Hobartown, from the water, does not present a striking appearance. Apart from the military and the public buildings, there are but few objects of interest to the beholder, excepting several churches, and a huge windmill, perched on a tower, where corn is ground. The town is scattered, or rather the buildings are—which amounts to the same thing,—over a considerable area. Its population is variously estimated, from fifteen to sixty thousand; I having been assured by at least a dozen respectable, intelligent citizens, that both these numbers were correct. In the absence of a certified copy of the census, I will establish a mean between the two, and estimate it at less than forty thousand. Its streets are laid out at right-angles with each other: the foot-path is paved with flags, and the carriage-way macadamized. The city is lighted with gas, the works for which were imported from England. Several of the streets present a business-like and animated appearance; particularly Murray and Liverpool streets, which contain the business-marts—the latter, like Chatham street, New York, or South street, Philadelphia, (both of which thoroughfares I have mentioned before,) being the place of business for pawnbrokers, Jews, old-clothes-dealers, haberdashers, &c. At almost every step a groggery stares you in the face, and a glance within will assure you that they do not lack patronage. It is not unusual to see a husband and his wife, whose dress and appearance betoken an acquaintance with better circles, standing at the bar, and partaking from the hands of the rumseller of the beverage that intoxicates. I know of nothing that more disgusted me, during my whole absence from home, than witnessing two females, each with an infant in her arms, settling some domestic concerns, and ratifying the settlement with a nobbler.
But here I have been describing Hobartown, when as yet I have not been ashore. The last date I gave was I believe the 25th, and the 26th being Sunday, on the day succeeding it, which was liberty day, all were busily employed in washing, barbarizing, and attempting to change our semi-barbaric appearance into a more civilized one; so as to be enabled to make some pretension to being ladies’ men, and enter the lists for feminine favor with the landlubbers ashore. After beautifying our persons as much as our means would permit, long togs and other clothing, that had been stowed away in the corners of donkeys for many months, were ferreted out; and, when we had donned them, we presented a pretty creditable appearance. Thus unusually attired, and feeling something like fish out of water, we jumped into the boat, and started for the shore.
On once more arriving among houses, streets, and marts for business, after a two-years’ exile from them, thoughts of my own happy home rushed up in my memory, and bitterly did I deplore my foolishness in having left it; but soon, in the contemplation of new objects, I cheered up, and began my peregrinations through the city, with a determination to criticize everything impartially, whether English or colonial.
The most prominent objects, were the very conspicuous signs of the different groggeries, among which I noticed one, on the corner of two streets, with large letters, to the effect that it was the General Washington House; and a few steps further on was the Virginia House: fully attesting that some wandering Yankee, who still retained his American bias, (and where is there a son of our native land—no matter how long he has been absent—that does not retain it?) had squatted here, and christened these two sinks. Amongst other names, I also noticed, the Marquis of Waterford, the Garrick’s Head, Handsome Bar-Maid, White Swan, Inkermann Arms, &c. Many of these were houses of ill-fame or assignation.
Before going ashore, our captain, in a short, but pithy address, strongly recommended to us the necessity of avoiding the allurements of the various shipping-agents located here. Seamen were scarce, and these harpies, ever on the look-out for American seamen—more particularly whalemen, to whom, in order to secure them, they will at any time give the post of boatsteerer—made many offers to induce our men to desert. The captain mentioned the fact, that no American whaler had ever made this port without losing a part of her crew, and urged us to be an exception to the rule. He then stated, that there was not a man or boy in his ship, whom he wanted to part with; and wound up his address by warning us particularly against a worthy, whose sobriquet was Peg-legged Johnson. What his real name was, I do not know. He had a wooden leg, and a brilliant reputation, all over the Indian and South Pacific oceans, for stowing away seamen who deserted from their vessels; and then, on the offer of a reward by their captains, returning them. The captain’s advice was well timed, and had a good effect. It was otherwise with the James Allen’s crew, as will be disclosed as I proceed.
