"•Adventures are to the adventurous"
BEACONSFIELD.
THE ADVENTURE SERIES.
Illustrated. Crown 8vo, 5s.
Adventures of a Younger Son. By E. J. TRELAWNY. With, an Introduction by Ed-ward Garnett. Second Edition.
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Edited, with an Introduction and Notes, by Captain S. P. Oliver.
3-
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The Adventures of Thomas Fellow, of Penryn, Mariner. Edited, -with an Introduction and Notes, by Dr. Robert Brown.
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(OTHERS IN THE PRESS.)
HARD LIFE IN THE COLONIES, AND OTHER EXPERIENCES BY SEA AND LAND
NOW FIRST PRINTED. COM- PILED FROM PRIVATE LETTERS
BY C. CARLYON JENKYNS
ILLUSTRATED
LONDON: T. FISHER UNWIN, PATERNOSTER SQUARE. MDCCCXCIL
MY FIVE NEPHEWS, HALN, SYLVESTER, GILBERT JENKINS,
AND LIONEL AND NELLO WENDLING,
I DEDICATE
THESE PAGES ADAPTED FEOM THE DIAEIES
OF THEIR FATHER AND UNCLE AND THEIR FRIEND.
C. C. J.
2057784
PEEFACE.
HE following pages are offered to the public in the belief that the Colonial experiences they record are of sufficient interest to justify their transcription from a series of private letters written twenty years ago. It is not claimed for the book that the adventures it contains are specially remarkable, or that many men now living are not more competent to speak of the ups and downs of a colonial life than the three writers of these letters : it is rather as presenting a picture of the life of young Englishmen who have knocked about a little before settling down — a picture the intsrest of which, perhaps, lies in its being fairly typical of many thousands of cases — that these sketches have been put into print.
In compiling the volume, the editor would add that she has kept as much as possible to the
viii PREFACE.
writers' own words. As, however, the latter have not had the opportunity of reconsidering their impressions de voyage by revising letters struck off in more or less haste, it is hoped that the reader will excuse any inaccuracies or errors he may meet with in the narratives.
CATHEEINE CAELYON JENKYNS. November, 1891.
CONTENTS.
(1) SHANG-AIED, OK BOUND THE HORN. By A. C.
JENKINS 1
(2) A VOYAGE TO CHINA. By G. C. JENKINS ... ... 40
(3) VOYAGES TO MELBOURNE AND CALCUTTA. By G. C.
JENKINS ... ... ... ... 91
(4) HARD LIFE IN THE COLONIES —
(1) AUSTRALIA
(2) NEW ZEALAND
(3) AUSTRALIA AND TRISCO
By G. C. JENKINS j 117
and I 168
H. K. DUNBAR J 225
LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS.
(1) SAN FEANCISCO (see page 311) ... ... Frontispiece
(2) ARTHUR CARDEW JENKINS ... ... To face page 40
(3) SHANGHAI ... ... ... ... ... ,, ,, 55
(4) GILBERT CHILCOTT JENKINS ... ... ,, ,, 117
(5) TAIPARI ,, „ 150
(6) HALN KILLEGREW DUNBAR ... ... ,, „ 168
(7) RIVER SCENERY — NEW ZEALAND ... ,', ,, 195
(8) A MAORI BELLE „ „ 198
(9) GUM TREES , „ 239
(10) SCENERY— GIPPS LAND „ ,,286
EKKATA.
Page 53, line 19, for almost as many of them read almost as large a
proportion of them.
Page 102, line 17, for £3000 read £1000. Page 107, line 14, for one story read a story ! Page 127, line 15, for Dromanagh read Dromana. Page 154, line 4, for their read there. Page 172, lines 1 and 2, for Tristan Ditcunha and Curguelan'ti Island
read Tristan D'Acunha and Kerguelen's Island. Page 177, line 9, for clearly read almost. Page 179, line 18, for Geelong read Queenscliff . Page 181, line I, for Landridge read Sandridge. Page 189, &c., line 12, &c., for How-Hows read Hau-Haus. Page 194, &c., line 22, &c.,for Tanronga read Tauraga. Page 196, &c., line 8, for Paheha read Pakeha. Page 212, line 20, for Farmium read Formium. Page 217, line 24, for schiser read schicer. Page 230, line 34, for Sidney read Sydney. Page 232, line 11, for Daudenmy read Dandenong. Page 238, line 9, for iriantilopes read triantilopes. Page 240, line 5, &c.,for carnivorous read herbivorous. Page 250, line 13, for Dauderong read Dandenong. Page 258, line I, for Brinston Steevens read Brunton Stephens. Page 258, line 22, for Arnothoryneus read Ornithoryncus. Page 261, line 10, for Miomi read Miami. Page 263, line 7, for Gipp's read Gipps. Page 270, line 34, for New South Wales read Australia. Page 338, line 5, for Sacramanto read Sacramento. Page 346, line 16, for come read came. Page 362, line 30, for nihil read nihilo.
SHANG'AIED; OR, BOUND THE HOEN.
N 1873 I happened to be in 'Frisco. How or why does not matter : there I was, and terribly hard up too. I was barely sixteen at the time, small and not over strong, therefore of no particular use to any one. This fact had been made so painfully apparent to me, that, desperate and wounded, I resolved to free myself and go to sea as a last resource.
Now sailors are, or were, procured for the merchant marine by a modified system of the press-gang. That is to say, fellows nicknamed "crimps" are kept for the purpose of following men who look like sailors, and offering them the hospitalities of the house to which they have the honour to belong. Once in their hands, he (the sailor) becomes simply a division sum. If he is a man who drinks, so much the better ; he will be more easily divided, and only wake up to his fate to find himself on an outward-bound ship, where growl and swear as he might, he must nolens volens remain, and generally ends in be- coming resigned. If, perchance, he does not drink,
2 HAED LIFE IN THE COLONIES.
so much the worse for him ; he will then be dis- integrated in spite of his struggles, for the " crimps " are very powerful men, gigantic of build and liliputian of conscience. Should the unfortunate victim dare to show a desire to leave their entrancing society, he will be looked at with reproachful sorrow, and mild methods will first be tried to convince him of his folly ; a romantic and preposterous bill of charges will be thrust at him : " Can he pay that ? Does he imagine that they are going to keep him like a prince for nothing ? Does he want to talk to a policeman about it? " &c., &c. The other methods do not involve so much arithmetic ; a charge of a different kind is made, in a nice lonely room, with overpowering numbers on the wrong side, and the victim emerges, breathless, bruised and bleeding, but — convinced. The result is precisely the same in either case.
Now all these facts were perfectly well known to me ; still I fancied I could work it a little better than an ordinary common sailor. So having fully made up my mind to go to sea, I commenced operations at once. Proceeding to the sailors' quarter, I soon detected a " crimp," standing in front of his house, apparently admiring the land- scape. I sauntered slowly by on the opposite side of the street, perfectly aware that he was in reality watching me. Before I had gone quite fifty yards, I heard a step behind me, and the same womanish instinct that had told me he was watching me as
SHANG'AIED; OB, ROUND THE HORN. 8
I passed, now told me he was following. I kept on my way slowly and without looking back.
" Sa-ay, I want to speak to you a minit," sounded in a would-be gentle voice behind me.
" With me ? " I asked, turning and facing the man, with a look of guileless surprise on my face.
" Yes, come right away and have a drink. I have seen you before somewhere. Were you ever in Liverpool? "
" Yes," came unhesitatingly from my lips.
" Do you remember," continued my disinterested friend, " the Constellation Hall in Whitechapel ? "
" Bather," I replied; " it must have been there you saw me."
Needless to say I had never been in either, but such a man must be fought with his own weapons. My shady companion scratched his head and stared at me, then led the way into a public-house and called for drinks. While waiting for them, he studied me with pleased yet puzzled scrutiny. He was a professional liar, and when there was no business reason for it, lied instinctively, and for the benefit of that practice which makes perfect. He knew that he had lied, but his statement had been so promptly endorsed, that he commenced to have doubts as to whether he had not committed an error, and inadvertently spoken the truth ; in short, whether he had not really seen me before.
The drinks appeared, and we clinked glasses ; he took out a short black pipe, carefully filled it, and began to smoke. I gazed with apparent uncon-
4 HABD LIFE IN THE COLONIES.
sciousness at the wreaths of smoke, while my respectable friend continued to take my measure. When I considered he had had time enough for the survey, I looked at him and found his eyes riveted on me.
" Wouldn't you like to be in Liverpool again ? " asked the crafty wolf.
" Shouldn't mind," answered the innocent lamb.
u I know a ship — you're a Britisher, ain't you ? "
I nodded.
" Wall, this is a Britisher too. The skipper has got his wife aboard, and coming out a kid was born, and all hands were drunk for three weeks. Now that's the sort of d ship you want."
" Yes, she would do right enough," I assented.
" Ever been to sea before ? "
" Only as a passenger."
" Wall, the skipper wants a boy to help the steward in the cabin, and I guess you'll do as well as another. You won't have to go aloft, and if
you behave yourself you can have a d good
time."
Had my distinguished friend made me this pro- position one short year ago, I believe I should have called for the police ; but raw wheat and tar- paulin beds had worked their demoralizing effect upon me, and I accepted this enchanting offer with alacrity.
" Let us go and see what the ' boss ' says," sug- gested the " crimp," and he led the way out of the
SHANG'AIED; OB, BOUND THE HOBtf. 5
inn where we had been drinking, to another of the same calibre, where my future captain had taken up his abode.
" Captain Billings in ? " asked my companion of a dirty-looking waiter who stood at the door " contemplating " the passers-by.
" Guess," was the concise reply, and I followed the " crimp " into the tap-room, where several men, all of seafaring appearance, were smoking and drinking. Picking out a burly and somewhat flashy-looking Yankee, Watts, as I afterwards found out the " crimp's " name to be, spoke to him in a low voice, evidently about me, as the man turned, and stared at me fixedly and keenly, as though to discover whether I was a bond-fide 11 tenderer " or not. The look of innocent and wide-eyed curiosity that met his glance apparently satisfied him. He asked me my name and age, and merely said, " Wall, I guess you had better stop here till I can get you a berth, and I'll take it out of your advance note."
This being settled, I was permitted to have the run of the "bar " and, what pleased me more, of the table. The meals were good, and both Jack- son, the boarding-house keeper, and Watts, the crimp, were kind, if scoundrelly. I made the ac- quaintance of several sailors, and pumped them, not always with satisfactory results. As a general rule, they were grumpy. Some felt injured at being addressed by a mere boy and a gentleman ; for my poverty and bad clothing could not hide that
e HARD LIFE IN THE COLONIES.
fact from voice and manners, and they resented it. According to their code, if a man is a gentleman let him keep with gentlemen, and not come amongst them taking the bread from their mouths, and treating them with calm condescension. I was quite unconscious of any such manner, which would have been very foolish and unsuitable on my part, and in my position, but they evidently con- sidered me as not one of themselves, and took care to let me know it with a directness of state- ment that I confess somewhat staggered me. But more of this further on.
The days wore away, and I found some really pleasant kindly acquaintances in men, afterwards pointed out to me as some of the worst characters in the city. I can only say they never attempted to lead me wrong, and even their language was not so bad as I have often heard since from so-called " gentlemen."
" But everything comes to him who knows how to wait," as the French proverb says, and one morning Watts, the crimp, came to see me, and told me that my ship was going to be manned that day, and that I must go, in company with a select band of eminent mariners, and affix my name to the ship's articles. He furthermore in- formed me that I would have to sign myself as " ordinary seaman."
I ironically inquired if " extraordinary " seaman would not be more to the point, but he ignored my feeble attempt at a joke and said severely, " You'll
SHANG'AIED; OR, BOUND THE HORN. 7
hev to sign as 0. S. 'cause that's the lowest thing there is, and as yer are to be in the cabin you kin say that yer've been to sea afore. The skipper will never know no better, 'cause yer wont 'ave to go aloft, and so yer've no call to go and make a show of yerself. Now go right along to the British Counsel (Consul), and do as I've told yer."
I went to the English Consulate, and found my future mates there before me, a seedy, motley group ; my heart sank as I looked from one surly sodden face to another. The Consul, a common- place rather rough-looking man, was evidently in great haste to get away, and read out the agree- ment with such frightful rapidity that the only distinguishable words were, "no grog allowed." This sentence was received with muttered impre- cations. The reading ended, we all drew two months' advance money (we got the order, not the money), Her Majesty's Consul being good enough
to say, " A lot of d d fools you are to draw your
money now, it will only go to the boarding-house keepers ; why don't you ship on your own hooks ? " No one replied ; what was the good ? When I went up for my paper the Consul eyed me sharply, and muttered, " Another gentleman ; poor devil ! he's going to the devil young. Got no parents or home, eh ? "
" No," I answered, shortly, and hastily followed the others out of the room, where we were greeted by the lodging-house keepers waiting outside, with
8 HARD LIFE IN THE COLONIES.
open arms. The advance notes were delivered up, and my future companions went to drown care in drink. Heart-sick and weary, I wandered up and down the quays wondering if it were not better to make a hole in the water and have done once for all with this wretched life. What was the good of toiling at unsuitable work among a lot of uncon- genial men, simply to get bread to keep alive my useless and wretched self ? In the mood I was in then, I think a very few minutes more of my own society would have solved the question, and this story would never have been written ; but Watts had followed me, forced me back with him, made me eat and drink, and sent me to bed early. The following morning he fitted me out from his own stores, at liberal terms (to himself), gave me five dollars and his blessing, and sent me on board accompanied by another "crimp" — to help me carry my bundle was the pretence, to prevent my running away, was the reality.
On the quay I found all the crew mustered ; they were more or less drunk, most of them too stupefied to know or care where they were going. I noticed one sailor,. seated in the boat by my side; he was a sickly-looking fellow, less drunk than the others, and was coatless. As it was bitterly cold, I asked him why he didn't put his coat on. He answered me, with an oath, that the boarding-house keeper had taken his clothes to pay expenses ; he had nothing but what was on him. The poor wretch was going round the Horn in winter time in his
SHANGHAIED; OR, ROUND THE HORN. 9
shirt-sleeves. But we were now drawing close to the ship, and all the sympathy I had in me was required for myself, for my spirits sank lower and lower. She was pointed out to me, an iron barque of outlandish build, very deep in the water (no Plimsoll's mark just then), very cheerless looking and dirty. As I gazed around me, and saw the gang of marine blackguards with whom I was to be shut up for the next six months at least, and reflected that I did not know how to do any work, and consequently they would have to do it and might not feel grateful towards me, I wished myself ashore with all the heart I had left in me.
Arrived at the ship, the whole disorderly crew scrambled up the side, and, saying farewell to the disinterested "crimps," staggered off to the fore- castle; and I followed them, not knowing what else to do. The foc'sle, as the shell-backs pro- nounce it, was a house on deck about twelve feet square, and held twenty-four bunks, their owners and chests. When I entered the door, it was fairly reeking with the fumes of bad whiskey, cloudy with tobacco-smoke, and hell-like with blasphemy.
" Oh, here's the bloated swell! " was the greeting with which I was saluted. " 'Ave a swig ? " " Wet yer whistle ? " " Ain't yer got a cigar, Bill ? baccy ain't good enough for the gent ! "
I turned to fly, but a burly half-drunken fellow barred the way with a rough " None of that, you
10 BARD LIFE IN THE COLONIES.
white-livered cur. 'Ave yer ever been to sea before?"
" Yes," I answered, facing the lot of them, and looking braver than I felt.
" The gent has been to sea before," said Muggins, the man who had barred my way, looking at the others with a drunken leer.
"As skipper, of course," cried another, which sally was received with a roar of laughter.
" The darned boy is going in the cabin, though," remarked a surly old fellow who had not yet spoken.
This had some slight beneficial effect as far as it went.
" Wall, yer can just remember us poor devils when you are there," said a far-seeing seaman of pot-hunting proclivities.
I answered I would do what I could, but further conversation was cut short by an authoritative voice at the forecastle door, " Some of you men come out on deck."
Those who had not taken the precaution to get dead drunk were obliged to obey, and I was swept along with the rest. It was the second mate who had called, a tall black-bearded man, from Bristol, with nothing remarkably good or bad about him. Having disposed of the more important members under him, he turned his attention to me, looking down at me with open contempt.
" What's your name ? "
"Brown," I answered, after a moment's hesita-
SHANGHAIED; OR, BOUND THE HORN. 11
tion, for I wasn't perfectly sure what name I had given at the Consulate — certain only of one thing, that I had not given my own.
" That's a lie," said the second mate sharply, "but it doesn't matter. Ever been to sea before?"
"Yes."
"Yes, what. Don't you know how to speak to a
gentleman? Keep your d mouth still; I'll
teach you to sneer at your superior officer."
How small a thing sometimes leads to great results ; my foolish boyish action of curling my lip at the mate's calling himself a gentleman, and omitting the customary "sir" due to a superior, made that man my enemy ; many an ill-turn he served me, all my after deference being powerless to take away the first impression my unlucky sneer had made upon him.
"Ever been to sea before?" he asked again, sharply.
"Yes, sir."
" Oh, "you have, have you? Well, I'll see what a smart seaman you are," he answered, with a malicious grin. " Just take that grease-pot, and go and sign your name on that fore-top-gallant- mast."
Had I been told to go in a tiger's cage, and sand- paper the tiger's claws, I should not have been more scared. I looked around me helplessly, desperately, thinking whether I wouldn't jump overboard. My tyrant watched me calmly.
" You know how to do it, of course ? "
12 HARD LIFE IN THE COLONIES.
"With a wad, or piece of canvas or something," I stammered almost unconsciously, with my eyes fixed on the slender swaying mast, that seemed to my fevered fancy to lose itself in the sky.
" Then you had better take a wad, or piece of canvas or something, and the grease-pot, and be off," said the mate, pointing to a heavy dirty tin filled with fat.
I went silently towards it, when the mate said amiably, "You'd better take off that good coat before you go up ; our sailors usually do so, as the grease is apt to drop about when the mast sways."
As if it mattered to me, who expected to be dashed to pieces in ten minutes' time, whether I spoilt a coat over it or not !
However, I went obediently into the forecastle, took off my coat, and carefully folded it up. One of the men raised his head and asked sleepily what work I had been set to.
" To grease down the fore-top-gallant-mast," I said, adding, with bitter calmness. " It would be a pity to spoil a nice coat over it."
The man stared at me a moment; then his head dropped on his arms with a snore, he was asleep. No one else even looked up, and with a feeling of quiet desperation I went out alone to meet my fate.
The second mate was where I had left him. He glanced at me curiously as I silently took up the grease-pot and moved towards the mast.
SHANG'AIED; OR, ROUND THE HORN. 13
"If you are afraid, young shaver, say so," he remarked.
I looked him steadily in the face as I answered, "You had better move from here, sir; I might splash you with my brains if I fell, and it would be a pity to spoil your nice coat."
"Go to the devil!" he cried, furiously, and in another minute I was on the rigging, with the heavy grease-pot dangling to my wrist.
"Don't come down until you have put some grease above the sheave hole in the royal-mast," shouted the mate.
The "coatless" seaman, who passed at that moment, whispered hastily : " Keep yer knees close to the mast, and yer eyes on the top. 'Taint as bad as it looks."
It certainly looked very bad, nay, to my un- accustomed eyes, an impossible feat that I should ever reach the top of that swaying mast, that stood a hundred and fifty feet from deck.
