Dromoora and his wife, who had at first been much frightened, and ultimately as delighted, at the novelty of being driven on four wheels behind two of the terrible horses, were still more dazed and astonished at the appearance of the town of Brisbane, when they arrived there,—at that time a township of wooden huts roofed with zinc sheeting.
Our party drove straight to the house occupied by the acting-Governor, who, after being satisfied that the story reported of them was true, told them that he had received a request from Sydney to send them there at once, as every one was impatient to see the only survivors of the emigrant-ship, and to hear their story; and that, as a steamer was waiting for them at the wharf, they had better get away before the inhabitants found them out. He added that he had procured some suitable clothing for them, so that they had only to shift and walk on board.
“Our twins” were a handsome couple, as they stepped on to the boat which was to convey them south.
Owing, doubtless, to the better class of food on which they had been subsisting lately, they had grown stouter and broader, whilst their dark red complexions were set off by the suits of white Indian drill in which they were clothed.
As their tall manly forms appeared on the poop, one might well echo the captain’s greeting, as he said,—
“Gentlemen, I’m proud to take you in my ship;” adding aside to his chief officer, “twins, I’m told, and a right handsome pair, too.”
Dromoora and his wife were rather subdued during the voyage, for after leaving the Brisbane river a choppy sea rendered them violently sea-sick, and they had barely recovered their spirits when, after three days, the vessel was standing up the magnificent harbour of Sydney.
As they approached the town, the brothers remarked that the wharf was densely crowded with people, whilst flags were fluttering in the streets adjacent to the landing-place.
“What does all this mean?” asked Mat of the captain.
“Why, it’s in honour of your arrival, of course; don’t you see I have ‘dressed’ my ship, too.”