The Fremont weekly journal. [volume] (Fremont, Sandusky County, Ohio) 1867-1877, 1871-03-24
CHAPTER

CHAPTER /.
Bright and beautiful was the
morning in January 1856, when the
good ship Windsor, ofLondon, com
manded by Captain M'Kenzie, swung
away from her moorings in Port
Phillip Bay, Australia; for a voyage
to Bombay, East Indies. It was
summer in that distant land, and
such a summer as would rank the
peer Of those enjoyed in sunny Italy.
Flowers of rare beauty and fragrant,
seductive, aroma, waved with their
stately stalks to the soft zephyrs,
dancing from hill to valley, while
leaves, clothed in their matured
green, or just tinged with the gold
and purple of approaching autumn,
seemed to blend their hues in attrac-
tive relief with Flora's southern
bloom. The bay, one of the largest
in the world, was just rippled as il
to show that life was stirring its
breast, while tugs putting and
screeching went plunging about the
anchored fleet in search of business.
The Tri color of France, the "Grid-
iron'' of Britain, the Stars and
Stripes, with flags of other nations,
lazily unrolled themselves in the
morning air as our sturdy weather
beaten pilot stepped on board and
ordered US to weigh anchor.
Soon our sails were flung from
the yards, sh, eted home ami hoisted;
our anchor was secured, and follow
ing a little black tug boat, that pull
ed us out seaward as easy as an en-
ergetic tumble bug with his bulky
globe of earth, we passed the wooded
hills and numerous inlets of the
Southern Ell Dorado. Once clear OF
the headlands guarding the entrance
to that now famous harbor, our pi-
lot was dismissed, our light sails
were set, the decks were cleared, and
all hands called aft for the purpose OF
choosing watches. This ceremony
is usually of an exciting nature, for
seamen instinctively form opinions
of their officers before it takes place
and show themselves off to the best
advantage when under the eyes oi
their favorite, hoping by exhibitions
of their skill and agility to win 3
way into his direct charge.
Our crew represented many ma
tions. They were for the major rart
brave, hardy adventures, men ac
customed to dangers on foreign
shores and perils on the treacherouS
deep; insured to hardships and ac.
quainted with the dazzle of success
es in the gold mines of the strange
country we had left. Wearied anG
disgusted with the uncertainties at
tending a miners life, they had gath
cred as if by common consent OF
board our vessel, allured to India by
the very magic of its name.
"Beach- -combers," as the seaport
roughs were called in Melbourne
with a sprinkling of bush whaekers
whose independant carriage marked
them as dangerous fellows, stood uE
side by side with a few whom sterr
necessity had called to plow the deep
The First and Second officers begaT
to select their men, and when al
were called off a short, pertinent
speech on duties, discipline anc
treatment was delivered from the
poop deck, and when the question
was asked "do you understand me
men?" a sullen determined "Aye
aye, sir,' from forty foremast hands
indicated that the whole crew haC
listened attentively to the speech
$50 forward then," said the Captain
and now, for the first time, we knew
in whose watch we were to be anC
who among those burly, broad shoul
dered fellows were our watcheries.
nv own position was eRviable.
was the Commanders nephew anc
he was stern disciplinarian. The
Chief Mate was a pompous, over
bearing son of albion, who had in
herited a dangerous dislike towards
e.Yankee youngsters" and had ever
that morning nearly exhausted hi
stock and store offuriOus oaths on
few men under my charge. 1t wa
obvious that they understood thu
volley as being armed at me, for or
of them silly insinuated his views o
the matter by saving she's cursins
over our heads at some one else
II had hoped to have held the fore
most hands in ignorance of my re
lationsllip with the Captain, bu
somehow it leaked out and the
seemed to look upon me as a spy
whenever ! chaneed to be near them