My head swam, my heart turned sick within me ; for a horrible moment I felt as though I should faint. A sneering laugh from Mr. Mason brought the hot blood to my cheeks, and courage to my shaking nerves. Pulling myself together, I set my teeth firmly and commenced my perilous journey, sustained by the knowledge that the second mate was watching me, hoping to see me fall, and I felt a grim determination not to give him that pleasure if I could help it.
I got on very well until I reached the cat-
14 EAED LIFE IN TEE COLONIES.
harping, where I was delayed a little, some of the grease having slid down my sleeve. Getting out the cold slimy stuff as best I could, I screwed up my courage another peg and proceeded on my journey, passed the topmast rigging, and in due course arrived at the cross-trees.
Two-thirds of the journey was accomplished, but the other third ! I looked up — there was no Jacob's ladder to step on, as there is in decent ships ; the wind was howling and shrieking through the rigging, and seemed to rejoice at my danger and scream with joy at my peril ; and far ahead the royal pole loomed up gaunt, naked, and apparently as unapproachable as the North Pole itself. Shuddering, I turned my eyes away and foolishly looked down: the ship appeared like a little boat, and the men mere specks, only the second mate seemed, to my disordered brain, to have grown in size until he reached half-way up to me, and the yelling wind seemed but the echo of his sneering laugh. I was completely de- moralized, my knees knocked together. With a groan I folded my arms across my breast, when I heard the rustling of paper. I put my hand inside my shirt, pulled out the little packet that had never left me since my sister had put it there two years ago, and drew out of the oilskin bag a small engraving of the "Ecce Homo." I gazed at the pictured image of the " Man of Sorrows," and as I gazed my fears left me. Fastening it up carefully again, I turned resolutely to the rigging
SHANG'AIED; OB, BOUND THE HOBN. 15
and commenced the last and worst part of my* task. It was terrible work ; my greasy hands had no power to hold the pole, and I slipped again and again. But to make a long story short, I finally reached the royal-yard and knelt on it. I had not much higher to go, but that short bit was without aid of any kind, and I was rocking to and fro with sickening jerks. Remembering the " coatless " man's advice, I pressed my knees tightly to the pole, and taking as firm a grip as my oily hands would allow, reached the top. Without staying a moment, I hastily dabbed on a handful of grease and slid down to the royal-yard again, and thence to the cross-trees ; there I could breathe more freely. My fright was passing away, when the voice of the second mate came up to me : " Fore-royal, there " — they always hail the part of the vessel you are on, never by your name — " I don't want you to varnish the d mast ; come down."
I joyfully prepared to obey, and with a lightened heart began my downward descent with a confident, even comfortable, feeling. About half-way down, a sailor called Fitzgerald passed me on his way up with a marling-spike and some spun yarn ; he looked at me and said, with a surly nod, " Thought yer'd 'ave came down head first, so did Mr. Mason. Better luck next time."
I didn't answer this Christian-like wish, and in a few minutes more was safely standing on deck. The mate received me with a jeer, but I heard afterwards that he was in no small anxiety until
16 HARD LIFE IN THE COLONIES.
I was down, for had an accident happened, the blame would fall upon him, for sending a boy into such danger. He now gave me some odd jobs to do on deck, and went away to his own part of the ship.
At six o'clock we knocked off work, and the cry of " Tea-oh ! " resounded from the galley. When I got there, I found it was my privilege to fetch the biscuit, beef, &c., from the galley as required by the men of my watch ; I also had the advantage of washing their plates and pannikins, trimming the slush lamp, and sweeping the foc'sle floor after meals. This made me handy and smart, I was told. It was another portion of my duties, when my watch was on deck at night, to pass the word from the officer of the watch to the watch itself; to keep always awake, and to be ready and grate- ful to keep the men's look-outs for them, to prepare the sand-glass, to heave the log every two hours, and above all to be vigilant with the clock and strike eight bells with astronomical punctuality. This made me alert and watchful. Even when sound asleep on the deck, or in any hole I could find to rest in, I heard the mate's voice when he called, and awoke sufficiently to repeat his orders without blundering as soon as he had finished giving them. Incidentally, I learnt that a boy must never speak until spoken to, nor must he help himself to anything to eat or drink until everybody else has been served ; he must also be tolerant when kicked or struck, and irresponsive
SHAN&A1ED; OB, ROUND THE HORN. 17
when cursed or insulted. By strict attention to these precepts I became meek and submissive out- wardly, but the iron entered into my soul.
To return to my first night on board. It was indeed a cheerless one. Some of the men were drunk, and were violent or affectionate according to their habit when in their cups, some half-drunk and very sulky, while all the old hands were nasty and exclusive because they had no chance of getting drunk. Outside, the night was cold, windy, and damp ; inside, these uncongenial companions. Under these dispiriting circumstances, I thought that bed was the best place, so wrapping myself in the quilt — by no means too clean — that constituted the bed, I stretched myself out in a comer and prepared to pass the night as best I could. I had thought that at least I should be left in peace during the hours of darkness, but I was quickly undeceived. Voices were heard outside the fore- castle, and some one indignantly demanded, "Where's that confounded boy?" This swelled instantly to a chorus, " Boy, get out of that and go on deck." I crawled forth from my corner, and was met outside by a deputation headed by the second mate, who landed me clear of the door by my coat collar, and holding me at arm's length, asked furiously, " Why the devil didn't you stop on deck ? Who the devil gave you leave to turn in?"
Determined to keep my temper, I answered quietly, " I did not know I was to stay on deck, sir."
18 HARD LIFE IN THE COLONIES.
11 Didn't know you had to stay on deck," cried Mr. Mason. " Why, the lad must be mad, or a fool," he cried, looking round on the grinning sea- men, who were much enjoying this entertainment, to judge by their faces. Then turning to me again, he asked with a sneer, "And who do you suppose keeps the watch — Providence ? "
As I made no answer, he pushed me before him to the forecastle-head, and ordering me to keep a sharp look-out for lights, and watch that the Potty didn't drag her anchors, left me.
It is a little strange that I had never given the watch business a thought, for having been at sea before, even though only as a passenger, I knew quite well that the ship was not delivered up to " Providence " every night ; but I did not know, never having been in one before, that on board these small merchant vessels this duty often fell upon the cabin boy.
I stood shivering at the forecastle-head, for it was bitterly cold, and I was worn-out with fatigue and sorrow. But I never even closed my eyes for a moment, being far too scared to think of drowsing. In two hours, which had seemed to me like two nights, I was relieved and ordered to bed. Going into the forecastle, I found all quiet and every one asleep but one man, who swore at me fiercely for daring to come in, and ordered me to trim the lamp before I lay down. I did so, then looked around for my tattered quilt, but observing that my swearing friend had taken it, curled myself up
; OR, ROUNb THE HOKN. 10
in a comer and fell asleep, with the sound of the howling wind in my ears, and the lapping of the water against the sides of the vessel. But even in my sleep I was pursued by the insults and abuse that had been heaped upon me, and again and again seemed to be climbing up that swaying mast, ever striving, and never attaining, to reach a place of safety.
At dawn the next day I was awakened from my restless slumbers by a hideous uproar, and opening my eyes, beheld the last look-out man standing in the midst of the forecastle, shouting through his hollowed hands the following summons : "Watch ahoy ! Oh ye sleepers, eight bells below there ! all hands on deck! " the last words being delivered in a peculiarly strident yell that sent a cold shiver right through me. I staggered to my feet, and looked around for some basin in which I might wash at least my face and hands.
" What are yer turning yer eyes inside out for ? " asked Fitzgerald.
" A basin to wash in," I replied.
A roar of laughter greeted my words, and a volley of witticisms, more or less filthy, were showered upon ine. I moved to leave the cabin, where a grim, weather-beaten looking man said, not unkindly, "Don't notice their blarney, my son, but go ahead and see if there's a southerly wind in the bread barge."
I opened my eyes in astonishment at this mystic order. Seeing I did not understand a word, he
20 HARD LIFE IN THE COLONIES.
translated it into plain English as follows : " Go and see if there's any biscuit in that box, and if not, go aft to the steward and get some."
There was none, so I departed on my errand, one man calling after me, "Don't stay to wash your 'ands on the way, we ain't particlar."
I found the steward in his cabin ; he gave me a basket of biscuits, with which I returned to the forecastle. There I found the whole crew dressed, seated on their chests, awaiting my arrival. My appearance created a general move to the centre, where each man grasped a biscuit, and retired with it to his lair ; inquiries were made about beef and pork, but the locker having been searchingly in- vestigated, yielded no results, so i they had to con- tent themselves with more biscuit and more growls.
Shortly after, a tin of hot coffee was served to each, and all hands were then summoned on deck.
There we were all set to work, some to heave up the anchor, some to loose the sails. I was sent up to the main-top-sail-yard, and helped to cast off the gaskets that held it ; this being accomplished without accident, we descended and were set to the (to me) far more agreeable duty of hauling on the braces. By this time a tug had us in tow, and we were fast nearing the heads; the sea was choppy, and we commenced to pitch and toss in fine style. Soon the tug came along and took the pilot off. How I wished I was a pilot, or a deck hand, or any one that would be taken ashore ; but it
SHANGHAIED; OR, BOUND THE HORN. 21
was useless giving way to any such desires, and my time was too fully occupied to spare many minutes in repining. Soon we were dashing along with every stitch set, and the wind in our favour. Towards evening the men were mustered to be picked into watches. There are two watches, the port and starboard. The port is generally the crack watch, and is commanded by the first mate ; while the starboard is commanded by the captain and second mate, but as the captain usually sleeps in all night, his command is merely an ex- officio one.
The chief mate picked me out for his watch, much to my pleasure, though I fear to his dis- appointment, for when he found I could not steer, and was really of no particular use to him, he demanded indignantly of the sky " why such things were sent to sea to torment him." He grew more reconciled when it was discovered that the "ordinary seaman" in the other watch was a soldier, and hopelessly useless.
The other "fraud's" name was Rogers. He had deserted from the American army, and been taken in hand by the benevolent boarding-house keepers, with an eye to his advance. They had been exceedingly liberal to him, and had shipped him as full-fledged " able seaman." Before the dazzling lustre of this swindle, mine became a shadow into which I gratefully retired.
So the days wore on, and my scare wore off. I no longer turned dizzy when ordered aloft, and
22 HARD LIFE IN THE COLONIES.
began to settle down as best I could into the uncongenial life. I found out that the captain's name was Alexander, a little sandy-haired Scotch- man, a good seaman, though addicted to the con- sumption of whiskey rather more than was good either for him or for us. He had his wife and baby on board, and I had shipped on the under- standing that I was to wait on them. But the captain soon told me I was not wanted, never had been, and I was ordered forward among the men, and expected to do a man's work.
The men were so tickled at the fact of my having been so cleverly fooled, that in their appre- ciation of the joke they were somewhat disposed to be kindly towards me. The chief mate, Davis, was a Welshman, and though harsh at times, was on the whole pleasant and forbearing with my ignorance. Being a thorough seaman, I learnt a great deal from him. He was a middle-aged man, with a shrewd but not unkindly face, and sharp black eyes. The second mate, Mr. Mason, I have already described, the one I had so unfortunately offended. He never lost an opportunity to show me that he had neither forgotten or forgiven my offence. The rest of the watch on my side numbered eight men. One, an Englishman by birth, called Smith, was a type of sailor fast dis- appearing, a man that believed in Dibdin and his songs, really loved the sea, was always contented and jolly, and was an old " man-o'-war's " man to boot. I do not know how I could have borne the
SHANG'AIED; OR, ROUND THE HORN. 28
life on board but for him ; he not only helped me when I had work beyond my strength and know- ledge, but his bright manner cheered me on, and helped me out of many a fit of depression into which I too often fell. The next man was a Welsh- man, called Jones of course, also a good-tempered fellow ; he had been a navy man, and though only about twenty, had deserted from the ship Repulse. Of the others, three were Irish, one good, one indifferent, and one downright nasty in temper. By a strange coincidence they had all three come from the part of Ireland I had once lived in as a child, and the familiar names of places and people gave me a queer sensation. Needless to say that I did not say who I was, though I more than once heard them mention my father's name, and one spoke of his funeral. The rest of the eight were Germans, and simply outrageous in every way.
We were now getting into warm weather, and the trade winds blowing steadily there was little work aloft, and consequently, or so I thought, no danger ; but an incident happened one fine morn- ing that opened my eyes to the fact that danger might lurk on deck as well as aloft. It happened in this way. I had been sent to scrape the paint off the rim of the forecastle-head. There was no rail to it, so I seated myself on the edge with my feet on the jib-guys, and began gently scraping away the paint, whistling softly meanwhile. Sud- denly the ship gave a fierce lurch, my feet slipped off the guys, and down I shot between them anc|
24 HARD LIFE IN THE COLONIES.
the forecastle-head. My right hand happening to strike against the guy in my descent, I clung to it with the tenacity of death, and hung suspended over the water, while the surf of the bow-wave roared and buzzed in my ears, and the roll of the ship swung me outwards. Strange to say, I never felt calmer in my life ; watching my chance, I drew myself up by one hand, and then with a sudden spring caught at another guy-rope, and in a moment had climbed on board, and calmly walked down to the main-deck to announce the loss of the scraper. Had I missed the rope, I must in- evitably have been killed, as, falling so close to the side of the vessel, I should have been sucked in before help could reach me.
Truth to say, this danger appeared as nothing to me when compared with the sickening terror I had felt on climbing up the fore-top-gallant-mast, per- haps because this had come too suddenly to allow me to think about it.
I reported the loss of the scraper to the second mate, who said with a scowl, " Then why didn't you go in after it ? "
" Well, I did, sir, but couldn't catch it."
He paused a moment, then said, " Be more care- ful another time ; you have not only lost the scraper, but raised a cry of ' Man overboard ' for no reason. Don't do it again."
I ventured to remark that I didn't cry " Man overboard," and knew nothing about it, but Mr. Mason made a step forward as though he meant
SHANGHAIED; OB, BOUND THE HOBN. 25
to knock me down. I think he would have done so, had not Mr. Davis here come up and said kindly, " Glad you are safe, my boy. Were you frightened? "
" No, sir ; I had no time," I answered.
Here a sailor remarked that he had been watch- ing me, and it struck him that I was too lazy to put up two hands to save myself, preferring to do it with one.
" Be more careful another time," said Mr. Davis, in the same words as Mr. Mason, but such a different tone. " You can't expect to play such gymnastics with impunity on board ship."
So the incident ended, but it had the advantage of raising a feeling in my favour among the crew, and it became a common belief that I knew rather more than I cared to own to, in a nautical point of view, but, like the monkey, feared to show it lest I should have more work put upon me.
Mr. Mason, too, never let it be forgotten, and when, later on, the first mate doubted the advisa- bility of sending me on a highly dangerous mis- sion, such as casting off a preventer-sheet from the mizzen-top-mast-stay-sail, and mentioned his doubts to the second mate, would reply with a sneer, "Never fear, he won't fall, unless the stay- sail falls too."
Accordingly, I was sent up, and executed the task with that assumption of frozen calm that I had learnt so well how to assume, and which hid my sinking heart and trembling limbs,
26 HARD LIFE IN THE COLONIES.
The other " impostor" did not manage even as well as I did, and must have led a life of hell. He had shipped in a man's place, whereas I had shipped in a boy's ; and the gulf that separates an able-bodied seaman from a boy on board a short- handed merchant vessel, is one too awful and far- reaching to be lightly regarded.
Time wore on, and we crept farther south ; the days grew shorter, and the weather colder. The scantiness of my wardrobe now began to show painfully. The slop clothes that I had been so lovingly provided with by Mr. Watts commenced to " carry-away." The much-lauded imperishable oilskin had already bleached white, and the boots — those picturesque sea-boots that show so well in pictures — were giving signs of tender spots, which filled me with gloomy forebodings as to how they would act towards me when we en- countered Cape Horn weather, or " Cape Stiff," as the sailors called it.
Shorter and darker grew the days, and one morning the first large snowflake descended into the black-looking water, like some lost spirit from heaven sinking into bottomless perdition. It was soon followed by more and more of its brethren, until nothing could be seen of sky or sea, and we worked with benumbed fingers and frozen feet, while the snow made its way down our necks and, melting, trickled down our backs. I began to understand the horror and terror of the poor for the " beautiful snow,"
SHANG'AIED; OB, BOUND THE HOBN. 27
I understood more still before we got into warm weather again, and have never quite lost the feel- ing of hopeless misery and depression when I see the snow come whirling down, silent and pitiless, into the dark, gloomy waters.
One incident happened at this time that may be worth mentioning. The captain had brought a goat on board for the purpose of supplying the baby with milk ; but whether it felt lonely and sighed after pastures green, or what, one thing was clear — poor old Nanny sank into a decline, and, to avoid any charge of wilful extravagance that his owners might possibly bring against him, Captain Alexander ordered her to be killed and served out to the men as mutton. This was done, and she was eaten with many a complaint against her leanness and toughness. Jones managed to secure the head, and worked up a little joke with it as follows. The snow lay deep on the deck wherever it had a chance, for the seas were tumbling heavily overboard every five minutes or so, and all above the main deck was shrouded in white. Mr. Jones waited until black night fell upon us, and the look-out man had taken his post, when having carefully prepared the goat's head he placed it on the fore-bits, and retired a short distance to await results. They came with all the force and rapidity any practical joker .could desire. The "out-look " happening to turn round, saw an unearthly apparation, and expressed his feelings in a blood-freezing howl; after standing a brief
28 HAED LIFE IN THE COLONIES.
moment paralyzed with terror, he jumped for dear life down on the main deck. Hearing the yell, we all went up on the forecastle to see what had happened.
The sight was certainly sufficiently alarming to excuse the poor " look-out's " terror. For standing boldly out in relief from its hlack snowy back- ground, shone the head of " Nanny," its unearthly wide-open eyes glaring with sulphurous and stead- fast malignity out into the inky night, with an expression that harmonized beautifully with its black face and long Satanic horns.
" No wonder that Mick yelled," chuckled Jones, as he prepared to take down the head ; but before he could reach it his experienced ear caught a familiar sound. "Look out," he shouted, " and hang on anywhere you can."
The next moment I too heard the hoarse roar of the coming surf, as a white-capped mountain of water loomed suddenly out of the darkness, and came with awful speed and force straight for the vessel.
" Jump for the rigging," yelled Jones, setting the example. With a dexterity taught by desperation, I followed him as he flew to the side the wave was coming from (the other side would have meant certain death), and dashed up the rigging like a sunbeam, just as the great "comber" charged resistlessly over the deck, burying the vessel com- pletely out of sight, leaving us clinging to the frail mast in the midst of the raging waters. Well it
&HAN&AIED; OR, ROUNb THE HORN. 2D
was for the "look-out" that he was absent from his post, for his part of the deck resembled Niagara in spring-time. After a short time, the water poured off, the ship righted herself, and we descended from our perilous positions. Poor Nanny's head had been washed away in the rush of water. Mick always vowed that the devil in person visited him that day.
This was only one of the many excitements we enjoyed in our passage round the Horn. In the midst of the dark cloud of our discomforts there were, however, two specks of brightness. One was that at midnight the cook served out a pannikin of hot coffee to each one on watch ; it was black and horribly sweetened with molasses, a fearful compound, without doubt. When I think of it now it makes me feel sick, but then, when we had been out in the night air for four hours in a snowstorm — for it generally was snowing — we found the smoking hot mixture simply delicious. The other ray of comfort was, that whenever it blew a gale which necessitated the taking in of the main-sail, and splicing the main-brace, grog was given at the end of it. It did not matter to the men that the pulling in of that particular sail meant two or three hours' grasping and clawing at canvas that was frozen into the semblance of sheet-iron, while the snow drove persistently down one's throat and neck, and the sail itself made back-somersaults over us to the imminent danger of our lives — if only they got their grog at the
80 BARD LIFE IN THE COLONIES;
end of it. The memory of those nights stands out hideous as a nightmare. I often thought that hell should be thus described, instead of the usual theory of fire.
