Innumerable, doubtless, now are the kind words and looks which are recalled by mourning friends as so many fond souvenirs of that last parting at Gravesend or at Plymouth. The sun was going down, and tinging with lustre the Kentish hills, wintry though the weather was, when the London left Gravesend behind, and went on her way to Plymouth. This very night, however, she encountered weather that compelled her to bring up at the Nore, where she anchored and remained during the whole of Sunday.
On Monday morning, the 1st of January, at daybreak, the anchor was weighed, and the ship steamed down the channel, still against a head wind, but making fair way. While passing outside the Isle of Wight the wind increased to half a gale, and Captain Martin deemed it prudent to put back and lay-to for the night in St. Helen’s Road. On Tuesday morning, the 2nd, the London proceeded through the Needles into the open channel, the wind being still ahead, but light. On the Wednesday the weather became so boisterous, and the indications of the barometer so threatening, that, at about 2 o’clock P.M., the Trinity House pilot, under whose care she was, decided on taking her to Spithead for shelter. She anchored on the Motherbank at 4 P.M., and lay there until daylight of the 4th, when she steamed out through the Needles passage, the wind being then southwesterly.
She arrived off Plymouth at daylight of the 5th. A sad accident occurred here. A pilot cutter put off a small boat, having on board the pilot and his assistant, to bring the London inside the breakwater. When the boat was no more than a hundred yards from the London a sea capsized her, and both the pilot and his assistant were thrown into the water. Captain Martin instantly ordered one of his lifeboats to be lowered, and with great difficulty the assistant pilot was rescued, but the pilot was drowned. About two hours after daylight of the 5th the London was anchored inside the breakwater, and prepared at once to embark her passengers. Some of those passengers must now engage our attention for a little while.
CHAPTER III.
CAPTAIN MARTIN.
It will be long before Britons will hear the name of John Bohun Martin without tears, as they think of his noble heroism amid circumstances sufficiently appalling to rob the bravest of his self-possession; of his disregard for his own personal safety while duty commanded him to remain at a post of imminent danger; of his resolute perseverance in doing all that the most skilful seaman could, to ride out the furious gale. He was not new to the sea, for from his boyhood he had been accustomed to cope with its storms and dangers, and had not risen to the post of Master without passing through years of the most careful training and discipline. He was born at Brompton, April 27th, 1819. When yet young, having a love for the sea, he was entered as midshipman in the East India ship True Briton, and made several voyages to Madras, Bombay, and Calcutta. He remained in this ship four years, and during this time he diligently studied navigation, particularly in its scientific branches. In 1840, he was appointed third officer of the Southampton, a vessel trading to the East Indies, and having in those days some celebrity as a fast-sailing ship. He passed through twelve additional years of service before he was entrusted with the command of a vessel, but all who knew him spoke very highly of his diligence and general character. He enjoyed the esteem and friendship of the Captains under whom he served: among them were the well-known names of Beach, and Wimble, and Nash.
J. B. Martin
In the year 1852 he was appointed to the command of the Essex, and continued her Master four years; at the end of which period he took the command of the Suffolk. There is no doubt that he owed this appointment entirely to his own merits as a navigator, and to the confidence which his general character inspired. The post which the Captain of the Suffolk was expected creditably to fill, was in every way an honourable, but, at the same time, a most responsible one. The ship was one of Messrs. Wigram’s best and fastest-sailing clippers, and was expressly designed for the Australian trade. In 1856 the gold-digging mania in Australia was attracting great numbers of people from our shores, and there was a sharp competition amongst ship-owners, both for passengers and cargo. Fast vessels were much in demand, for, to the travellers athirst for gold, a single day was deemed of the greatest importance; and safe ships were of course sought after, because of the precious cargo entrusted to their keeping.
Accordingly, during that period a number of fine vessels were built and launched, and their owners were accustomed to start them at the same time and for the same destination. The Suffolk, however, could successfully compare with any vessel of her class, as she had been expressly built for the Australian trade, and, regardless of cost, had been fitted by her wealthy owners with all the equipments necessary to render her one of the fastest and, at the same time, safest ships afloat.