Some six months previous a number of our ship’s company had instituted a temperance pledge, which had ten signers, none of whom deviated from it, and, indeed, I did not see a single case of inebriety amongst our crew during our stay in Hobartown. I mention this as a sort of salvo to the general intemperate reputation of seafaring men.
Going through the streets, I was much surprised at the number and variety of the occupations of the hawkers crying their wares. Here one was calling at the top of his voice “Long, strong, and three yards long, all for a two-pence;” he had shoe-strings for sale. Another was vending hot sevilloys, a compound resembling a sausage; whilst another, with a bell in hand, was lauding the superiority of his establishment for the purchase and sale of second-hand clothing; and a multitude of others were striving to vociferate louder than their competitors their claims to the attention of purchasers of oysters, oranges, nuts, &c. Besides these notorieties, in every street there was an unusual number of blind beggars. I for a time kept handing a small sum to each of these mendicants; but soon gave up charity, as I found that it was deleterious to the state of my exchequer; money being worth twenty-five cents advance on the dollar here, and therefore a commodity not very liberally forked over by our captain. On stating my suspicions that some of these people were impostors, I was assured to the contrary; my informant saying that the climate was hurtful to the eyes—a film, somewhat resembling the cataract, covering and destroying the sight—a disease easily remedied by the knife of a skilful optician. The government supplies an asylum for these unfortunates, but many of them prefer strolling about the streets, to confinement in such an institution. Many of them are attended by dogs, who lead them about with precision.
Soon after I went ashore I came in contact with a young American, who had been located in the city for several years. Of course, our being from the same State, betrayed us in a review of the place of our birth, into a friendly intimacy. I asked him his opinion of Hobartown, and shall never forget his answer; it was, that “lewdness filled the streets, licentiousness the houses, and profanity the air.” Although not prepared to endorse his sentiments in toto, I must confess that he was not very wide of the mark; and, whilst I have him in remembrance, I may as well review the opportunities offered by this part of Australia to induce young men to emigrate to its shores. The state of society, makes those engaged in business here, whenever they find a young man coming to their neighborhood with the character of an honest man, anxious to secure his services, and offer him a good recompense for them. During my stay on the coast, I, in several cases, had such offers tendered me; and, although in a pecuniary point of view they were advantageous, I have never once regretted not accepting. In nine cases out of ten, where young Americans have taken up their residence here, they have, however repugnant the habit may have at first appeared to them, contracted a taste for alcohol, and not having, like these people, been accustomed to imbibe it from childhood, soon became sots. Hence the reluctance of captains of whaleships to discharge on the coast any of their crew in whom they take an interest; well knowing that among such companions moral or intellectual improvement is out of the question.
As the lower class of the population, more particularly the female portion, consider the sailor fair game, our ship was continually the scene of their visits. Although we were at first quite pleased, and felt enlivened by the presence of the fairer part of creation aboard our floating home, we shortly discovered that we were only favored with their company from interested motives; and, therefore, after several visits had passed, but little more attention was paid to them, except by the idlers, who were glad to have any object to assist them in whiling away their time.
Great attention was paid by these dames to the younger members of our crew, whom they hoped, on account of their inexperience, easily to dupe; but it was only on one occasion, (the eve of our sailing,) that any encouragement was extended to induce them to prolong their visit aboard our ship. On that evening—fancying that we had some stray shillings in the corners of our pockets, and wishing to relieve us of an article that would be of no use to us when at sea—they came off to the number of a score; and as their blandishments could produce no ill effect, (for none of us wanted to go ashore again at Hobartown,) our accordeon-player was pressed into service, the quarter-deck cleared away, and all hands indulged in dancing—officers, men, and visitors taking a part. The presence of the officers, and respect for the old ship, restrained those whose buoyancy of spirit would otherwise have led them to run riot.