About this time a curious phenomenon used to present itself. We had now got so far south that the day only lasted about six hours, and then we had to take the clock's word for it that it was day- light in other places ; with us it was a sepulchral kind of twilight, wonderfully uncanny to look at. The sun would rise about six feet in the heavens, then retire in disgust, leaving us in the " gloam- ing." Shortly afterwards it would reappear some- thing in the shape of a switch-tailed comet, and almost immediately after a full gale of wind would set in. The sailors consequently connected the two together, and appreciated them accordingly.
The next thing of any interest that happened was the total ruin of all the drinking water. Part of the cargo (wheat) was in bulk, and the water- tanks had been fitted with wooden man-hole covers to admit of the pump pipes being led into them. During some of the heavy weather we had encountered round Cape Horn, these covers had shifted, and quantities of the loose wheat had rolled in, also divers rats had found a last resting- place there ; and so it came to pass that the water became unpleasantly diversified thereby, and our daily allowance was enriched by the presence of portions of black fur and swollen wheat, while a fascinating bluish oily scum dwelt ever on the top
SHANG'AIED; OB, BOUND THE HOBN. 31
of the water, and an astonishing smell that could be tasted pervaded the whole forecastle.
This disaster soon took the spirit out of the ship's company ; two of them got the scurvy and were very ill, others followed, and we who escaped that painful disease were obliged to do the work of those on the sick list.
It was fully two months before we got any fresh water, and then only by a lucky chance. Becoming becalmed, we saw not far off another vessel in the same plight, and from her the captain. obtained one thousand gallons of water in return for a cask of whiskey. There were five ships besides ours be- calmed for three weeks off the Western Islands (Azores), and quite a brisk trade was carried on between them, and visiting to some extent took place. One of the other captains had his wife on board, who came to see Mrs. Alexander. Our skipper's wife was a nice young thing, and with- out, of course, having the smallest pretensions to be a lady, had an innate tact that many a born lady might have envied. One morning, when it was snowing and blowing, and I had been four hours exposed to the stormy elements, she called me into her cabin and brought me some hot tea and a huge Cornish pasty. For a moment I hesitated, finding it easier to accept insults than kindnesses, but she pushed me gently into a seat and said, " Don't refuse me. I have a brother just your age, and just in your position ; perhaps if I am kind to you, his skipper's wife may be kind to him."
32 &Attb LIFE IN 2*#S COLONIES,
Another time, seeing how miserably clad I was, she sent me some garments. On my venturing to remonstrate with her, she said, laughing, " You shall pay me back one day when you are in your right position — for I know you are not now — by giving my Will a help on in the world."
" Will " was at that time eight months old. The poor little chap never needed my or any one else's care, for before the voyage was ended, one bright sunny morning, we laid him to rest in the spark- ling waters, with a ten-pounder at his little feet. The distracted mother was dragged away before we lowered him, for a shark had followed us closely all through the little one's five hours' struggle with croup, and we were not sure whether we could save the body from the great brute's jaws. I am happy to say we did so — a well-directed ball from the first mate killed the monster. We did not wait to take him, but hurried from the spot. Mrs. Alexander was even kinder to me after her loss than before, for Baby Will had always crowed with delight when I took him in my arms.
But to return to our becalmed days. They passed on wearily enough, though it must not be supposed that we had nothing to do but lean over the bul- warks and whistle for wind. Far from that, we used to " turn to " at 6 a.m., wash the decks, and tidy the ship for the day. We did not " spread the awnings," as in the ships one reads about, for a very good reason— there were none to spread. At 8. a.m. our watch went below, and the other one
SHANG'AIED; OB, BOUND THE EOBN. 3B
came on deck, and were set to work scraping paint or rust, splicing, putting on chafing-gear, &c., &o., until 12 a.m ; then our watch rushed eagerly on deck and joyously took up whatever work was going, until our unappeasable industry was checked at 4 p.m. (eight bells), when we went below for the first dog-watch, 4 p.m. to 6 p.m., during which time we had our tea; then on deck again until 8 p.m., the second dog-watch; then below until 12 p.m., and so on. No speaking or singing was allowed during work time, and whistling was high treason. We painted that vessel seven times over during the voyage, Captain Alexander seem- ingly having a perfect passion for the smell of turpentine. But the culinary arrangements of the British merchant marine leave a good deal to be desired. Dinner consisted of salt horse or salt- junk, as the case might be, with pea-soup twice a week, into which we used to pour vinegar so as to congeal and keep it from jumping overboard. Three quarts of water was allowed each man daily, but as his soup, tea, and coffee were taken out of it, there was never enough for drinking purposes in hot weather. Of bread, of course, there was none, but ship biscuit was allowed ad libitum ; personally I always detested it. We never washed in fresh water unless it rained, when each man caught all the water he could for himself, and washed first his clothes, then his body. On Sundays we did no work beyond scrubbing the decks and working the ship on her onward course. After three weeks' calm
34 HARD LIFE IN THE COLONIES.
a strong breeze suddenly sprang up, and the five ships, signalling farewells, resumed each her way.
Shortly after, we caught a shark and had pieces of it fried in vinegar for dinner ; but every one was ill from it except myself, chiefly because I hardly touched it. (N.B. I don't think shark can be as healthy food as some people, probably landsmen, like to make out.) A week after the voyage was iresumed, we came up to a large dismasted ship, the British Princess. She looked very grand and romantic, stationary in the midst of the ocean, with her men swarming up aloft looking like flies, taking down the remains of her rigging and remov- ing various spars which had been thrown across her deck. She was only twenty-two days out from England, and was bound for Calcutta. As she needed no assistance, we saluted and left her alone in her glory.
More days passed on, succeeding each other with wearying monotony, until the time came when we commenced to make preparations for coming into port. The last coatings of paint were, for the seventh time, daubed on ; the masts scraped and varnished. The officers and men grew less surly ; even Mr. Mason ceased to always greet me with a curse or an insult. The commissariat improved to a slight degree, and the weekly rations of fourteen ounces of sugar sometimes swelled to a full pound.
At last, in the fulness of time, came one morning the electrifying cry of " Land." Oh ! my dear long- suffering readers — if I have any — did you ever know
SHANGPAIED; OB, ROUND THE HORN. 35
what it was to sight land after one hundred, and fifty days cramped up in a 700-ton barque, with a crew of more or less blackguards for company ? and that land England ! Whether you have a home there, or loving friends longing to see you, or as I was, without father or mother, and with only rela- tions utterly indifferent to my welfare, makes no difference to the feeling of joy that pervades one's heart and soul at that magic cry, " Land ! "
There it was, merely a blue cloudy- looking line in the far distance, but the sight seemed to put us all out of our senses. The watch below came rushing on deck to view that blessed sight, and gazed and gazed at the glimpse of the promised land, until ordered to resume work ; even then they did not murmur or grumble.
But we had not yet reached the much-desired haven where we would be, and the old adage, " There's many a slip 'twixt cup and lip," was again proved true. For the wind rose with sudden fury, blew a gale that increased to two gales with alarming swiftness. Sail after sail took itself away before it could be taken in, flying over the seething mass of stormy waters like some huge birds mad with joy at their freedom. Some of the head-sails were still remaining, and I being so ex- pert a climber — heaven save the mark! — was ordered by my friend the second mate to go and haul them in. I went to the forecastle-head to do so, and the fury of the elements invested me with some of their wild excitement. The barque plunged
36 HARD LIFE IN THE COLONIES.
up and down mountains of water, quivering from bow to stern, and I climbed up the swaying mast shouting wildly with a very frenzy of delight at this battle between man and Nature. I had got the sails in, and was descending, when a sudden gust of wind threw a coil of rope against me and knocked me clean overboard. Instead of falling into the sea and being no more seen, I fell astride the shank of one of the anchors. I should hesitate to speak of so astounding a fact, knowing how apt people are to believe that sailors and travellers generally draw the long bow when recounting their adventures, had there not been a witness to my marvellous though unconscious feat of gymnastics. Mr. Mason saw me blown off, and looked over the side ; before, however he could raise the cry of " Man overboard," he observed me sitting astride the anchor.
" Well, the devil must be taking care of you for some purpose or other ! " was his remark as he gave me a hand and hauled me on deck.
We were working slowly up to Caernarvon Bay, and the wind now shifted to the west. This was a very serious affair for us, as, with the exception of the lower-main-topsail, we had lost all our sails, and that one was no great good to a ship clawing off a lee coast with a strong current setting land- wards. The result of the change in the wind was soon apparent ; for every point of headway we made seven points to leeward, which was sufficiently alarming.
SHANG'AIED; OB, BOUND THE HOBN. b7
But bad as was our plight, our sympathy was soon called forth for a vessel in greater need. Away to leeward of us, perfectly within sight, a large Norwegian vessel was vainly striving to beat out to sea ; but the current was too strong for her, and little by little, in spite of her desperate efforts, she was driven towards the deadly rocks that showed themselves now and again through the heaving surf, like wolves in ambush awaiting their prey. Nearer and nearer the merciless breakers hounded her on to her death. We watched with painful interest, but could do nothing ; our man at the wheel had as much as he could do to keep us out of the fatal current. At last the end came : a billow seemingly stronger than the others lifted the vessel on her crest, and dashed it clean against the cliffs that towered three hundred feet above her. Above the roar and din of wind and waves we heard the crash of her timbers as they broke against the rocks ; then the hungry waves, gathering force, rushed towards her in one huge pyramid of foam and overwhelmed her. She emerged from it for a minute, and we saw her in a sudden hush, upright with all her crew clinging to the masts, then she plunged bows forward and disappeared. And the waves dashed against the cliffs and the winds blew as before, and there was nothing to tell that over a hundred men had gone down with their gallant ship that had borne them so long. Another hour's fair sailing would have landed them safely. There would be many a desolate home and broken heart
38 HARD LIFE IN THE COLONIES.
in the far Northland amongst those who watched vainly for husband, father, or Mend. Sorrow on, brave hearts, but not for them ; their last gale is weathered — they keep their solemn watch below " till the sea gives up its dead."
We learnt afterwards that the ship had been out three years. An occurrence like this could not fail to affect the most hardened and callous among us, the more so as there was some proba- bility of our sharing the same fate. One or two of the men ceased swearing for a while, and Rogers (the soldier) with white lips asked me if I did not think that the people on the cliffs were wishing and praying we might get in in safety. On my suggesting that he would do well to pray himself, he answered he didn't know how, but he'd a sort of idea there was a God somewhere who could help us if He would. Poor ignorant Rogers, he knew nothing ; but in the moment of danger, instinct drove him to the only real place of safety, " the everlasting arms."
But our own position was becoming perilous, and we were drifting nearer and nearer to land, which, as Captain Alexander had no knowledge of the coast, was fraught with considerable danger. We looked around in vain for a pilot, who had been signalled for long since. Hour after hour passed by, and our position got worse and worse; the crowds on the cliff increased in number, and they were doubtless expecting to see us sink like the great Norwegian vessel. At last a pilot put out,
SHANG'AIED; OR, SOUND THE HOEN. 39
and before long we were hailed by the joyful words, "Ship ahoy! do you want a pilot?"
" Want a pilot?" Hadn't we been signalling for one the last three hours and more. He was warmly received, but the captain cooled down when ,£30 was demanded for the job, and seemed inclined to back out of the business. The pilot, a crafty old sea-dog, protested that he couldn't do it for a farthing less. " Keep your luff, you at the wheel ! " he yelled. " By George, you'll lose her yet. Come, hurry up, Captain. Yes, or no ? I don't want to make food for the fishes.'''
Captain Alexander surrendered, paid the money, and in a quarter of an hour we were in safe anchorage. In fact we had been so at the time the pilot boarded us, but the skipper did not know it. Of course he was furious when he discovered the trick, but it was too late then. We came to an anchorage at Holyhead, and the voyage was practically ended. Two days afterwards we were towed up to Liverpool, where the barque unloaded and was laid up for repairs. I bade good-bye to Mrs. Alexander, who on parting gave me a ringlet of Baby Will's hair as a keepsake, and begged me to write to her sometimes. That lock of soft golden hair 1 still have, though I never wrote to wee Will's mother, and our paths have never crossed again. But I shall not forget as long as my life lasts her kindness to a desolate boy ; nor will she, I think, forget one on whom her dead baby used to smile.
A VOYAGE TO CHINA.
SOME twenty years or more ago, I sailed in the iron barque Peep-o'-Day then going to China. The weather was favourable, and until we reached the Bay of Biscay nothing occurred of interest, at least to me. There I nearly lost my life through one of those acts of ignorance and foolishness that sailors more than other peple are so apt to commit. One day, the breeze freshening somewhat suddenly, the second mate ordered in the flying-jib. As it is always considered the boy's place aboard ship to furl all the small sails, I hurried out on the boom to do so. It was my first voyage, and I knew little or nothing of seamanship. Making my way out, I kept to the lee side, whilst I tried to gather in the sail in order to get the gasket around it. After tugging vainly for some minutes, I had nearly succeeded, when a fierce gust of wind blew the sail against me, and in another moment I was knocked clean off the flying-jib-boom. Oh! the horror and length of that moment ; the sickening sensation of utter powerlessness as I shot through space; the sudden plunge deep down into the ocean ; the terrible feeling of despair and loneli- ness when, on reaching the surface, I saw the ship
\
ARTHUR CADEW JENKINS. (After a Photograph.)
A VOYAGE TO CHINA. 41
already far off ! Luckily for me, the man at the wheel had seen me fall, and putting the wheel hard down to fetch the' ship up in the wind, and so stop her progress, cried out, " Man overboard ! " That thrilling cry always brings every one on deck ; a boat was soon lowered, and I was picked up half a mile astern, well-nigh exhausted.
Fair weather accompanied us right on to the Western Tropics, where we witnessed a very curious spectacle. As far as the eye could reach, a distance of about some three miles, was a seething mass of fish, closely packed together by the million. They were the Bonita, a short, sturdy fish, reddish in colour outside, and very good eating. The first mate, who was very knowing in all piscatorial matters, said that they had probably been pursued by some finny monster, and were migrating. They were starving, and devoured each other ravenously with much ap- parent relish. All hands on board were called up to catch them, which was by no means difficult to do. It was an odd sight to see the various men at work. Some, with true instinctive love of angling, got out their lines and caught them in the approved fashion; others, on the contrary, disdaining such slow measures, lowered buckets, bringing up hundreds each time. The chief mate seated himself on the top-gallant-yard with a sack slung to him, which he rapidly filled with his hands as the ship ploughed her way slowly through the living waters. An Irishman on board,
42 HARD LIFE IN TEE COLONIES.
not to be outdone by the chief mate, sewed up the ends of an old pair of trousers, lowered it with a weight in each leg, and hauled it up " alive and kicking" amidst a roar of laughter.
Some of the hands got poisoned eating these fish ; for, in spite of the first mate's warning, they would leave them out in the boats to dry after having cleaned them ; and the moon, which is very powerful in the tropics, poisoned all the fish ex- posed to her light. One of the seamen got moon-blind from obstinately lying exposed to the rays of the moon at this place. He could see as well and clearly as any one else during the day, but at night, no matter how clear the sky might be, he was quite blind. I have never heard that there is any cure for moon-blindness. . A few weeks after, we witnessed a battle royal between a Sword-fish, a Whale, and a Thrasher. Their mode of warfare was peculiar and decidedly interesting to watch. On this occasion it was two against one, i.e., the Sword-fish and the Thrasher against the Whale. The Thrasher would make a sudden rush, rise into the air, and come down on the top of the Whale, with a tremendous whack and crash that could be heard half a mile off. The poor Cetacea, to escape from this enemy, would dive, when the Sword-fish, being on the lookout, would dash at him like a flash of light- ning, driving his sword into him up to its very snout — I had nearly said hilt. This defence and attack went on for some half-hour, when the
A VOYAGE TO CHINA. 43
Whale began to spout blood and died. We left the victorious ones feasting upon him.
It was through a whale, of which there are quantities in these seas, that the monotony of the life on board was at this time considerably disturbed. An enormous bull, fully sixty feet in length, came alongside so quietly that the first intimation we had of his proximity was his spouting a few gallons of water over our taffrail, and uttering a deep, hollow roar that might be heard a mile off. The man at the wheel was nearly frightened into fits, and Ching, a Chinese dog on board, and a universal pet, became literally mad with terror. Ching soon had sole possession of the deck, for all hands took to the rigging, fearing a bite from the mad dog, who ran to and fro with tail lowered " half-mast," and all his hair down his back bristling. After some talk, the carpenter undertook to cure him, and as we had no gun at hand with which to shoot him, beside the desire we all had to save his life, the man was allowed to try his powers of curing a mad dog. We all looked on with great interest as he made a noose from some cord cut from the rigging, and, the next time Ching came his way, he cleverly threw it over his head and drew it tight enough to keep him still, though not tight enough to strangle him. Then jumping down from the rigging, he quickly fetched an axe and chopped off the tip of Ching's tail to let the blood flow. That done, he dipped him overboard twice, and brought him on deck
44 HARD LIFE IN THE COLONIES.
restored and in his right mind. Never afterwards could Ching be induced to sleep on the taffrail; indeed, he always passed it with a rush.
Meanwhile the whale was keeping abreast ol us, and some fears were entertained of his attacking the barque. He was as long as the ship, and it would have gone hard with us if he had taken it into his small head to do so ; but apparently he decided that it was not worth while, for, with a final roar and dive, he went away to the right, and we saw no more of him. Not long after this we very nearly lost Ching' s saviour, the carpenter. It was a dead calm. Orders had been given to rig stages out over the ship's side, and some of the men told off to scrape the barnacles off her bottom with long-handled spades. Some of these barnacles were a foot and a half long, and considerably impeded our progress. It was very hot, and during the change of watches some of the men and myself jumped off the stages and took a delightful bath. It gives one a curious sensation to be alongside of the vessel one minute, and the next wave would take her some twenty yards or so away, the next again bringing her up so close that you felt she was coming on top of you. Mason — that was the carpenter's name — seeing us enjoying ourselves and swimming about so easily, thought he could do the same ; so, undeterred by the trifling fact that he could not swim a stroke, he hastily undressed, and, getting on the rail, jumped clean overboard, feet first. It seemed a long time
A VOYAGE TO CHINA. 45
before he came up nearly on the spot he went down, but, as he expanded his hands and opened his mouth, down he went again immediately like a shot. The first mate, with some others of us, happened to observe him, and the former sung out," Man drowning ! " Two sailors immediately jumped on the stage with ropes and a life-buoy, and the next time he appeared threw them to him. He had just strength to clutch one of the ropes, and was hauled on to the stage, where he fainted. It is really astonishing that so many men whose whole lives are on the ocean should not know, or even care to learn, how to swim. That very same day I came near losing my life in a horrible manner. There was another boy on board beside myself, who could not swim. The captain wished me to teach him, and ordered him to get down on the stage and strip ; he also gave him a life-belt. But Jennings was too timid, and only stood shivering, unable to summon up courage enough to venture into the water, particularly after the carpenter's adventure. Therefore, after swimming about for a time on the life-buoy, to show him how easy it was and how safe, I threw it on the stage, and struck out for a long swim, boy-like, to show off. After going some little distance, I heard a fearful yell, and, looking back to the ship, saw the men gesticulating madly for me to come back. Frightened by their actions and their looks — for after the one shout they kept silence — I swam back to the vessel as fast as I could. As soon as I
46 HAED LIFE IN THE COLONIES.
reached the stage, half a dozen hands grabbed hold of me and hauled me on deck, where the captain, collaring me, naked as I was, dragged me aft and told me to look over the side. I did so, and there was a tremendous tiger-shark over twenty feet long. His small eyes looked straight up at me, and he snapped his jaws with a yapping sound that made my blood ran cold. In fact it gave me such a shock and made so deep an impression on me, that I vowed from that day forth nothing should ever induce me to take a swim in broad ocean. The sailors were not long in giving me a nearer and pleasanter sight of him. A large iron hook attached to a strong chain was thrown over, after being baited with a piece of salt pork. The greedy brute grabbed at it at once, and in his struggles to get away tore his jaw badly ; nevertheless back he came for the meat, was caught, and after some hard work, hauled on deck. The first thing he did was to knock down the black cook who was standing by, and smash the binnacle-stand with a flap of his tail. With great difficulty he was got down to the main-deck, where the carpenter, who seemed to have a speciality for such operations, chopped off his tail with an axe ; that quieted him. But sharks cling to life with horrible tenacity. This brute, after his head was cut off and he was opened, had muscular movements all over him ; his backbone measured twelve feet; well cleaned and cut to a suitable size, they make handsome
A VOYAGE TO CHINA. 47
walking- sticks. We caught twenty-seven sharks altogether of different kinds and sizes on this voyage.
