For the first three or four days we were visited by heavy rain squalls, which preventing much work being executed, we whiled away the time, between squalls, in angling—the water being alive with fish—salmon, herring, mackarel, and whitings, rewarding the fisherman’s toil.
We had little trouble here to procure water—a large tank being walled in, from which we procured an abundant supply. The only difficulty we experienced was from the extreme coldness of the water while rafting it.
On the 27th our liberty commenced. On going ashore and walking up the beach, we found, on passing the custom-house, a notice, signed by the captains of the different ships in the harbor, notifying all persons, that in the event of trusting any of their men, it would be on their own responsibility, as no debts of our contracting would be paid by the said captains. This was unusual to us, as we had never before been posted in port; but it may have been necessary, as the sailor, when ashore, thinks of nothing but present enjoyment. When he is half seas over, he will borrow money, or buy anything on credit from persons foolish or roguish enough to trust him, and when he gets at sea, will tell with great satisfaction how nicely he bilked the landlubbers; but in ninety-nine cases out of the hundred the landsman has the best of the bargain, seldom letting Jack Tar weather him.
The first move of our fellows was to take possession of an English bar-room, strike up Yankee Doodle, and break down in a genuine fore-and-after. There are five of these public houses in this settlement; one, however, was chiefly patronized by the ships’ crews, from the fact of a pretty bar-maid presiding over the spirits; and, as she was the only creditable-looking specimen of marriageable femininity in the place, she was surrounded by admirers. She met all with a cheerful smile, and was ever pleasant to both officers and sailors, always granting them a kiss of her fair cheek, when ready to sail; while her character, from a certain dignity about the girl, was unimpeachable.
Of course, the facilities for obtaining liquor being so abundant, there was the usual quantity of drinking; but, without prejudice, I feel justified in saying, that, of the three crews, ours conducted themselves best, and at sun-down returned in a creditable manner. Old Jack, however, got astray, and was not to be found at night when the boat came off. The next day one of the crew found him, with a bottle of grog, close by a small dam on the outskirts of the town. After being thoroughly awakened by a hearty shaking he took up his line of march, which, by the way, was a very crooked one, for the beach, singing, with great energy—
“The sailor loves his bottle, O!”
One morning, on going ashore, we found that the Wavelett’s crew were not on liberty. News soon transpired that there had been trouble aboard of her, and that part of her crew were in irons. Their captain left the town and went aboard, and found that they refused to do duty unless liberty was allowed to them. After some quibbling he consented, and they came ashore. Five of her men deserted, three of them getting clear; but the other two were traced by the natives, and apprehended by the police. One also was caught who bolted from the Allen.
Whilst in this port we had very little, in fact, scarce any, fresh meat. The reason assigned was its scarcity; but the Wavelett’s crew were all the time well supplied, and I cannot reconcile the two circumstances. We certainly needed it, having been from home fifteen months, and having had it in but one port. Few potatoes either were to be had here, and in lieu of them we carried to sea ruta baga turnips, which were mostly eaten by the pigs. To make amends for the absence of fresh meat, a supply of fish was contracted for with an American—a deserter from a whaler, years since, who has married and squatted down here, where he sustains himself by fishing and boating. These fish, in appearance and taste were very much like those known as porgies at home; they were well enough occasionally, but a continual fish diet, than which I know of nothing more tiresome, soon clogged our appetites, and the supply, in consequence, far exceeded the demand. I well remember our second mate’s remark on this occasion—that it would take two men and a boy to haul off his shirt, as he had eaten so many fish that the bones stuck through his skin.
From this time up to November the 5th, we were windbound in this dull place—the entrance being so narrow that it is impossible to gain egress without a fair wind. On the 3d, the hermaphrodite brig Louisa came in from Adelaide. During these days of inaction, to kill time, some would fish; others go ashore in search of clams, or raking for oysters; some gunning, some sailing, and others in search of shells; the latter generally returning wearied, and with but few of the bivalves.
On the morning of November the 5th, Norman Kinwood, a native of Manchester, New Hampshire, was discharged at his own request, from inability to do duty; he having been sick and off duty almost the whole time since we left home, with chronic rheumatism—at times confined to his berth for weeks together. All were sorry to part with him, but thought it better for him to be ashore when unwell, than to be confined to the narrow limits of a forecastle. For a few days he was much missed, although a very reserved man; still, it was one familiar face gone, and we felt that our little circle had been broken in upon. We afterwards learned that he remained at Albany several months, and then took passage in a schooner for Melbourne, since which nothing has been heard from him. We shipped a new man in his place, and at 9¹⁄₂ o’clock on November the 5th, took the pilot aboard, hove up our anchors, and in a heavy squall stood out of the sound, coming to anchor in Frenchman’s Bay. The Allen and Wavelett soon after followed. At 5 o’clock we hove up, a second time were under weigh, and with a stiff breeze stood out to sea, steering to the southward until we were in latitude 40°, where we expected to see plenty of right whales: and we did see them, too, and that was all the good they done us, as we would sight them from the ship, but the moment a boat was lowered they absquatulated in as secret and effectual a manner as a defaulting bank clerk. Finding we could do nothing with these shy gentlemen, we steered north-west for Cape Leuwin, hoping to see sperm whales, to recompense us for six months’ time thrown away. On the passage we gammoned with the barque Lady Macintosh, of London. She last sailed from Adelaide, having carried railroad iron to that port for the purpose of constructing a railway to Melbourne, which, when finished, will be the first work of the kind on the island. She was then bound to the East Indies for a cargo of teak-wood. It is not usual for merchant ships to lose time in visiting; but in this case both ships were becalmed within a few miles of each other, and she setting her signal our captain went aboard.