In his place he is ever upright and kind.
Truth and sincerity you discern in his face,
He will never the cause of old England disgrace.
Then may success attend those three brave sons of the sea,
May fortune befriend them wherever they be;
When old age comes on may their pillow be soft,
When called from below, God grant their souls go aloft!
When scenes and places were pointed out to us I began to realise how far away I was. When the captain gave orders that we were to be kept below, as the ship would get a tossing in the Bay of Biscay a solemn silence fell on us all. The dear old Morning Star ploughed her way through that awful water, and I could see no bay, but only stormy billows. All our things swung to the other side of the ship, and the things from the other side came over to us. We soon regained confidence, and there were merry peals of laughter to see the plight of the passengers when their goods and chattels were rushing from side to side. Fancy us being afraid of sea or storm after that. If any other ship that flitted across the horizon was near enough the men got out some flags and signalled to her, and in that way found out who she was and where she was going. If she was close enough and was homeward bound we could send letters. An American warship came close by, but when the captain discovered that we were a ship full of people voyaging to Adelaide he let us go. I learned that they were bent on plunder. The warship was the famed Confederate privateer Alabama. I used to read about it and the desperate things Captain Semmes did on the high seas, not sparing either boats or schooners, but overhauling them in a most merciless manner. Our captain knew who they were, but we did not at the time. Although I saw the name I was not the least disturbed, and years afterwards, when reading a description of the Alabama, I knew that I had seen her.
The doctor read the Anglican Church service every Sunday forenoon, and usually we all attended, sailors as well. How sweet the singing sounded on the sea. It was so solemn and so mysterious with only the sky for a roof. The ways and the saying and the doings of those on the Morning Star were very peaceful in that never-to-be-forgotten time. Health and contentment were unspoilt by contact with the world. I, for one, too often turned with regret to the old times in Scotland, although our days were full of excitement. If any isolated places could be seen as we travelled along the captain would let us have his telescope in turns, and would tell the name and the situation and all particulars. We learned that he had children at home, and that when I saw him first he was waving good-bye to his wife and children. He would come up in the afternoon with his pockets full of sweets and put them on a canvas to see us scramble for them. He was beloved by the sailors, and it was good to see how they would run when he called. He always said, "Come along, my boys, and let that go every inch."
We were a long time at sea before he knew that I had no relatives on board, and when I told him I knew no one in Adelaide his voice trembled. "Oh, well, be brave," he said, "you are young, and you must take your part in labor and in life." The days seemed to pass so quickly, and as day followed day the companionship grew more strong, as we were grouped together with only the noise of the waves to listen to. How little did some think of the deep shadow of sorrow that would reach them through those bright, rolling waters. Scarlet fever had already seized some of the young children, and one by one they were lowered down into the bitter waters. They would be enjoying their hours of play in the sunshine on the deck one day and the next they would be gone. The trouble continued till twenty-seven had died. A man died also, and one family lost six children, some of them grown up. After seeing so much of the troubled horrors of the deep we were heavy-hearted, and no wonder. Everything passed like a mist, and we did not know who would go over next.