A few days after entering the Straits of Sunda we sighted Java, and soon after anchored off Anger Point. This was the first land we had been near since leaving England, a period of one hundred and eighty-six days.
A week before this we sighted a ship, the Pem- brokeshire from London. On signalling us, and finding we had been out so unusually long, the captain concluded that we must be short-handed from scurvy, or loss of life, a gale or some other accident which had prevented the barque from being properly worked. Being a kind-hearted man, he came on board bringing two sacks of potatoes, some newspapers and tracts. Hearing that two of our men were down with scurvy, he sent his boat back for another load of potatoes, while he stayed on board the barque to lunch, for which state occasion the last fowl aboard was killed and roasted; it being little but skin and bone, Ching got the most of it. When the boat had brought the second load of potatoes, the captain of the Pembrokeshire returned to his own ship, and we soon parted company, as she was a fast sailer. We were all of us the better for the short visit — nothing is so refreshing as the sight of new faces after months of always seeing the same. That captain (I am sorry to say I forget his name) was a good and humane man. He would, I think, be
48 HARD LIFE IN THE COLONIES.
sorry if he knew that all his kindness was thrown
away, Captain J being one of the meanest and
most cowardly men it was ever my misfortune to sail under. On this occasion, after giving us one meal of fresh potatoes and several times a few raw ones sliced in vinegar to the sick men, he kept all the rest for his own use in the cabin.
But we were now anchored off Anger Point, the captain's gig was ordered out, and I, being a good hand at the oars, was allowed to make one of the boat's crew. When we got ashore it was like entering into Paradise. The most magnificent tropical fruits and flowers were in the wildest pro- fusion ; crowds of natives running about almost in a state of nudity, the men well made, with shapely limbs, the women with soft eyes and small hands and feet ; a great many shops, mostly kept by Chinamen dressed in their silken robes heavily embroidered with gold and silver ; Dutch soldiers, still wearing their old-fashioned uniform of a hundred years ago; Europeans in their sombre modern dress mingling among the crowds of natives. The latter, men, women and children, were many of them bathing together in the clear sparkling water. All was so bright, so fresh and lovely, that it made up a scene never to be forgotten.
The Chinese shopkeepers were very polite, offering us such tea as they only can make, in tiny delicate cups about the size of egg-cups, and en- deavouring to get us to teach them some English
A fOYAGfi TO CHINA: 49
Words in return for their kindness. They are remarkably quick, and picked up not only words but whole sentences with marvellous rapidity. When we returned to the ship, a great many natives followed us in their canoes, loaded down to the water's edge with the most delicious fruits ; pine- apples, cocoa-nuts, bananas, sugar-canes, plantains, oranges, lemons, and the famous rnun- gastine, to taste which epicures have been known to come all the way from Europe. It only grows in this place, and I believe all attempts at propa- gating it elsewhere have failed. I was as eager as the rest to taste this great delicacy, and must confess that it exceeded my expectations — it is a most delicious fruit. Its outward appearance somewhat resembles the poppy-head when gone to seed. On opening this outer skin, the fruit is seen lying inside, shaped something like a peeled orange. It melts away on being placed in the mouth, leaving a most exquisite flavour.
The natives trade their fruits for old clothes, soap, or any European articles. A good lot was bought by the hands on board, and the natives proceeded to return, when a stiff breeze sprung up suddenly, capsizing several of their canoes. They seemed quite unconcerned about it, getting straddle-legged on them, and paddling for shore 'through a heavy sea. It was here that the most awful thunder-storm took place that I ever wit- nessed in my life. Piles of black clouds had been slowly making their way from the west, and towards
5
SO HARD LIFE IN THE COLONIES.
afternoon hovered over the ocean, ominous, grim and still. The silence was almost awful ; we all felt depressed and fearful, while Ching whimpered sadly and tried to hide himself. Suddenly there came an appalling crash of thunder that shook the ship from bow to stern, and she quivered and shuddered at her moorings. All hands rushed on deck, thinking that the masts had been struck and gone overboard. It lasted about an hour, flash after flash of forked and sheet lightning, violet and purple, scarlet and opal in colour, followed imme- diately by crashing peals of thunder that literally deafened you. The sea rose and added its roar to the thunder, and the heavens opened, letting the waters pour down in torrents. In another hour the sun was shining and the sky was clear ; only the ocean heaved and moaned, unable to calm itself so quickly after the angry storm.
The sailors laid in a stock of yams here, a kind of potato, as large as a man's head, and very good eating, besides being nutritious and wholesome ; after which we set sail for Shanghai.
I have mentioned that our captain was a mean and cowardly man, much disliked by all his crew. Discontent was rife. The men commented in no measured terms at his stinginess in not getting in fresh provisions at Java, and things came to a climax when, scurvy again attacking some of the crew, the remainder of the men had double work, and were still kept on short rations on account of the long voyage. So they mutinied, and in the
A VOYAGE TO CHltfA, 5l
height of a fearful hurricane. Captain J , who
had never been in these latitudes before, having always sailed in the Mediterranean until he got this command, was ignorant of the danger of these tropical hurricanes. We had all sail set at the time, and although the squall was seen coming, he imagined it was of no importance and gave no orders to shorten sail. The men went about their work with sullen anger, whispering among them- selves. The hurricane was not long in approach- ing, and struck the barque with fierce fury. Smash went the two royal and top-gallant masts, the flying-jibbooni with all the yards and sails attached, The force of the wind, added to the wreck of the masts, threw the Peep-o'-Day on her beam end, where she was in imminent danger of filling and going down. At this moment it became of inky blackness, the wind howled and shrieked like wild fiends let loose, and the sea was lashed to fury ; the waves poured over the vessel, which, encum- bered by the fallen masts, could not right herself. It was in this time of awful peril the mutiny occurred. The captain came running forward with axes, and ordered the men to cut away the riggings and throw the masts overboard that the ship might have a chance. The men folded their arms and flatly refused to obey him, their spokesman saying that they would rather go down with the ship at once, than to go on starving and being overworked
as they had been. Captain J was so frightened
that he actually wept with terror. He promised
52 HARD LIFE IN THE COLONIES.
the best the ship could give — " Only, for God's sake, clear the deck of the masts, or we shall all be lost in a few minutes ! " At first he wept and prayed in vain. Finally four men did go to work, cleared the wrecked masts away, and the Peep o' Day righted herself. The sea was one sheet of white foam, and rose mountains high for a day and a night after the hurricane was over, that only lasted twenty minutes. Things went on somewhat better after this, as the captain was too much afraid of another mutiny not to keep his promise. Nothing of interest occurred until within about a week's sail of Shanghai, when we narrowly escaped being destroyed by a waterspout. These spouts contain thousands of tons of water, and if they should burst on a ship would sink it instantly. The one I mention was making straight for us, a stately but awful object. There was scarcely a breath of wind stirring, and the captain, after vainly trying to get out of its way, ordered one of the large guns to be loaded with a heavy charge of powder. When all was ready, a red-hot poker was obtained from the cook's galley and the gun was fired. Instantly the tremendous pillar of water tottered and fell headlong into the sea, about a quarter of a mile from us.
A week from this date we arrived at the mouth of Yang-tsze-kiang River, leading on to Shanghai. This river runs a great distance into the interior, and is one of the principal means of traffic.
The most striking feature that struck us on
A VOYAGE TO CHINA. 53
entering the harbour was the large number of ships, most of them flying their ensigns half-mast, the token of death. Over eight hundred vessels were at anchor here, the largest number in a foreign port I ever saw, with one exception : that was at New York just after the war had ended.
We soon found out that there was no chance of getting a cargo, as most of these ships had been waiting here, some three, some four months for that purpose. The distress and misery occasioned by this forced delay was something truly frightful. Trade all over India and China was very dull at this time. The captains, obliged to pay heavy harbour dues as well as keeping the men at full wages, became despairing and desperate. It was useless to go elsewhere for freight, all trade being at a standstill. This state of things so worked upon the minds of the captains and mates, that almost as many of them died by their own hand as did the common seamen from dysentery and exposure. Some deliberately drank themselves to death ; others blew their brains out ; and many jumped overboard and let themselves drown, while their crew looked on with stolid indifference. It was one of the usual customs to go round to the different neighbouring ships every morning to find out who was alive, and how many had died a natural death or had killed themselves. In the afternoon of the day they died they would be buried, the body or bodies being placed in boats and taken down to Fu-rchow (I think the name
54 HARD LIFE IN TEE COLONIES.
was) Eeach, which opens into the river, and there, without a word of prayer or ceremony of any sort, were thrown over to sink or swim, and became food for the fishes. The town was so full of seamen who could get no ships that every hoarding- house was filled to repletion, and fearful quarrels, often ending in murder, took place for the sake of a filthy corner in which to lie. The heat was stifling and the stench appalling. Many of the men would take their blankets at night and sleep on the beach for coolness. Most of them would be dead by the morning, which did not in the least prevent others attempting the same thing the following night. The heavy steamy malaria arising from the swampy ground after the great heat of the day made the night-air fatal to most. Sailors are very much like children, having no thought or care for themselves, without a child's obedience to protect them from danger, and there- fore they do not give themselves a chance in these eastern countries. They will eat voraciously of vegetables and fruits, which, not being accustomed to, brings on violent diarrhoea. Unless this disease can be taken in time, it causes a sure and painful death. A man taken with it has no appearance of sickness, he keeps his colour, and his eyes are bright, but he gets rapidly thin, and so weak as to be unable to lift his hand to his mouth. I, amongst others, was taken down with it. Captain J— — declared I was shamming, and ordered me to work, threatening otherwise to send me to the
A VOYAGE TO CHINA. 55
French hospital, where, it was said, a kiiife was run into the heart of any one whose recovery was not rapid enough to satisfy the doctors. I attempted to crawl aft to the main-deck, but was so blinded by weakness that I could not see where I was going, and stumbling against one of the masts, fell heavily. A Nova Scotia seaman, who had often shown me some kindness, dragged me back to the forecastle, cursing the captain, the climate, the heavens and the earth in no measured language. For weeks after I lived on nothing but rice-water, if the state I was in could be called living, for I lay all day and night with no feeling but one of utter powerlessness and weakness. Tears of weariness would roll down my cheeks when forced to the exertion of swallowing a mouthful of rice-water. The doctor coming one day, pronounced me dead ; but when in the after- noon I was placed in the boat with two men who really were dead, I was seen to breathe, so carried back to my berth again, where I finally recovered, chiefly from being left alone. We lost four men from diarrhoea, and two died in the hospital from scurvy. During the three months and a half that we stayed at this port, over seven hundred died or committed suicide.
The Peep-o'-Day lay out in the stream opposite the English Town. In these Chinese cities each nationality has its own separate town, known as English Town, French Town, American Town, and so on, The river Yang-tsze-kiang is 3,158 English
56 HAED LIFE IN THE COLONIES.
miles in length, and has a current running eight or nine knots. It is of a dirty, muddy colour, and has but little beauty to recommend it. There is one curious thing about it, and that is that in these large Chinese cities more than a quarter of the population live on the water, having their streets and towns built on the river. Shops and markets, business of all sorts, is carried on by the people as though on land. But these floating towns are often scenes of terrible accidents, owing to the swiftness of the current and the carelessness of the people. Often the sampans, sort of boats, miss their hold of the ship they intend to reach, and are swept down the cable of the next ship, capsized, and not unfrequently dashed to pieces. A Norwegian captain and his wife got drowned in this way, trying to reach their ship. Poor girl ! she had only been married about a month. When their bodies were found, they were so tightly locked in each other's arms that they were placed in the same hammock and buried down the river, with more ceremony and display of feeling than was given to events far more tragic and awful. I remember being struck with the great length and beauty of the young wife's hair, of that pale gold colour that Norse women often have. The water had washed it around her husband's neck and arms, and it glittered on him like rays of gold. These sampans, although safe enough for those who understand them and know something of seamanship, are very dangerous to the inex-
A VOYAGE TO CHINA. 57
perienced and careless. They are exceedingly light, and shaped something like a cockle-shell, capsize easily, and, although universally em- ployed in China, are a frequent cause of accident and loss of life. It seemed to me that they might, without much cleverness or difficulty, be made safer, but no one troubled their heads about it. The small passenger sampans are propelled by a man at the stern, who sculls and steers at the same time. Where the current is very strong, some of the passengers will condescend to put out oars at the sides or bows to prevent being carried off or capsized.
The European Town appeared much as in Europe, the shops being built, stocked, and kept by Europeans, and so had nothing particularly interesting about them. But the China Town was exceedingly curious, and consisted chiefly of a great number of small huts, bazaars, and stalls. in which, huddled together in wild confusion, was a heterogeneous mass of Chinese toys, sweetmeats, jewellery, roast pig, vegetables, embroidered stuffs — in fact, everything that can be imagined. The ground was low, filthy with putrid matter left to rot, and the smell something too awful. We used to stuff some cotton-wool up our nostrils, but it was not much good, for it was a smell that could be tasted, and even a bit of camphor kept in our mouths — when we were lucky enough to procure a bit — was only a short relief. The dirt and smell were only exceeded by the frightful discordant noises
58 HAED LIFE IN THE COLONIES,
that never ceased day or night : men quarelling in all languages, merchants bawling out their wares, dogs yelping, a din of pipes and a wild beating of gongs that certainly did not impress me favourably with the Celestial City. There was a wall around the town covered with spikes, on which were stuck the heads of Chinamen beheaded for murder or robbery. The effect of these grinning heads was ghastly in the extreme.
At the time I am writing of, any European was justified in killing any Chinaman he found outside China Town after eight o'clock at night without his pass, which was a Chinese lantern having the pass inside. Most of these Chinese ports belong to England, and disputes, fights, and murder were of everyday occurrence. Besides which, war was raging up the country, and it was a common thing for us to go over the ship's bows to clear her cable of dead Chinamen brought down by the river. They would float up and down with the tide, it seemingly being no one's duty to bury them. One is said to become accustomed to all things, but I must confess that it was never without a shudder I saw, as I often did on looking into the river, the hideous face of a dead Chinaman grinning up at me from the muddy water.
During this time of forced inaction, the morale among the European seamen became very bad. Those who at the commencement had been dis- charged and could get no ships and no work were in a bad way, and would induce sailors, who
A VOYAGE TO CHINA. 59
although on board a vessel, were almost as destitute as themselves, to join them in attempts to get food and money. All sense of right and wrong, of honesty and truth, seemed lost. English and Dutch, French and Spaniards, Germans and Italians, would band together to plunder. One party, rendered desperate by starvation and misery, boarded a two-masted lighter anchored at the mouth of the river, threw the Chinamen over- board to sink or swim — most sank — and then went up into the interior of the country, exchanged some things on board for raw silk, which they sold again in the cities, and having paid no duties on it managed to make some money. So callous had the authorities become that even this outrage passed unnoticed.
Another favourite mode of obtaining money was to watch where the rich Chinese were buried, and at night a party of men would dig them up and cut off their tails, which were more than half made of silk, and were worth from six to eight dollars apiece. These fellows also obtained a hearty meal at the same time, as after all the screaming and yelling, the beating of gongs, burning of incense, dropping coins and other death ceremonials have been gone through, the relations leave the dead, placing beside him a good roast pig and plenty of rice, in order that he may not starve on his journey to the next world. The rich Chinese are buried within a large inclosure of white masonry shaped like a horse- shoe. I never
60 HAED LIFE IN THE COLONIES.
saw a Chinese woman buried, but as the Chinamen do not believe their women have souls, they probably do not think it necessary to provide them with food for the long journey. Parents will sell their children quite readily, and you can purchase a very nice girl for thirty dollars.
Frequently, during the weary months we lay by in the river, we were visited by ivory-men, fellows selling Chinese curiosities made of ivory, sandal- wood, and bamboo. Whilst we were looking over their collection of fans, jewellery, and knick-knacks of all sorts, they would stealthily take notes of how many men were on board, how many guns the vessel possessed, what sort of man the captain was and so on, for they were all spies paid by the pirates. After making the rounds of several ships, they would despatch their information to the pirates waiting out at sea, more particularly the information when certain ships would leave the harbour, and the number of her crew, guns, &c. Directly the unfortunate vessel left the river anil entered the high seas, down would come the pirates, take the ship, and kill all hands with the utmost barbarity and torture. Woe betide any woman that fell between their hands — their fate was too awful to put into words. Whenever there was time, their husbands killed them with their own hands, or they drowned themselves rather than fall into the power of the pirates. Some of these pirate junks were quite as large as any European ship, having seven masts and carrying
A VOYAGE 2»0 CHINA. 61
twenty guns, while they were manned by a crew of not less than two hundred men. They are splendid seamen, and can sail in the wind's eye with any European ship, and they weather the heaviest gales. Nearly every week the English gunboats would bring in one and sometimes two that they had captured. In most cases men of European nationality were found aboard, having entered into the service of the pirates to work their guns for them in exchange for high wages, it being a matter of perfect indifference to them from whom they got the money as long as they did get it. It was very hard at that time to find out who were pirates or who were not. The only way to be sure was to examine their papers, and if they had been out over a year they were pirates. They seldom sink the vessels they plunder, and only care to plunder those taking stuffs from the country. In order to be revenged for the loss of some of their junks, seven of them joined together and attacked one English gunboat ; she resisted and defended herself gallantly, but what chance had she against so many ? She was taken, and all hands not killed in the fight were murdered slowly in cold blood with the most revolting tortures. These pirates fight like devils ; they seem to rejoice in it with a fierce insatiable joy. One morning we witnessed a fearful fight between two junks and a Spanish barque. The latter was attacked just on leaving the river. The barque put two shots into one of the junks at long range, and so
62 BA&b LIFE IN TSE COLONIES.
smashed her at the water-line that she sank in less than twenty minutes with all hands on board. The other junk then came close to the barque and threw "stink-pots" aboard (a sort of Greek-fire with a most horrible and suffocating smell), but as fast as they were thrown aboard the Spaniards pitched them into the sea. The pirates then tried to use their boarding pikes, but the Spaniards kept them off for some time. Then many of them got on board the barque, but the Spaniards, who use the knife splendidly, picked them off one by one, while two or three of them standing in the bow shot down the Chinamen as fast as they could load. Finally, seeing that they were gaining no advantage, the pirates became panic-struck, and all that were left rushed back to their junk hoping to push off and escape ; but the wily Spaniards had lashed the vessels together, and pursuing them into the junk stabbed all they could lay hands on. Many of the pirates jumped overboard and were drowned. In the chief cabin they found an English lady of rank half dead with terror; she had been barbarously outraged, and would doubt- less have been murdered had the pirates had time to think of her. The Spaniards found plenty of treasure aboard, and having towed this prize into Shanghai, were handsomely rewarded not only by the lady, who was very rich, but also by the different Governments, for their gallantry. They all made enough by that capture to enrich them- selves for life, but, like true sailors, they spent it
A VOYAGE TO CHINA. 63
all while in port in the most foolish and extrava- gant manner.
