Following the Equator: A Journey Around the World. Part 4

Arriving in the wind‑swept port of Bluff at the southern tip of New Zealand, the narrator sets a witty tone by comparing its mild climate to the extremes of Quebec. He sketches the odd legacy of the rabbit plague, where cats, stoats and mongooses roam freely while the law punishes anyone who dares to question them. The chapter blends dry humor with keen observation, turning a simple customs stop into a lively portrait of a remote settlement.

From Bluff the journey snakes through bustling towns, a quirky naturalist’s museum, and the bustling rails of Maryborough, where express trains rattle past “a hell of a hotel.” Along the way he meets Maori elders, notes the pioneering role of women voters, and marvels at the geothermal wonders of Rotorua. The narrative then hops across the Tasman to Sydney, where cats share decks with lascar crews, before slipping into the scented lanes of Ceylon and the chaotic crowds of Bombay, each scene painted with the same sharp, conversational wit.