less - id it does there will be none. In ! the evening our young folks joined Mr. JAMES and his friends in a dance, whereat Mr. Herbert EALES (son of my old friend 'Bob,' of that ilk, now in the "Debateable Land") played exquisitely on his violin. 'Herb' was always a good fiddler - even in the old days, when we dances all night at Newport, and all day returning home. During the last days of our visit our party counted only six, and then we returned home by the "Hawkesbury," leaving our camp at Lower Portland at something after 10 a.m. and reaching the railway end at about the same hour p.m. It was too bad, though we could expect nothing else, when we saw the heaps of melons and other produce at KEMP's wharf and other places lower down. Nor we can blame Skipper O'BRIEN or his youthful crew of 'ducks' - although a promise was made that we should be landed at Hawkesbury station in time for the evening train. At Wiseman's we knew it was all up, for our stay there was nearly two hours, and the 'Surprise' showed us h! er heels (which is not proper, still, more improper would it be to say the other thing) and we never saw her again until we crossed her deck at the railway wharf. She landed 'her' passengers twenty minutes before train time. No wonder Skipper JONES grinned when he saw us. Still, even he does not always keep faith with his passengers, as some of our party happen to know - though I believe he 'does' try. (To be continued).