The week after this capture by the Spaniards, an English gunboat brought another pirate junk into Shanghai. It had been taken after a hard chase. Many of the pirates jumped overboard, knowing what fate awaited them, but most were picked up alive by the boats of the English vessel and brought into port — a hundred and fifty of them. Amongst them, dressed as Chinamen, were four Europeans — one Irishman, two English, and one French. They aimed their guns for them, and were paid over one hundred and sixty dollars a month. Being caught red-handed, there was very little time wasted over a trial ; they were all executed, the four Europeans being hung from a church steeple, and the Chinamen beheaded by their executioner, who with a long sword cuts off three heads at once. It is the simplest arrange- ment in the world : the men laid their heads on a bamboo bench — on this occasion placed on the beach — and the executioner with one blow of his sword cut off the three heads at once, when another three men were placed on the same spot, reeking with blood, and so on until all were dead. Two of the chiefs were sliced to pieces with swords, the executioners cutting off ears, cheeks, shoulders, arms, sides, &c., with cool deliberation. It was a sickening spectacle. The pirates them- selves never uttered a sound or even winced — nor had they been drugged, as is sometimes the case.
64 BARD LIFE tit fSE COLONIES.
Their power of endurance and stoic indifference" to pain is something I have never been able to understand.
In the charred remains of a barque found float- ing out at sea were discovered several bodies with their eyes and tongues torn out, the nails pulled from their fingers, and other atrocities too horrible to mention. After we had been at Shanghai for
three months and a half, Captain J , finding
that there was no chance of getting a cargo here, resolved to go elsewhere and seek one ; so we took in stone for ballast, and a pilot to take us safely out of the harbour. As we were slowly making our way down the river, the Peep-o'-Day suddenly struck on a sand-bank. The shock of the sudden stoppage sent us all flying, the masts cracked and creaked, but luckily stood firm. Orders were given for all sail to be taken in at once and the kedge anchors to be run out. This was done, but to no purpose. Then a tug-boat was sent for; even then we did not budge, although we had out our lower anchor, heaving on the windlass, to help the tug. All we succeeded in doing was to break the hawsers ; next we tried with the cable, with the same result ; then by the captain's orders we gave up trying, which order struck us all as being, to say the least of it, singular — for this bank was of quicksands. Before night the bow had sunk eight or ten feet, and the stern was raised up in the air at an angle of about forty-five degrees. We had to hold on to the rigging going from one
A VOYAGE TO CHINA. 65
end of the ship to the other, and had the pleasant anticipation of being sucked in. We remained in this state all night ; the next morning the captain, taking the pilot with him, went to Shanghai to find lighters to lighten her, which of course should have been done fifteen hours before. On the second day of his absence, during which time we were gradually sinking, there happened a spring- tide, and a tug-boat passing by, the chief mate determined to make another effort to get her off. Putting a cable out to the tug-boat, and attaching a second to the lower anchor which we worked with the 'windlass, we succeeded after some hours' hard work in moving her into deep water; then getting our anchors and boats aboard, were towed up the river. On the way we met the captain, who, instead of being pleased at his ship's having been saved, got in a violent passion with the mate, used the most abusive language, and finally, losing all self-control, dashed him off the poop. He dismissed him at Shanghai, actually daring to say that the chief mate had attempted to run off with his ship. It was the firm opinion of the men that
Captain J had intended to lose the vessel,
having in fact been put aboard for that purpose. She had been built for a steamship, but would not answer in that capacity ; finding which, her owners changed her into a barque and offered her for sale at the low price of £3,000, but failed to sell her ; then they insured her heavily and sent her out under command of Captain J , with the pro-
66 HARD LIFE IN THE COLONIES.
bable understanding that she would do them more service at the bottom of the sea than at the top. Twice afterwards we went ashore, once on rocks coining out of Hong-Kong, and the other time on a sand-bank away up north near Nui-Chwang. Taking a new mate on board — there being no lack of them ready and willing to leav.e Shanghai — we once more went down the river and into what is called the Inner Channel on our way to Nui- Chwang. It was tiresome work with a great deal of tacking to do, owing to there often being land on both sides. Several times we were obliged to anchor at night to avoid the danger of running ashore. One evening, after beating about all day, we had got our anchor ready to drop in some safe place, and had taken in most of the small sails, when we heard firing. Bounding a point of land, we saw in a little cove, where we had intended anchoring, more than a dozen seven-masted pirate junks, mostly riding at anchor. They were firing and fighting among themselves, probably over some plunder. At any rate, we were not anxious to stay and find out the cause of dispute, but 'bouted ship at once, put on all the canvas we could and fled for our lives ; for although we had nothing worth their taking, they seemed just in the mood to find a pleasure in the amusement of murdering us and scuttling our ship. We did not venture to anchor all night, every man was kept under arms, with smothered lanterns, ready in case of attack. I do not think any of them
A VOYAGE TO CHINA. 67
followed us ; it soon got dark, and the next morning we saw no more of them.
The pirates were so numerous and so powerful at this time, and so many ships had been taken by them and all hands murdered, that the merchant captains joined together and sent a memorial to the Home Government, stating that the English men-o'-war and gunboats, instead of being out cruising on the high seas in order to protect the mercantile service, thought of nothing but keeping in port and giving large balls and entertainments amongst each other. Also that the man-o'-war ships were so disgracefully neglected and dirty that it was impossible to go up their gangways without soiling one's hands. There was a great row, of course, but on investigation the facts were proved, and the upshot of it was that the admiral was recalled, and a law passed that merchant vessels going to China were to have double crews, and to be fully armed. Things went better after that, but as it was some time before the law could be enforced, the pirates worked doubly hard — I suppose on the principle of making hay while the sun shines. Among other affairs of note, they took one of the magnificent French Havre mail-boats by stratagem. As these boats were always so well armed and manned, no fears had been entertained of their ever being molested by pirates, but on this occasion one hundred and fifty of them, dressed as respectable Chinese merchants, took their passage on board ostensibly to go to some Chinese port — I
68 HAED LIFE IN TEE COLONIES.
forget which now. In such an immense ship as the Havre mail-boat, even so large a number as one hundred and fifty merchants would not excite notice. Directly they were in full ocean the pirates took possession of the ship, killing no one but the chief officer and one sailor, who offered resistance. The passengers were too paralyzed with terror and surprise to do anything, and the crew had all been bound. Some junks came alongside, and into them was transferred all the specie, opium, and silks, with which the mail-boat was heavily loaded. After taking everything of value, the hundred and fifty respectable Chinese merchants entered their junks and made off with their booty.
These Chinese seas are the most curious in the world. Within a radius of thirty miles one has all weathers. I have seen three different vessels, one having her square yards out; the second under top-sails with a stiff breeze and a heavy sea; while the third had all sail set in order to catch any little zephyr that might reach them — all three within sight of each other. It was dangerous work, at that time, navigating to these far northern Chinese seas, not only on account of the capriciousness of the weather, but also that they had not been surveyed, even by the Government ships ; so the pirates had it all their own way. We, however, escaped ; so poor a thing as the Peep-o'-Day, having no cargo on board, was evidently disdained by these lordly pirates. I assure you we bore them
A VOYAGE TO CHINA. G9
no ill-feeling for their contempt. After some two weeks' hard work we began to near our destination. A pilot was taken on board, and we crossed the dangerous bar at the entrance to Nui-Chwang safely ; but on working our way up the river Leao, under the pilot's directions, he landed us high and dry on a green field ! The land all around being very low and flat, the water at this time of year (winter) is on a level, and not unfrequently overflows, as had happened on this occasion, making it very hard to distinguish the channel. The captain got into one of his furious rages again, and was only restrained from pitching the pilot overboard by the recollection that without him we should be in an even worse plight. So he contented himself with abusing him in the most violent manner, storming and raving with passion till he foamed at the mouth. The poor pilot, a quiet Norwegian, bore all the abuse with lamb-like meekness, which only
seemed to exasperate Captain J the more, who
continued abusing him until his voice became a shrill shriek, when, giving him a kick as he passed, he retired to his cabin to drink. We lay all night on the green field, not without anxiety, first from pirates, who might take it into their heads to murder us for fun, and secondly from the position of the barque, as she lay well over one side. The next morning we started early to lighten her of some of the ballast, and with the incoming tide managed to get her off and work her up under easy sail into Nui-Chwang, where we anchored opposite
70 HAttD LIFE IN THE COLONIES.
the town — if such a word could be applied to the cluster of poor huts, which with a few larger and better, built for the Europeans, comprised the whole of it. On turning out the next morning we were disagreeably surprised by finding two feet of snow on the deck. After sweeping it away and putting everything in order, I, amongst some others, was allowed to go on shore with the captain, who wanted to see his agent in order to obtain some money and see about getting in a cargo of small beans. There was literally nothing to see but dirty huts and dirtier streets, still it is one of the few Chinese ports where apples, pears, and carrots can be obtained as well as sheep, and is an important port ; at this time there were thirteen other vessels lying there besides our own, mostly English and Germans. The natives, who are of the Tartar tribe, are fine well-made men, most of them six feet in height, and many six feet three and four. The women are equally tall, and beautifully formed. They dress very warmly in a sort of linen, padded with cotton* As we wan- dered about they brought us different kinds of furs to look at ; some were really very magnificent, made into cloaks and caps and mats. After some hours' wandering about we returned to the beach to await the captain. Soon we beheld him in the distance flying towards us, hatless and breathless, with a mob of natives at his heels. As soon as he reached us he gasped out, " Jump in, and pull for your lives ! " We required no second bidding, sprang
A VOYAGE TO CHINA. 7i
in and plied our oars with such vigour that the water was dashed on all sides; showers of mud and stones and sticks were pelted at us, without, how- ever, doing us any harm. It transpired that some
of the natives had an inkling that Captain J
was going for money, so waited outside the agent's office to meet him. Suspecting something un- pleasant from their looks, and measuring the distance to the beach with his eye, he took to his heels — the wisest thing he could do, for they were half savages, and always in a state of rebel- lion against the Imperial Chinese Government. At this time they were commanded by a prince, some relation to the Emperor, and their cause of revolt was the intense dislike they had to the admittance of foreigners to their country. Most of the time we were there they were fighting not far from Nui-Chwang, and we were lucky in leaving when we did, as after-events proved to us. Having got in our cargo, we and seven other vessels were piloted down the river, and all fortunately crossed the bar, with the exception of a Hamburg barque, which stuck fast and had to be abandoned. That night the five vessels left in port were taken by the rebels, and all hamds murdered with unparalleled atrocity. It made a great effect on us, for we knew all the men personally ; the thought of the tortures those poor fellows had undergone threw a gloom over us for some time. But at sea, more perhaps than anywhere else, there is little time for retrospection; three days after the horrible tragedy,
'T2 HARD LIFE IN THE COLONIES.
a terrible monsoon came on, every recurring day getting more frightful. On the fourth day a tremendous gust smashed the top-gallant-masts as well as the top-mast-boom, bringing the whole wreckage on deck with such force that the broken boom went clean through the deck. For six days we saw neither sun, moon, or stars, and were without any knowledge of our whereabouts. We could get no soundings, as it was certain destruc- tion to try and bring her to, running as we were under bare poles, at the mercy of the monsoon. The sea was of a thick muddy colour, and the sky grey and lowering; every minute we expected to go on the rocks. A spare mast that was lashed with chains broke loose, and was blown across the deck, breaking the leg of a man, who was endea- vouring, with a second seaman, to go aft, in order to relieve the man at the wheel. The captain had brought on board, as a private speculation, a good many pigs ; these were kept in a strong wooden house, and were being carefully fattened up for sale. Alas for the captain, a fiercer gust than usual tore the pig-house from its fastenings and pitched them overboard, where we heard the poor piggies' dismal squealings mingling with the roar of the wind for a brief moment. Any attempt to rescue them was of course out of the question ; we lost the cook's galley at the same time. On the seventh day it cleared a little, sufficiently to take note as to where we had been driven. The captain found that we were within one day's sail
A VOYAGE TO CHINA. 73
of Hong-Kong, having run most of the distance under bare poles. It was considered one of the quickest trips ever known. One of the seven that had left when we did, an English barque, went on the rocks during the monsoon, was smashed to pieces and all hands lost. She was seen by another vessel to hang out signs of distress, but no help could be given.
It was sad to think that out of the thirteen vessels lying in the port of Nui-Chwang, six only reached Hong-Kong, the other seven all being destroyed in less than a fortnight. For ourselves, we arrived at Hong-Kong without further incident. It was Christmas Eve, I remember, and the men, true sailor fashion, forgot the past hardships and sorrows and spent Christmas Day in eating and drinking. Hong-Kong is an island, a pleasant, fertile, gay little place, as it is frequented by vessels of all nationalities. There is a very high mountain or peak, called Victoria Hill, over which came twice a number of pirates and rebels from the other side of the sea, entering Hong-Kong at night, securing all the treasure, murdering the in- habitants, and, sacking the town, left it in flames ; getting away back over the mountain and into their junks before the Government troops and gun- boats could pursue them.
A few days after our arrival, we, with thousands of people on both sides of the bay, witnessed the taking of a pirate junk right in the middle of the harbour. A short time previously, the watchmen
74 BAUD LIFE IN THE COLONIES.
on two separate ships had been found murdered, the captains and mates bound in their cabins, and the thieves had succeeded in escaping with the cargoes and everything of value. They were dis- covered through the pluck and coolness of a boy not yet fifteen years old, in the following manner. This lad, Hartmann, belonged to a Hamburg barque then anchored in the bay. There were some hundred or more vessels from all parts of the world, and amongst them a great number of six and seven masted junks. On the night in question, it was so hot, that the boy got out of his bunk about eleven o'clock, and going on deck looked about for some cool place to lie down. Observing that the sailor on watch was asleep, he crept forward to the forecastle and coiled himself up under an old sail. He had not been there long before he heard sampans moving about, but as this was a common occurrence he paid no heed to it. Suddenly four Chinamen appeared over the bow and came up to the sleeping watchman. Poor fellow, he never woke again in this world, for a pirate split open his skull with great dexterity, and he died before he had time to utter a sound ; they then all four descended into the cabin. Hartmann having witnessed this scene, waited until the pirates had left the deck, when he noiselessly crawled aft, passed the poor murdered watchman, and having let himself overboard into the water, dropped quietly into the next vessel. He lost no time in rousing the men to whom he told his story. Ten
A VOYAGE TO CHINA. 75
minutes after a boat was manned, and they were rowing as hard as they could to give information first to the gunboats and then to the towns. Some of the gunboats were always under steam in case of an emergency ; two of them were soon hurry- ing up to the scene of the murder. As soon as the pirates waiting in the sampan saw the gun- boats coming, they immediately knew that some- how or other they were discovered. The alarm was hastily given to their comrades on board the barque, who, springing into the sampan, made for their junks, hoping to escape. But the gunboats were too quick for them, and opened fire upon them as they were attempting to get away. The noise of the guns had awakened all the inhabitants of the various towns, who came trooping out in the wildest excitement. It was brilliant moonlight, and I remember being struck by the contrast between the calm, lovely night, the moon flooding land and ocean with almost painful glory, and the scene of carnage going on below. The booming of the guns, the shrieks of the wounded and dying, the yells of the lookers-on, all made up a spectacle not easily to be forgotten. The two gunboats blazed away at the junk in grand style. Many of the pirates attempted to escape by their boats, but over a hundred of them were drowned by their sampans capsizing. Five boats did succeed in getting away from the junk, and were pulling for their lives to try and gain the opposite shore, but by this time the beach was crowded with spectators
76 HARD LIFE IN THE COLONIES.
who fired upon them, and compelled them to turn back. The two gunboats had now manned their boats, and an exciting chase ensued. The firing on both sides was hot and deadly. The pirates were pursued for hours up and down and across the bay. Finally all that had not been shot or drowned were captured and soon after executed. The gunboats lost only three men, although a great many were wounded. Hartmann, as you may imagine was made quite a hero of, and his future well looked after.
The Chinese merchants are some of them ex- tremely wealthy men and have no small power. One of them, by name Jardine, owned a whole fleet of European vessels, all his own. His riches were fabulous. One of the islands in the bay was almost entirely composed of his storehouses, watched over by his soldiers, in a special and private uniform. Captains always liked to trade with him, as his teas, opium, silks, &c., were all of the best, and they could therefore get higher prices for them.
We only stayed at Hong-Kong long enough to take in our cargo of tea and fire-crackers, after which we set sail for New York. Our captain was certainly one of the worst sailors I ever met with, for the pilot had not left us half an hour before we went ashore on the rocks. We could not suppose that he had done it purposely this time, as we had a tolerably valuable cargo on board. After im- mense trouble we managed to get her off, and
A VOYAGE TO CHINA. 77
having passed a thrumbed sail under her bottom, got the services of a tug, who towed us up to Whampoa, where we had to go into dry-dock for repairs. It was found that she had broken a plate on her starboard quarter exactly where she had once been repaired before.
Whampoa is a dull little country town, built on the river, and looks not unlike a government dock- yard on a very small scale. The only thing worthy of note seemed to be the extreme cleverness and ingenuity with which the natives carried out their thefts. So expert are they, that they have been known to strip two or three sheets of copper off a ship's bottom, although there was a boat contain- ing an armed watchman both ahead and astern. When the Peep-o'-Day was once more in sailing order, we quickly replaced the cargo and sailed down the river. One evening when we had entered the China Sea, and were preparing to anchor for the night, not without carefully reconnoitring as
these were dangerous parts, Captain J called
us all up, and in a nervous and somewhat lachry- mose manner informed us of what we already knew, viz., that we were in waters not only difficult to navigate, but beset with pirates, and that it was very doubtful if we should ever reach our destina- tion. After this pleasing and inspiring speech, he provided us with old tower-muskets and cutlasses, informed us that England expected every man to do his duty, and proceeded to do his by going to his cabin, where, having placed two loaded revolvers
78 HAED LIFE IN THE COLONIES.
on the table, he locked himself in, and proceeded to get drunk, doubtless in order to keep up his spirits. We were fully alive to the dangers we ran from pirates ; every chain and rope had been carefully taken in so that they could catch hold of nothing ; we went about armed and with smothered lanterns. About eleven o'clock on the night of the captain's characteristic speech, I was on watch with another man. It was a clear moonlight night, very still and beautiful ; a slight breeze played around the masts. We had anchored some time before, and Scott and I were lazily talking on indifferent sub- jects, when suddenly, without changing his voice, he nudged me, and stealthily pointed to leeward. There were six pirate boats dropping down on us. We gave the alarm, and as soon as the boats were abreast of us we fired into them, both Scott and I killed our man. The rest of the crew now joined us, and helped to make it hot for the enemy, who, finding they were getting the worst of it, tried to regain their ship. Unfortunately for them, they got into a strong current which swept them down in an opposite direction. Suddenly, to our great surprise, they abandoned all attempt to reach their ship or to disable us, and pulled off in the direction of land with all their might. Looking ahead of us we saw two Chinese Government Mandarin boats coming down in grand style, each having fifty men at the oars. They commenced firing at the pirate boats without delay, killing many, and pursuing them towards land. On nearing it,
A VOYAGE TO CHINA. 79
many of the pirates jumped overboard and swam for shore, but most were killed before reaching it. Those who did succeed in landing ran for shelter to the paddy (rice) fields, but the Mandarin boats sent men out to set fire to the rice. The scene was awful and grand in the extreme, the flames ran along the ground with fearful rapidity, burning many of the poor wretches before they could escape. Horrible as the death was, it was doubtless merci- ful compared to what the few who were captured underwent afterwards. Daylight began before the scene of carnage was over, nor did we wait to see the end of it, but, weighing anchor, proceeded on our way. Some days passed on, and we were well out at sea when one day two pirate junks were seen waiting to interview us, one at each bow. To
our astonishment and relief, Captain J showed
no little pluck and cleverness. Having crowded on all sail, he hoisted the English ensign, and loaded the two guns, and a breeze springing up in our favour, he ordered us to stretch up as if we were going to tackle one of the enemy. The Peep-o'-Day, having been so lately repaired, sailed fairly well ; half-way towards the first junk we squared away as if to attack the second, by which manoeuvre we got a good start of them, and managed to keep it, as the wind was with us, but against them as they tried to close on us. -We gave the last fellow one of our big guns, damaging him pretty badly to judge by the crash of timbers, and the fact that they neither returned the compliment
80 HARD LIFE IN THE COLONIES.
or attempted to continue the pursuit. These were the last pirates we saw. We were now in the Malay Archipelago, and pirates seldom if ever venture so far, so the captain took in his flag and breathed freely once more. He was in such high good-humour at the result of his stratagem that he ordered a grog for all the crew, and himself got gloriously drunk. It was here that I saw a very fine lunar rainbow of a pale yellow colour ; it lasted some time, and had a singular and most beautiful effect.
Nothing of importance or interest happened until we were nearing St. Helena. Although we were on the look-out for the island, we had no idea that we were so close to it : the first intimation we had was the look-out man shouting " Land a-head," and then we could plainly hear the roar of the surf, and see right in front of us, looming up through the mist, a very high peak of land. Most vessels land there, and we fully expected to do so, the more so as both the captain and second mate were suffering from fever and ague. But orders were given to ease away at once, and we continued our voyage for three days more, when we sighted As- cension Island, and after a few hours anchored out- side some of the most beautiful coral reefs I ever saw. Having got out a boat, we took the captain and second mate ashore to try the effect of change of air. Whether from that, or any other cause, they both rapidly recovered. It is not often vessels stop here ; they mostly call at St. Helena. But this is
A VOYAGE TO (JHttfA. 81
a beautiful island, where the people seemed to lead a peaceful, not to say lazy, life. On the long, low, level beach many turtles came to lay their eggs ; we were lucky to arrive just in the season and had a real feast of turtle eggs and some turtles too ; but they are sent to all parts of the world. The Government men appeared to have nothing to do but turn over the turtles when they had caught them. We succeeded in catching some very fine specimens of the flying-fish ; one or two measured over two feet long, and had four pairs of wings. It was a pretty sight to see them skimming above the water, seemingly rejoicing in their double power of flying and swimming.
We stayed only a very short time here, as the captain was in a hurry to get to New York. So one fine morning we set sail and went on ; the weather was very favourable, the men all well, and Captain J— - satisfied, as he had got a clean bill of health from Ascension Island. I do not re- member anything especially worthy of note ; I am sorry I was not a better observer in those days. Sailors see so many wonderful and extraordinary sights, that they are astonished at nothing. But to return to. my narrative. As soon as we neared New York we signalled for a pilot, who, coming on board, sailed us up the East River in fine style. The scenery was beautiful and the buildings gigantic in size and magnificent in form. We anchored in the stream off East Eiver, and before we could get on shore experienced a sand-storm. Cloud after
82 HARD LIFE IN T&E COLONIES.
cloud of sand came swooping down from the land in immense columns, driving everything before them. The decks were soon deserted, for the sand cuts like a knife. It lasted an hour or more, blowing with terrible violence ; when it was ended there were some inches of fine gritty sand on everything. After the storm was over we went to our pier, No. 46, in the North Eiver, and on the way, short though the distance was, were nearly all killed, which shows that as much danger lies near the shore as in mid-ocean. It was full tide, and a steamer full of passengers came steaming right down upon us. Before we could get out of her way, or she out of ours, she struck us with great violence in the bow. She did us very little damage considering the force with which she came upon us. Had she struck us amidship, as she was pointed, she would have cut us in two without the smallest doubt ; as it was, the man at the wheel had time to sheer her off a little, with the above result. She carried away our flying-jib-boom and fore-top-gallant-mast, which was nothing compared to the damage she did herself, for the collision made a clean sweep of her. All the starboard rig- ging, davits, boats, masts, and funnel were torn off with a fearful crash. The passengers all crowded to see what was the matter, and a waiter coming out of the saloon was so terrified that he jumped overboard, and no one having time to look after him, he was drowned. The man at the wheel was killed by a blow from one of the falling masts, but
A VOYAGE TO CHINA* 88
beyond those two deaths there were no fatal acci* dents, which, considering the gravity of the disaster, was really marvellous. The steamer did not stop or even turn back, but continued her way, and we
soon lost sight of her. Captain J got a new
foremast and jib-boom out of the steamer's com- pany, though he had no earthly right to demand it, there being no injury to life that had happened to any one on board the Peep-o'-Day. But he asked for it, they gave it to him, and he was immensely elated at what he called a good stroke of business. There was no little excitement in the harbour at the departure of the Red, White and Blue, a small boat of only three tons burden which sailed from New York to cross the Atlantic. She was a lovely thing, but like a toy, being fully rigged like a large vessel, and sailed down the river with her three top-sails set amidst such cheers and thunders of applause as had rarely been heard. Every one knows how the gallant little craft made the voyage in safety and was afterwards exhibited at the Paris Exhibition. The life and traffic on North Elver were something tremendous ; everything was on such an enormous scale. The warehouses covered immense pieces of ground, and so close to the water's edge that many of the jib-booms of ships anchored there, touched the windows and roofs. The river itself teemed with vessels of every sort, size, description and nationality, Floating mills carry on their work as though on shore, and the beautiful Mississippi passenger boats
84 BAUD LIFE IN THE COLONIES.
come steaming grandly along looking like some huge mass of white buildings floating on the water. But New York is too well known nowadays to need any description. At the time I am writing of, the American war had just ended, and the whole country was in a most unsettled state. There was literally no law at all, except the law that Eight is Might, by which the weakest of course went to the wall. It was not safe to go out with a decent coat on — any man doing so ran a good chance of being assaulted and robbed of it, and might think himself lucky if he escaped with his life. I have seen German policemen shot down in the open streets in broad daylight by the free negroes and Irish roughs, and no notice taken of it, the dead bodies simply carried away and a double number of men put in their place. I have seen a whole cargo of splendid wines from France broken into by a gang of these roughs, who would tap various barrels, and if they were not to their taste would let the wine run away while they tapped another cask. And the policemen dared not inter- fere— indeed they took good care to be out of the way, for a policeman's life was not worth a breath. I have seen a carpenter, for refusing to lend some of his tools to some negroes for the purpose of opening a brandy cask, seized by four of these fiends, who tied a rope under his armpits, threw him overboard, and dragged him up and down in the water until he was dead. No one interfered, the negroes had it all their own way in those days,
A VOYAGE TO CHINA. 85
I have seen a dozen or so of these tall, lanky blacks come down to the wharves where the cotton bales were discharging, and sitting on them pick a hole and begin stuffing the cotton into their big, long calico coats and loose trousers until they swelled out like giants, when they would walk away unmolested by the public. Why should they interfere ? it was not their business. They have even been known to bring down a large dray with two horses, pile it up with cotton, and coolly drive off with the load into the city, where they sold it, nobody venturing to ask how they came by it. But their favourite mode of proceeding was to take a boat alongside the wharf just underneath where the bales were placed, and to fill their boat with cotton, which they would land a little further down the same wharf, some returning for more, while others carried what was landed into the city. Every vessel had a well-armed watchman, but they were frequently overpowered and murdered, and it was an every evening's occurrence to hear an interchange of pistol and rifle shots going on in the harbour and on the wharf. In the city things were not much better; every gentleman's residence was guarded by ten or twelve watchmen, and no one ventured out unarmed. Murders were as common as paving-stones, and although in many cases the criminals were caught red-handed, the magistrates dared not hang them, or their own lives would not have been worth an hour's pur- chase. It was a terrible state of things, so much
80 HARD LIFE IN THE COLONIES.
misery and crime in the midst of so much magnifi- cence and grandeur. I was walking about the wharf one day and went up to a fruit-stall to buy some fruit. The old lady hearing I had been to China, had in fact just come from there, anxiously asked me if I had not met her son, who was some- where there. When I informed her that I had not had that pleasure she expressed much astonishment and surprise, and evidently suspected that for some dark reason of my own I was not telling her the truth. She kept looking at me askance and re- peating, " Bin to Chinny and not seen my Tom ! Wall, I guess I never heard anything like that ; " and all my explanations failed to convince her that it was anything but most unheard-of on my part not to have met him, to say nothing of my bad taste. I could never get her to accept any of the friendly advances I made her, and I should not be surprised if at the bottom of her heart she did not suspect me of doing away somehow or other with her Tom. Poor old soul, it was very probable that her son had fallen a victim either to dysentery or the pirates.
Having discharged our cargo, we prepared to go over to New Jersey to take in petroleum for England ; but the night before we anchored there, a most frightful conflagration took place. Hundreds and hundreds of barrels of oil were consumed, the whole wharf destroyed, and half the lower part of the town. Many ships were burnt at their moorings, and the water-police having cut away
A VOYAGE TO CHINA. 87
some of these burning vessels, they floated down the stream, getting entangled with others and setting them also on fire. Quantities of river boats or lighters, full of raw crude oil, took fire, they had families of women and children on board whom it was impossible to rescue. It was an appalling and heartrending sight to see the poor creatures running from side to side imploring help, with little babes in their arms and young children at their skirts. It was impossible to get anywhere near them, for the stream was one sheet of devouring flame. The shrieks of the dying and screams of the women rose above the roar of the fire. God grant I may never witness anything so fearful in my life again. Several people went mad with the sight, and strong men sickened and fainted. The oil burnt on the water almost as well as on land, and in both places burnt with such fury and power that the people almost gave up trying to save any one or anything, it seemed so hopeless. This oil is almost as dangerous as gunpowder, yet these families fetch it down from up-country in open boats, along canals, drawn by horses doing all their cooking with careless indifference to, or ignorance of, the awful danger they run. This fire delayed us some weeks in procuring our cargo. The crew were so terrified at the disaster that they felt inclined to cut and run when they knew that the captain intended to ship petroleum, but having been out over two years on this voyage, they had a good deal of money due to them, and thought
88 HARD LIFE IN THE COLONIES.
better of it, all but two who gave us the slip the day before we sailed.
There was a brig called the Telegraph that had sailed with us from England, had followed us all over China and now to New York, getting the same cargoes and passing through the same dangers. We had become quite friendly, and always hailed each other like old acquaintances. She now loaded with petroleum the same as we did. The strictest orders were given about smoking, it being absolutely prohibited; and the cook did all his business ashore, for if a spark had touched the escaping gas, it would have blown us all into eternity in less than a minute. The casks of oil were most carefully stowed, trestles being placed under each one to keep them in place, and to prevent the upper casks from pressing on the lower ones, which might open the seams, and the oil escaping, the vessel would become top-heavy and she would run a good chance of capsizing. The captain of the Telegraph laughed at our extra care ; he had not stowed his oil away with such precautions, and was thus enabled to set out on the homeward journey a day before we did, but he must bitterly have repented of his carelessness before many days were over. He dined with Captain J— - the day he left, a fine, big, good- natured Cornishman. " Good-bye ; we shall be home before you," he cried from his boat as his men pulled him to his brig. They were, but not the home he meant,
A VOYAGE TO CHINA. 89
The day after the Telegraph left, we were towed down the river, and set sail for England. That cargo was the bane of our lives ; it was like working- over a powder magazine the whole way. Once we sighted the Telegraph and signalled greetings. Soon after an easterly gale came on, and the Peep- o'-Day plunged and tossed, and we were all in a panic about the oil, but, thanks to the trestles, the casks stood firm ; on examination when the gale was over, we found all safe and in order. We were sailing along smoothly and comfortably, when the " look-out " sighted an object ; we steered towards it, and saw to our sorrow that it was our old friend the Telegraph floating bottom upwards. She had evidently become top-heavy during the gale, from the bad stowage of her cargo, capsized and all hands lost. We continued our way, saddened and depressed for a time, but recovered as we neared England. We made the voyage in thirty-six days, but it took us twenty-one to beat up Channel in the teeth of an easterly wind, but finally we had the felicity of anchoring off Gravesend, and soon after were towed into the St. Catherine's Docks. Pay day came in due course, where our estimable friend Captain J 's last meanness was ex- posed. Most of the crew being unable to write, I had done so for them and they had then been de- livered to the captain for postage, for which he charged when paying them off. But several of them soon found out from their wives and sweethearts that he had never stamped them, and they hacl
90 HARD LIFE IN THE COLONIES,
been obliged to pay double postage. I don't know how it ended, I left them disputing about it, but I think never did a captain and his crew part with
less cordiality than did Captain J and his men.
For my part I saw no more of Captain J , nor
have I ever heard what became of him,
VOYAGES TO MELBOURNE AND CALCUTTA.
TU7HEN I was quite a youngster, I started with VV two other middies on board one of Money Wigram's ships, the Yorkshire. She was a fine vessel, half clipper, half frigate, but so beautifully built and proportioned that it was a real pleasure to see her on the water. We left from Plymouth, where we took in passengers, and then sailed on for Melbourne. Money Wigram's ships go no- where but from London to Melbourne and back. The wind being in our favour we got on splendidly for several days, and the first exciting thing that happened was the madness of one of the crew, who became suddenly and violently insane. He was half-Italian, half-Irish, a bad mixture at any time, and aggravated in this case by the fact that the man suffered from chronic neuralgia. When the pain was on, he would sit, with his two hands pressed to his head, glaring before him. If any one came near to offer consolation or suggest remedies, he would answer, without moving or even turning his.eyes, "Don't pity me; if you value your life, don't pity me." The surgeon took him in hand, and seemed at first to have sue*
92 HARD LIFE IN THE COLONIES.
ceeded in alleviating the pain, but one day when no one thought anything more about him, he suddenly jumped on to the poop with a dagger in one hand and a Bible in the other. Seeing what had happened, the captain and surgeon tried to coax him down, as many lady passengers were about. But in vain ; the unfortunate man began to preach a really powerful sermon on the sin and sorrow in the world, and offered to stab to the heart every one on board, that they might be freed from the torment of living. Some of the ladies were nearly frightened into fits, particularly when, discarding his Bible, he began to dance a jig, waving his dagger about wildly. The mate crept up the rigging behind him — while the surgeon drew the madman's attention to himself — and threw a bow-line over him, by which he was secured and confined. The poor fellow never re- covered; he was placed in a lunatic asylum at Melbourne, and, I believe, died soon after his entrance.
Neptune came on board at the Line, but it is needless to describe so well known a ceremony. When we were a month out, the " Dead Horse Night " was celebrated, a singular and curious scene of great interest. An animal in the shape of a horse is rigged up by sewing sacks together and stuffing them with straw. The whole is covered with brown blankets, tail and ears not being forgotten. One of the seamen personates an old farmer, and is dressed in character. Two
VOYAGES TO MELBOURNE AND CALCUTTA. 93
farm labourers attend him, to assist in reining- in the fiery steed. Everything being ready, the horse is drawn three times around the main-deck by the two farm boys with innumerable " whoas " and sundry blows over the head with thick sticks. The old farmer is on his back, and it requires no small skill to keep his equilibrium, so prodigious are the bounds of the fierce animal. . The sailors follow, singing dolefully :
"Oh, poor old man !
Your horse will die, And I say so, and I hope so !
Oh, poor old man,
Your horse will die 1 "
After the third round he is brought to a standstill on the quarter-deck, where all the passengers and crew are collected, and put up to auction. After some spirited bargaining it is knocked down to the highest bidder. A dark night is generally chosen for this performance as it heightens the effect of the " death of the horse." The chief officer gets into one of the quarter-boats and sets fire to a quantity of blue lights, which burn with ghastly effect in the blackness of the night. A tackle is then fastened to the horse, and he is slowly hoisted over the ship's side, away out to the yard-arm, with a sailor on his back. All the other sailors follow, singing their mournful ditty. As soon as the yard-arm is reached, the mounted sailor cuts away the " dead horse " from under him. It looks
94 SARD LtVE Itf T&E COLONIES.
a frightfully perilous position — by the glare of the1 blue lights, the man is seen suspended in mid-air, over the black waters, with no apparent support, not even a rope to cling to. As soon as the sea receives the " dead horse," the sailor, with cat-like ease, comes on deck, when the passengers gene- rally make up a purse for the crew, which is pre- sented to the old farmer by the highest bidder at the time of knocking down. The meaning of this ceremony is as follows : Sailors, as a rule, obtain a month's pay in advance before joining their ships, therefore they are working the whole of the first month for nothing. Drowning the " dead horse " is in token that they have done with that money- less month, and are now beginning to work for pay.
Soon after the " dead horse " ceremony we had a birth on board, a woman among the steerage passengers. Every one made a great deal of her and the baby, who was really a jolly little chap by the time we reached Melbourne. A young married couple had come aboard at Gravesend; they were the most loving pair I ever saw — one always came across them cuddled close together in some little sheltered nook. The young man looked delicate, but every one was surprised and shocked at hearing one morning that he was sinking fast, and could not live out the day. He died the same evening, and the next day was buried. I never saw anything so heart-breaking as the expression on the face of the poor little wife
VOYAGES TO MELBOURNE AND CALCUTTA. 05
during the reading of the burial service. She looked from one face to the other with utter bewilderment, but when the sailors lifted up the body to put overboard, she gave a cry like a wild animal and had to be dragged away by force. Every one was very kind to her, but she seemed to care for nothing, and it was pitiable to see her sitting alone day after day in the little nooks that they used to be in together. We brought her back with us on our return trip, the captain giving her a free passage. Another sad death occurred after we had arrived in Hobson's Bay. A lady going out to join her husband had been sea-sick the whole voyage, and was reduced to such a state of weakness that she was carried on deck to meet her husband, who had come in a boat to take her to his own large steamship, to which he had just been promoted. We saw a little commotion and confusion, and were horrified to hear that she had died in her husband's arms before they had spoken a word to each other.
We went on to the Canary Isles. When we were some distance off, long before we could see land, we witnessed a splendid mirage of the country. It was the best optical atmospheric illusion I ever saw, the shore, the trees, and the city with the houses clearly defined. It was difficult to believe but that up there in the sky this wondrous country was not really fixed. We landed at the Isles to take in bullocks, as we had run short of beef, Funny little fellows they were, not larger than a
96 BAUD Ll$E IN T&E COLON IE S>
good-sized English sheep, some even not biggei4 than a dog. They were most delicious eating, being tender and juicy, and much appreciated by the passengers. A large quantity of ducks were obtained here, and the captain, a good-hearted man, thinking to give the sailors a treat, ordered ducks for them all ; but his well-meant kindness was a failure, for they only growled, wanting to know " Who ever heard of ducks without green peas ? " and this hundreds of miles from any land. I only know we middies rejoiced in them, and soon put ourselves outside a duck apiece, with infinite satisfaction. Sailors are proverbial grumblers about trifles, though it must be allowed that they will put up with terrible hardships when necessary, without a murmur.
One morning whilst I was assisting the sail- maker, who was doing some repairs to the mizzen- royal-sail, I was watching the passengers on the deck instead of attending to the instructions being given to me, when a sudden lurch of the ship shot me clean off my airy seat, and I fell, striking the shrouds, rebounding from that straight into the sea. The man at the wheel, who saw this involun- tary gymnastic performance, had the wit and sang- froid to throw over to me the main-brace, which, directly I came up from my plunge, I grabbed hold of and hung on to for grim life. It was a horrible experience. I was nearly dragged to pieces before he could haul me up, as he was obliged first to stop the vessel. One moment I felt I must give way,
VOYAGES TO MELBOUBNE AND CALCUTTA. 97
the strain was so great, and my hands were all torn and bleeding, but the cry " Man overboard ! " had brought many willing hands, and I was finally deposited on deck, where I fainted like a woman, much to my after disgust, as it served as an end- less source of amusement to the other middies, who were never tired of teazing me about it ; the more so as some of the lady passengers took me up and made a good deal of me, one attending to my torn paws like a true sister of mercy. The hang- ing on to the main-brace was, however, no easy thing to do. I saw a man drowned in that way on one of my after voyages to India. He held on bravely for a while, but before we could rescue him he shouted out, " Good-bye, mates," let go, and was sucked under the vessel. We were going, as in my case, at a speed of fifteen miles an hour. This happened a short time before entering Port Phillip, where it was put out of my head by a catch of very fine horse mackerel. They were a great treat to every one. On board a vessel, particularly when on a long voyage, every trifle assumes immense proportions. Having entered Port Phillip Heads, we signalled for a pilot, and soon a tug-boat with the pilot on board of her came along- side and towed us into Sandridge Pier, a very fine piece of work, some seven or eight miles from the city of Melbourne. No ships can go nearer, although the river Yarra-Yarra runs into the midst of the town, as the water is so shallow that only barges and small boats can ply up and down. The
8
98 HARD LIFE IN THE COLONIES.
city of Melbourne is too well known to need description. Its Houses of Parliament, Post Offices, Town Hall, and Parks are not to be sur- passed in any of the great European cities. We stayed here three weeks when taking in our stores, freight, and passengers, were towed out to the Heads, and set sail for England. The poor little widow continued to seek out the nooks where she and her husband used to be together, and did not seem at all able to get over her grief. We had favourable weather, and no accidents of any sort, nor any encounters of interest until we neared Cape Horn. Here we came to immense fields of ice and tremendous icebergs. These vast moun- tains of floating ice are wonderfully beautiful, and of every fantastic shape ; cathedrals, palaces, old ruins, giants and forests. Picturesque, indeed, but terribly dangerous, and requiring most careful navigation to avoid striking against them, par- ticularly during the night. Nevertheless our captain kept his ship going ahead under double- reefed top-sails, although we passed several vessels who were anchored, fearing to be run down, or otherwise damaged by these icebergs. The cold was most intense, the hail coming down some- times with such force as to cut the flesh like a knife. Often at night all hands would be called up to shorten sail. It was really horrible to leave the warm bunk and go up on deck. Every man was given a " tot " of raw Jamaica rum, 11° above proof, and having tossed that down went out to
VOYAGES TO MELBOURNE AND CALCUTTA. 99
the rigging. It being wire rigging, and covered with a thick coating of ice, acted almost like an electric machine when yon touched it. On you go up aloft, tumbling one over the other in the dense darkness, and having got over the tops reach the yards and lay out to gather up the sail, tearing off your finger nails in the endeavour to haul in the frozen sails bellying out every minute in the furious gale of wind and hail. I have seen great, bearded men sit in the tops so benumbed with the cold that other sailors, not being able to see them, would trample on them in the dark without their having either the energy or strength to resist or move out of the way. The Yorkshire was so strained going round the Horn on this voyage, that we were at the pumps the whole way to England.
A very sad occurrence took place a week or so before we sailed into England. One of the lady passengers in the second cabin had a handsome little boy about four or five years. He was a great pet with all on board with all classes, he was taken ill and, after a two days' illness, died. Every one felt for the parents ; it was an only child, and they were taking him home to show their people, who were farmers in Cumberland, I believe. The carpenter made a little wooden box, full of holes, so that the water might rush in and sink it. The captain read the burial service, which seems so impressive at sea, and I am sure there was not a dry eye on board. The service ended, the body
100 HARD LIFE IN THE COLONIES.
was tilted over the side of the vessel on a plank, when, instead of sinking immediately, it floated. A large shark that had he en following us ever since little Frank's illness — indeed they always do when any one is going to die — suddenly attacked the hox, smashed it open, tore the child out, and ate it before the eyes of the mother and father. Her maddened, agonized shrieks were heart- rending, and it was impossible to tear her from the spot. Her husband, white and shaking from agitation, tried to calm her, but in vain ; she tried to jump overboard, and was for the time quite insane, although she ultimately recovered her senses. It was a most painful scene, and threw a gloom over the whole of us, which lasted until we reached England again.
After two more voyages to Melbourne in the Yorkshire, I joined the Enterprise as third officer, then going to Calcutta. Most of our saloon passengers were officers going to join their respective regiments in different parts of India ; many of them had their wives with them. They were a gay lot, up to every fun and mischief, dressing up like a lot of school-boys, and playing tricks that would not have disgraced a monkey colony. But some theatricals they got up were very successful and entertaining, and they certainly kept us all alive. We were racing another East Indiaman, the Punjab, all the voyage, and many were the bets made as to which vessel would run in to Calcutta first, Every man, woman, and
VOYAGES TO MELBOURNE AND CALCUTTA, loi
child on board took a keen interest in the race, and discussed it with a gravity and sometimes warmth worthy of a better cause. I may mention here that we had the felicity of beating the Punjab by six hours, and the joy was as great as though we had won a mighty victory.
A curious incident occurred after we had been out a couple of weeks. One night as we were running under full sail with a favourable wind, the fore-mast, suddenly and without the smallest warning, sank fully four inches, and was conse- quently in considerable danger of going overboard, as it loosened all the rigging with it. Every seaman was called up at once to take in sail and set up the rigging, which was not accomplished until midday. The delay caused by this accident enabled the Punjab to pass us, but we soon got up to her again, and used to sight her at intervals of two or three weeks. It was discovered that the famous mast had never been properly "sent home " into the keelstone by the riggers, and the heavy rolling had displaced it. However, as it happened, no great damage was done, though it might have proved a most serious business. This voyage was almost without incident or accident of any sort. A shark or two caught, a small storm now and then, or a calm, was all that marked our days, and but for the officers and the constant look- out for the Punjab, would have been almost un- bearably monotonous. In due course we arrived off Garden Beach, which is the entrance to the
io2 BARD LIFE IN THE COLONIES.
river Ganges going up to Calcutta. There is a most dangerous sand-bar here, the terror of every seaman whose ship has to pass it, for should a vessel touch it, no matter how large she may be, she rolls over and over helplessly and disappears, generally with all her crew. The pilot who came to bring us over this danger was the only man saved from a large ship that had touched this spot, all his companions and the ship being drawn in by the fatal bar and lost.
Pilots in India are the most stuck-up fellows in the world. No one and nothing is grand enough for them. They come on board dressed in the finest of white linen, or broad-cloth, with three servants, two leadsmen, two helmsmen, and a couple of huge trunks of clothes. They receive splendid pay, sometimes more than £3,000 a year. They serve a seven years' apprenticeship as leads- men, and work gradually on to mates, and lastly masters. When they get old or disabled they retire on a pension. On this occasion, having received our imperial and imperious master on board — for the captain becomes a nonentity as soon as the pilot takes command — we set off to work our way up the Ganges to Calcutta — a very ticklish piece of work, as the river is so tortuous. Although not so long as the Yan-tsze-kiang in China, the Ganges is a decent length, being 1,570 English miles, and is far more beautiful than the Chinese river. But it is exceedingly dangerous not only on account of its frequent twistings and
VOYAGES TO MELBOUENE AND CALCUTTA. 103
turnings, but because of its great narrowness in some parts, and the force of its current in various places. Most of the way up the carpenter, by the pilot's order, stood ready with his axe to cut the hawser if a current should take us and drive us down on the tug-boat. We went along very cautiously, under sail, the tug-boat keeping well ahead, and we were all employed trimming sails the whole way up. The scenery was most beautiful and varied, gorgeous as only an Eastern country can be. Now and then we passed a palace belonging to some king or native prince, magnifi- cent in structure and immense in size. Each end of the piazza was guarded, one by a Bengal tiger, the other by a lion, in sign of the kingly rank. They were enclosed in large stone cages with iron bars, and we passed one so closely that we threw in a biscuit to the royal beast, which he was too grand to touch, at least while we were looking at him, but lay with his great paws crossed and his grand head raised, looking down the river with proud, mournful eyes. The tiger was running up and down his cage, for reasons of digestion probably, as the mangled remains of some four- footed animals showed that he had just finished his dinner.
We were two days before we sighted the city of Calcutta. It is situated on the right-hand side as you go up the river, and looks wonderfully imposing and grand. The manner of mooring ships here is very strange. They lay six in a row,
104 HARD LIFE IN THE COLONIES.
right in front of the city ; each vessel drops her anchor into the stream, and then pays out cable until she is hauled into her place by the side of a vessel, to which they then proceed to fasten her by hawsers. One after another is so fastened until the six are complete, and then another six are arranged in the same way, and so on with all vessels that come into port. This is done for two reasons: firstly, to enable a vessel to haul out easily when she has her cargo on board; and secondly, that she might free herself quickly should a " bore " (large wave) happen suddenly to come along. We had that pleasure two days after our arrival, and an awful and wonderful sight it was, and fearful destruction and loss of life and property it occasioned.
Great excitement prevailed directly the " bore " was seen far in the distance, coming up the river. It consists of a tremendous huge wave from twenty to thirty feet in height, which comes rolling up over the top of the other waves and water, and sweeps everything before it with resistless force. All the ships looked well to their fastenings, that they might ease out without danger ; boats and sampans made for the middle of the stream, their occupants yelling and shouting in the wildest terror. It is much safer for small boats to meet the bore out in the middle than near land, where they run a good chance of being dashed to pieces, or sent flying along at lightning speed for a distance of sometimes a thousand yards. It
VOYAGES TO MELBOURNE AND CALCUTTA. 105
made one feel the powerlessness of man when placed in opposition to any freak of nature. Take what care you may, protect yourself as you will with all knowledge science has put at your disposal, build your houses and enlarge your stores, work for years, spending all your strength, arrive at the summit of your highest hopes, and feel safe for the future, but you have forgotten Dame Nature, and one little playful trick of hers upsets all your calculations, ruins your property, and reduces you to despair. Watching this gigantic wave coining swiftly onward, sweeping all before it, cruel as the grave, resistless as death, I had a curious sensation that I stood alone watching the destruction of some world. I was at the time ashore in the officers' quarters of the Sailors' Home, and looked on from the verandah of that building. Away to the right was a long neck of land jutting out into the river, covered with houses, huts, gardens and fields, inhabited by both Europeans and natives. On came the wave, silently, swiftly, deadly, swept over it, and went on, carrying with it land, houses, huts, and people. A large steamboat, not having time to move far enough from shore, was lifted up and dashed high and dry on land; many of the crew were killed from the shock, and the whole of one side of the vessel was stove in. This " bore " was not considered one of the worst. I confess I thought it quite bad enough, and was thankful I was on shore.
106 HAED LIFE IN THE COLONIES.
I was young and foolish at that time, and because some misunderstanding had arisen be- tween the captain and myself I resolved to remain
behind. Captain K was a good man and a brave
officer, but too strict to suit my ideas at that time, therefore when the Enterprise was hauled out to start on her return voyage to England, I, like a hot- headed young fool, slipped overboard with a small bundle of my belongings, and swam some distance to where I had a friend waiting for me in a sam- pan. Of course I forfeited all my money, not to speak of my position ; but youngsters never seem to learn the lesson of life without bitter experience. Could I have looked on a few months and have seen to what depths of misery and starvation my ill-advised act would bring me, I think I should not have had the courage to do aught but let the waters close over my luckless head. My friend kept me hidden for three days until the 'Enterprise was gone, when I again joined the officers' mess at the Sailors' Home. If you want good living, go there ; it was something wonderful. Young suck- ing-pigs boiled in champagne, roast duck, truffled pigeons, curried dishes of every description ; while the wines, ices, and fruit were above praise, and the cost not at all exorbitant.
Some astrologer from England predicted the coming of a cyclone about this time, that was to pass over Calcutta, and to be of terrific force. For anything less serious, it would have been amusing to see the panic this prophecy caused. The
VOYAGES TO MELBOURNE AND CALCUTTA. 107
palaces, the houses, in fact the whole town was soon emptied of their tenants, who, after securing their property the best way they could, went miles away, fearful that their houses would be blown down about them. In this case it turned out to be a false alarm, when, instead of being thankful that it was so, the unfortunate astrologer was overwhelmed with abuse and execration. Ravages made by the last cyclone were still visible on all sides. I saw parts of vessels that had been blown out of the river and carried a mile and a half into land, mixed up with debris of houses, wharves, trees, in fact anything that had stood any height from the ground. I heard one story that is worth repeating. A very fine ship, a three-master, had been taken up by the cyclone, whirled through the air like a dead leaf, and thrown on shore with such nice aim that the jib-boom and bowsprit were driven clean through one of the native huts. The next day, after all the turmoil and excitement was somewhat appeased, the owner of the hut came to the captain and requested him to take away his ship, as it obstructed the entrance, filled up the rooms, and prevented him and his family from living in the house. The poor captain, who desired nothing better than to see his magnificent vessel back again in her own element, instead of looking as if she had been caught red-handed in a bad housebreaking case, could not help smiling at the naivete of the demand. That smile cost him dear. The infuriated native was so angry at what
loa HAED LIFE IN THE COLONIES.
he chose to consider mocking at his misfortunes, quite ignoring that the captain was in a worse plight than himself, that he got numbers of his friends and literally broke the vessel up in pieces. I never heard that the captain could get any redress, nor could he probably have succeeded himself in moving so heavy a ship more than a mile to the water.
The hotels and houses are on a grand scale, with every comfort that art or money can devise ; so that although the heat is, of course, very great, I doubt whether the Europeans suffer as much from it as from a hot summer in England, where no alleviations, such as are common here, can be got at. The delicious coolness of the air caused by the incessant moving of punkahs is beyond words delightful. They are kept going by coolies, who squat in corners or corridors for that purpose. Sometimes they drop off to sleep — the air instantly becomes stifling; then the man with the most energy among us would wake the coolie with a gentle kick, and lazily come back to his lounging chair, cigar, and iced claret. A very luxurious life this Indian one, but it takes all the energy out of a man, and one quickly sinks into a lotus-eating state of mind that makes work a terror, and even the trouble of eating almost too great to be borne. Yet nowhere is there more social intercourse, a greater number of balls, theatricals, and other amusements. The Europeans seem to live for that alone, and outvie each other in the grandeur
VOYAGES TO MELBOURNE AND CALCUTTA. 109
of their entertainments, the richness of their wives' dresses, and the cost of their wines. The quantity of wine drank a year in Calcutta would, I should think, float a three-decker. Ladies are not at all backward, wine being said to be good for their complexions, and whether for that reason or any other, they certainly imbibe considerable quan- tities.
The Ganges is believed to be a sacred river ; natives from the interior come long distances to bathe, and carry away some of the holy water to cure their sick. If they died after taking it, well — it was to be ; if they recovered, it was the holy water that cured them : a simple childlike faith that many a Christian would be the better for possess- ing. Sometimes large parties of men, women, and children would come down to bathe, after which they would change their clothes in the water, go on shore, eat, and having made a day of it, fill their large bronze jars and return to their homes. They drive their teams with bullocks — a very small, handsome animal, and very powerful. That horrible disease, elephantiasis, is rather com- mon. I saw a man sitting near the roadside, with a leg the size of his whole body. I entered into conversation with him, and he told me that he had been ill for many months, and the doctors had told him he could not be cured. It is a horrible disease, the whole skin being covered with incrustations like the skin of an elephant. We were talking about it at dinner that night, and I was horrified
110 HARD LIFE IN THE COLONIES.
to hear that it is not by any means unfrequent in this country, is without cure, and besides being a dreadful chronic disease, is regarded as contagious. A surgeon who was present began describing several cases that had come under his notice, with such revolting details that we vowed to turn him out of the room unless he talked of something else. He refrained from any direct stories, although he still favoured us with many allusions.
There are an immense number of different religious sects here, and each as strict as possible in the carrying out of the various tenets and cere- monies belonging to their own particular belief. I have seen a whole side-walk cleared of some one sect, because a European happened to come down on the same side, they absolutely walking in the middle of the street, with the blazing sun beating down upon them, rather than risk the contamina- tion that would come to them, by the contact with " a dog of a Christian." However, they are not always discourteous. I remember, when out strolling about one day, I saw some Hindoos drinking from a fountain that was placed at a corner of the street. Being thirsty, I asked one of them to allow me to have some water from his cup, as I had nothing with me from which I could drink. He hesitated slightly, then with a profound salaam handed me a beautiful little vessel, half saucer, half cup in shape, of fine china with curious emblematic figures around it. I took a drink, and returned it to him, when he immediately broke it
VOYAGES TO MELBOURNE AND CALCUTTA. Ill
in little pieces. I understood his hesitation then, poor fellow, and wished I had known before that anything touched by a Christian was defiled for them, so that he might have kept his beautiful cup.
About this time my funds were getting low, and • I thought it quite time to rouse myself from the lazy, luxurious life I was leading and look around for something to do. I met an old schoolfellow, from Nelson House School, Plymouth, who was acting as railway engineer on the other side of the river. He introduced me to a first mate, belong- ing to the East India Pilots. He was a very pleasant man, who had seen many ups and downs in his life, and rather liked giving a helping hand to young fellows who through misfortune or their own folly found themselves in a difficulty. He intended to get me a post as leadsman, in which capacity I should have to serve seven years ; but the post ultimately attained was well worth the seven years' work, and it would have been a fine thing for me. Alas, before things were at all ar- ranged, the scheme was knocked on the head by his taking the command of one of the P. and 0. boats to China. Disappointed and somewhat mortified, I left the office where I had heard the news, and walked with more speed than discretion back to the Sailors' Home. Suddenly I felt sick and dizzy, but staggered and stumbled on almost blind. Instinct must have led me right, for I had no notion where I was, I managed to get not only
112 HARD LIFE IN THE COLONIES.
into the Home, but to my own room, where I seated myself on the edge of the bed, and went through the most miserable maddening sensations that can hardly be imagined, and certainly not described ; then I collapsed utterly, and knew nothing more until I came to myself in the bed, with some of the officers bathing my head. The doctor, when he came, made me drink quantities of water, and in a few days I was all right again, with every one congratulating me on my escaping with so little harm from that dread illness sunstroke. Mine was a very slight stroke, it is true, but I found it bad enough ; Heaven help those who have it worse, for even if they escape with their lives, it nearly always more or less injures their reason.
Just as I was fully recovered, a great disturb- ance occurred, caused by the ladies ; whose exces- sive fastidiousness caused a regular revolt. There was a very large park about a mile from the city, part of which was beautifully laid out as pleasure grounds and was called Eden Garden. It was a favourite resort for every one, and military bands played there every evening. Owing to the great heat during the day, the ladies only took their drives and walks there after sunset, when they ventured forth in great numbers, elegantly dressed and generally well escorted. At this time the Sailors' Home happened to be full of sailors, who, having nothing better to do, also went to Eden Garden to hear the music and see anything that was going on. In order to make themselves more
VOYAGES TO MELBOURNE AND CALCUTTA. 113
comfortable, as the weather was very hot, they left off their shoes and stockings, rolled their pants up to their knees, went without hats, and bared their (very often hairy) breasts to the evening breezes. Now all this was very disgusting to the ladies, who complained to the officers, and the result was, that a notice was posted up informing the sailors that they must put on shoes and cover themselves up generally, or they would not be allowed to enter Eden. This mandate considerably ruffled the " tars," who determined to see whether they could or could not force their way in. So some half-dozen in a greater state of undress than before went up to the gates. They were immediately collared and put outside, not without stout resistance. Another midshipman and myself were walking in the garden at the time, and al- though we were in uniform, our sticks were taken from us, and we were told that we could only claim them on leaving the grounds. This foolish little act of tyranny had the effect of placing all the midshipmen on the side of the sailors, who had called a meeting and had determined to enter Eden by force. One glorious evening they collected some six hundred strong, armed themselves with sticks, and were headed by a band, the instruments consisting of battered tin kettles, penny whistles and such-like, which, struck by vigorous arms, produced the most hideous noise you can conceive. Arriving at the gates, they broke down all opposi- tion, marched to where the fine military band was
9
114 SARD LIFE tN TH£ COLONIES.
performing the usual evening concert, coolly turned them out, and installed their own elegant musi- cians, who endeavoured to bray forth "Britons never shall be slaves."
The alarm having been given, the troops were called out to quell the disturbance, the officers hoping that the mere sight of a company of soldiers would be sufficient to induce the sailors to disperse. But the " tars " only continued their music ! adding vocal to the instrumental, and jeering at the military. The order was then given to charge and clear the garden. The ladies had all been hustled out of the way before the fight began. Twice the military were beaten back, and a second company was sent for, when a serious battle ensued. After some hard fighting the sailors were scattered, but not before seven or eight had been killed, while the soldiers, although they only actually lost three men, almost all were wounded. Several midshipmen with myself joined in the fray, and I received a severe scalp wound from a sword-bayonet which laid me up for some time, and left a mark that I shall carry to my grave. This affair made a great talk at the time, and many of the sailors that were taken got three months in prison. When I recovered from my wound the Abyssinian war was going on, and I conceived a great desire to join in it. A transport ship was leaving, laden "with provisions en route for the scene of action, and I found no difficulty in getting a berth. It was the old Trafalgar, one of Green's
VOYAGES TO MELBOURNE AND CALCUTTA. nB
ships. We were under Government rules and law, and flew the blue ensign. Nothing of interest occurred on the voyage, which after all proved a useless one, for when we arrived the fighting was all over. King Theodore had shot himself, and the prince, a little naked savage, was running about the beach in charge of some English officers. We spent a short time there, chiefly employing the hours in boat-racing, and then returned to Calcutta, where I put up in my old quarters.
HARD LIFE IN THE COLONIES.
I.— AUSTKALIA.
SOME twenty years ago I happened to find myself in Calcutta penniless and friendless. How I, late midshipman in Her Majesty's Service, had come to such a mournful state of destitution I need not relate here. Suffice it to say that it was entirely owing to my own folly and wayward- ness, facts which did not tend to solace me in my trouble. Finding it a difficult matter to procure iny daily bread, and discovering the fact that I might die of starvation without any one trying to prevent it, I went down to the wharf, where, not without considerable repugnance, I shipped before the mast in the vessel Airdale, bound for London. Any ship after the ones I had been accustomed to would have seemed poor; but this one was the worst I ever trod on. She was a long snaky iron vessel nearly 400 feet long, and would ride two seas at once. She was never dry the whole voyage through; always looked dirty, and was uncom- fortable in every way.
Luckily for me, although the ship was detestable, the captain was a good-hearted man, and did what he could to make my position more bearable, for although nothing was said on the subject when I
GILBERT CHILCOTT JENKINS. (After a Photograph.)
HABD LIFE IN THE COLONIES. 117
joined, he told me on parting that I was not the first gentleman he had had as " ordinary seaman," and whether owing to their own fault or to some misfortune, he always felt a deep sympathy for them. The crew, too, although rough and often coarse, were not unkind, and would sometimes teach me some part of my duty at which I was particularly awkward with a delicacy of feeling that a lady need not have despised. The men took their tone from the captain, proving once more the old saying that a good master makes a good servant.
One day, when we were some two weeks out, I was at the wheel, feeling somewhat glad that I should soon be relieved, for I found it rather anxious work. The sea was choppy, the wind cross, and every now and then the rain fell in spiteful gusts. Everything looked grey, dreary, and uninteresting. When the next man came whose turn it was to steer, I gave the wheel a somewhat vicious jerk, when to my amazement it walked clean out of the wheel-house and down the deck, as if it too were glad of a little change from its monotonous life. It was a very annoying accident, as it took two days' hard work before it could be replaced, and those two days were really terrible. Not only was the weather wet and boisterous, but steering was almost impossible. It took four men to tack, luff upon luff, and gay upon guy. I fully expected to be blamed, but Captain B^- — was a just man, and on examining
118 HARD LIFE IN THE COLONIES.
the wheel-house the pivot on which the wheel hung was found to have been bent. Christmas was upon us as we neared the Western Islands, but the weather had not improved. The forecastle was flooded, all our chests floated about, and it was a real difficulty to get any clothes out of them. I used to wade in. knee-deep and push my chest against the side of the vessel, steadying it as well as I could while I opened it. The rats were very lively, and would dart over the lid and inside without a " with your leave " or " by your leave," burrowing under the garments, whisking their long tails, and squeaking defiance. One lady rat was pleased to honour my trunk by making it the birthplace of her six children, and fiercely resented my attempt to dislodge her and them. Being always weak where the female sex is concerned, I gave in to her evident wish and determination to remain, and left the lid open that she might receive her husband's visits. I took care, however, to remove my wearing apparel, with the exception of a flannel vest which madame had chosen for her bed. I may add that she and the six lived there for several weeks, and all departed one day, taking care to carry off the vest, which had been torn in pieces for that purpose. Though she was ungrateful, I confess to feeling a pang when madame 's bright eyes no longer looked up at me from my sea-chest. On Christmas Day the captain presented us with a pig for dinner. We were grateful for the present, though we hardly
HARD LIFE IN THE COLONIES. 119
knew what to do with it, for the weather was so bad the cook could not boil the water necessary to scald him. There was piggy very much alive, grunting in blissful ignorance of the fact that his fate was being even then decided upon ; but how to manage to eat him without being scalded was the difficult question. Hot and loud grew the discussion, many and impossible were the sug- gestions. I remember one coming from the car- penter to the effect that as piggy couldn't be scalded, because boiling water could not be pro- cured, he might be planed. Finally it was settled that he should be skinned, and soon after he grunted his last grunt, was skinned, and an attempt made to roast him. But the ghost of piggy seemed to hover over his remains, for he got smoked, he burnt in places, he fell asunder, he curled up, he stretched out; but cook like an ordinary respectable porker he would not. It was a Christmas dinner under great difficulties. The cook had peeled some onions, and finding it impos- sible to chop them up with sage as he had intended (for the ship was rolling like a drunken man), had pitched them in whole, with some potatoes, where they gaily ran up and down piggy's stomach, can- noning against each other like iron balls. The plum-pudding I think I won't mention ; it is best buried in oblivion. I will only say that it very nearly buried three seamen, who were only saved by repeated doses of raw Jamaica rum.
This terrible weather lasted three weeks, during
120 HARD LIFE IN THE COLONIES.
the whole of which time the captain had not taken his clothes off or slept more than two hours at a time. Some of the men — and I among them— suffered very much from the state of our hands, the lines in them being open, raw to the bone, owing to the rain-water mixing with the salt whilst working on the ropes. Several were obliged to go to the hospital on arriving in England, and three, I heard, never fully recovered the use of their hands. I was more fortunate, for although I suffered very much %at the time, the wounds healed quickly when once they could be attended to, and I felt no after bad effect.
We arrived safely in London, rather to every one's surprise, for the Airdale was not a vessel cal- culated to inspire her captain and crew with any confidence. Like a true woman, many were her moods and capricious her temper ; but in times of trouble she came nobly to the rescue.
I bade good-bye to Captain B with real
regret, and some weeks after shipped in the Macduff, bound for Melbourne, as third officer.
A third mate's position is far from being an enviable one ; like a corporal in the army, he is at the beck and call of every one, and satisfies none.
I was unfortunate enough to offend the captain at the very outset. He was a Scotchman, very proud, conceited, and overbearing, with a painful sensitiveness of his exceeding ugliness. Women did not like him ; he, on the contrary, was very fond of the fair sex, and would force his attentions
HARD LIFE IN TEE COLONIES. 121
upon them, with a disregard to their evident aver- sion that made one long to kick him. I had been able to offer some small attentions to one of the lady passengers on her arrival, for which she was far more grateful than there was any need. The captain offering his help, she turned away from him and called me. This trifling act was the beginning of his treating me with systematic hardness, and even tyranny.
The pilot we took on board on leaving London was an elderly man with great experience. He was pleased with my seamanship, and allowed me to steer nearly the whole way down Channel. On leaving he recommended me particularly to the captain, which had the effect of making that worthy more bitter against me than before. From that day my life was made a burden to me ; everything I did was wrong, and everything I did not do, was equally wrong. I gave up trying to please him in despair, and only struggled to keep my temper, for I saw clearly that he was doing all he could to goad me into being insolent to him. Several weeks passed without any open dispute, but a row was inevitable, and one day it came with a vengeance.
The Macduffvt&s a passenger vessel, and on this voyage had her full number in each class. Among the third class passengers were many very poor and miserable. As all the stores passed through my hands, I had taken a few comforts to the women and children, This was not perhaps strictly right.
122 HARD LIFE IN THE COLONIES.
but any other captain would have passed it un- noticed; so indeed would Captain M had any
man but my unfortunate self been, the culprit.
He had me called up before the officers and men, abused me roundly for wasteful expenditure of the ship's stores, vowing he would make an example of me, and disrating me, sent me for- ward among the men. Such a piece of injustice completely dumbfounded me, and before I could find my tongue I was dismissed.
All the crew were very indignant at the way I had been treated ; there was a good deal of talk about it, and the passengers hearing of it, took up my cause warmly. A petition was drawn up and signed by every one on board, begging the captain to restore me to my position as third officer. Angry at this show of favour towards me, Captain
M tore up the petition, refusing the request
in such insulting terms that I lost all control over my temper, and poured forth a torrent of pas- sionate words at his injustice. I was furious with myself afterwards for giving him the very oppor- tunity he needed for completing my disgrace. He now disrated me to an " ordinary seaman." But I had come to the end of my patience, and dog- gedly refused to work in this capacity. Captain
M then ordered me to be put in irons and
confined to the forecastle. After a week of this imprisonment I was brought on the poop before him, who asked me if I was prepared to obey him and act as ordinary seaman.
HARD LIFE IN THE COLONIES. 123
I answered, " No, I signed the ship's articles as third officer, and I will work in no other capacity. Let me take my duty again, and I will do all in my power to give you satisfaction, but work as ordinary seaman I will not."
So back I was marched again for another week, when the same thing happened with the same result. This went on for three weeks. Finding me determined not to give in, and fearing the bad impression he had made on the passengers by this act of palpable injustice, he commanded the irons to be taken off, and in a voice quivering with rage told me he dismissed me from the service of the Macduff, and for the rest of the voyage I was not to come aft of the fore-mast.
So the remainder of the voyage I spent in idle- ness, as far as seamen's duties went, but found plenty of work among the poor passengers, in helping and cheering them up. Many were going to Melbourne without the faintest idea of what to do when there. One of these emigrants, an Irish- woman, became very much attached to me ; I had been able to do her some slight kindness the day she came on board, and from that moment she was my warmest partisan, and would make up little dainty dishes and bring them to me when I was supposed to be on the exciting diet of bread and water. Her husband was a carpenter in New- castle, New South Wales, and she was going to join him after a five years' absence.
&m.ong the second class passengers was a French
124 HARD LIFE IN THE COLONIES.
girl, with the most wonderful voice I have ever heard, — a pure soprano, clear as a bell and sweet as a nightingale. Often of an evening she would come on deck and sing song after song in the most good-natured way. There was also among the passengers a fine handsome young Englishman, who was going to join his friends who were mining in South Australia. These two were supposed to be engaged, they were always together, and all on board took a great interest in watching them; he was such a manly young fellow, and she had all the charm and grace of a Frenchwoman, without the capriciousness and inconstancy that so often mar the women of La belle Prance.
One morning we were just off the Cape, where the sea runs very high at any time, but now the billows were like mountains, and the Macduff flew before the wind with square sails set. So rough was it, that orders had been given that no pas- senger was to be allowed on the top-gallant-fore- castle. Mademoiselle Yinot, however, pleaded so hard to be allowed to see the storm of waters, that her lover gave in, and with my assistance we got her up the ladder. I left them, advising them not to stay long, and above all to hold firm. I had barely reached the forecastle, when the ship gave a fearful roll, and I heard a shriek of agony, followed immediately by the cry, " A man over- board!" Bushing back, I was just in time to catch Mademoiselle Vinot, who, wild with terror and grief, was throwing herself after her lover,
HARD LIFE IN THE COLONIES. 126
The poor young fellow had lost his footing when the ship gave that heavy lurch, and falling had struck the chain-rail in the middle of his body, the rebound from the blow throwing him into the sea.
As soon as the man at the wheel heard the cry, " Man overboard !" he put the wheel hard down, and brought the vessel to a standstill, quivering from the sudden shock, from bow to stern.
The captain and mates, who were dining at the time, and several of the passengers, were on deck in a moment, and every assistance possible was promptly given, but alas in vain. I caught a glimpse of the poor fellow as he was passing astern, and never as long as I live shall I forget his beseeching, horror-struck look. Mademoiselle Vinot fainted, mercifully for her. In the excite- ment of the moment I forgot the order that pro- hibited me from coming aft of the fore-mast, and jumping into one of the quarter-boats with the second mate and one of the sailors, began to lower. Unfortunately one of the tackles broke, and we were nearly thrown out. The captain seeing our .perilous position ordered us on deck at once, saying no boat in the world could live in such a sea. A man was sent to the royal-mast-head to see in what direction the drowning man would rise. He rose only twice, and the albatross and molly-hawks were tearing and pecking at him for about ten minutes ; then he disappeared. The sight was sickening, and one of the men passengers fainted, while another ran madly up and down raving,
126 HARD LIFE IN THE COLONIES.
11 For God's sake save him ! " The poor young fellow could not swim a stroke, and besides was heavily capped by having a great overcoat and heavy top-boots on at the time he was thrown into the sea. He had also on his person a lot of jewellery and a large sum of money belonging to Mademoiselle Vinot.
A strange and sad incident about this drowning case is worthy of mention. Only the evening before, in conversation with several of the pas- sengers, he had mentioned the fact that both of his brothers had met with their death by drowning, and laughingly said, " I don't think I need fear now, for I have not far to go, and we are told those who are born to be hanged will never be drowned."
I don't know what became of Mademoiselle Vinot for certain, though I was told some years after that she married a horsedealer, a man of great wealth, who had made his fortune by buying up horses in the Colonies and taking them to India.
When Mary Daly, the Irishwoman I have men- tioned before, heard the cry of " Man overboard ! " and the commotion that followed, she came on deck shrieking that they had killed me ; she knew they'd been wanting to do it for some time ! The more the men tried to explain, the wilder she got, and nothing would pacify her until I was brought into her presence, when she threw herself on the ground at my feet, embracing my knees and
> HARD LIFE IN THE COLONIES. 127
sobbing and laughing. I am afraid I was more irritated than pleased at this loud affection. Poor Mary, I never came across her again after she had reached her destination, but I have often thought of her, and hoped she is happy with her husband, of whom she seemed very fond.
After this, things went on their usual course for some little time. The captain ignored my presence altogether, and if by accident we met face to face, would not even return my salute, which I con- sidered not gentlemanly. The lady passengers, however, amply made up to me for any unpleasant- ness I suffered at the hands of Captain M .
At Port Phillip Heads, we took on board a pilot and were sailing between Dromanagh and Geelong, when we saw the wreck of a fine clipper ship. Her top-sail-yards were out of water, all her sails on, and masts unharmed, but her decks were blown up and she was a total wreck. There is no sadder •sight to a sailor than to see a vessel wrecked, lying like some beautiful wounded bird, useless, helpless and desolate. This was the Hurricane, that had sailed from Liverpool, and was wrecked almost after reaching her destination. On board of her was a gentleman, whom it was my good fortune to meet a few months afterwards, and from whom I have never since parted. Many and varied have been the adventures we have passed through together in these long years, adventures that I will leave him to describe, for I have not the gift of writing as he has* Through sorrow and joy,
128 HAUD LIFE IN THE COLONIES.
poverty and ill-health, we have passed together, our hearts knit to each other with a deep and lasting affection that nothiag can destroy in life, nor, I trust, in death, whose grey shadow hovers near my dear old friend. God help me when the blow falls.
Forgive me this digression and let me return to the Macduff. We reached Melbourne without anything more worthy of note happening. Captain M — - paid me what was due to me, and we parted mutually delighted to be rid of each other.
I now found myself again adrift on. the world, without much idea what to do with myself. The lady who had been the innocent cause of Captain
M 's taking a dislike to me, had asked me if
her husband (he was a large shipbuilder), could be of any service to me, but foolish pride had made me refuse her offer, and I preferred to wander alone and friendless, like a wounded animal who crawls to some solitary spot to die in lonely misery. I had only a few pounds, which, with an indifference to the future that astonishes me now, I spent in living quietly in a small lodging where I remained until, having paid up, I was left literally with one penny in my pocket, which I turned mechanically between my fingers as I paced the streets. A tiny flower-girl begged me to buy a bunch of violets — " only a penny," and my only penny passed into her wee hands in exchange for the sweet-smelling flowers that were not sweeter than the kiss the little maiden gave me pardessus le marclie.
HAED LIFE IN THE COLONIES. 129
Now that I was literally penniless, I felt relieved, and looked about for some work to do. On turning a corner I ran against one of the crew of the Macduff. Our quickly uttered expletives turned into something more polite. Jackson informed