The New Bloomfield, Pa. times. (New Bloomfield, Pa.) 1877-188?, 1879-04-22
ADVENTURES AT SEA.

~ In sydney, New South Wales, one
afternoon, looking at the shipping, and
blowing away the weary hours In
cloud of smoke from much-loved old
clay pipe, my attention was attracted by
schooner of one hundred and thirty
tons burthen, lying at anchor off In the
stream. There was nothing wonderful
about her, either for build or rig; she
was merely handsome schooner; but
the extreme neatness of everything on
board, from rail to truck, was eminently
gratifying to the eyes of a seaman. 1
was sitting on an old spar, landed on the
quay from some vessel with my back
against a moorlng-post, when a man
passed me, and, stopping on the edge of
the quay, hailed the schooner
Adventure ahoy ?"
"Ay,ay," was Immediately responded;
then man appeared in the waist, look
ing towards the shore. He waved his
hand to the person who had hailed, and
disappeared; and in few minutes
small boat containing two men pulled
RhOuhu lhC bCnOOlCI DOW9 iiOui bhO
further side, headed for the boat-landing
near where sat.
As the boat approached, the stranger
on the wharf stepped down from the
sill, on which he had been standing, and
moved towards the steps that led down
to the platform ; and much was 1 sur
prised TO recognize in the schooner's cap
tain (for such he was), an old friend of
mine on the gold-ields of Australia,
named Graham.
Halloo! Graham" said 1 !; how
are you, old fellow? What are you do
ing here Sidney ?"
Murray, by thunderl" exclaimed
Graham F." what, in the name of mis-
chief, are you doing here ?'' at the same
time extending his hand and giving me
warm grip. Come off aboard the
schooner, that one Off there, the Adven-
ture; I'm trading with her, have been
on two trips, and am going out to-mor-
row or next day on another. Come off,
We'll have yarn what have you been
doing with yourself, anyway"
Having nothing else to do, and as
Graham was a good fellow, and had
been o good mate on the diggings, / ac-
cepted his invitation, and was soon in
troduced to his mate, and went into the
schooner's cabin. The latter was not
large, of course, but numerous muskets,
three very heavy doubled barrelled shot
guns, dozen cutlasses and half doz-
en- revolvers, evidently all carefully
looked after and highly polished, were
disposed in racks or arranged on the
walls of the cabin, or around the main
mast, which came down through the
fore part of it.
"Halloo what sort of hooker have
you got here, Graham ?" said 1, in some
surprise; ''do you go trading on such
capital as that?' pointing to the mus
kets and cutlasses.
Why" answered Graham, laugh
ing, I" told you L was trading (; and
we have to carry all that stuff for safety
But that isn't all our armament, either
We've got little brass cannon, four.
FOUNDER, that we mount on the to'-gal.
liant fo'-castle of the capstan, unship the
capstan and mount the gun we aren't
to be sneezed at, 1 tell you."
"No, shouldn't think you were,"
said; but where in the Old Harry dc
you trade to, that you have to carry al
this fighting geary''
Where do trade tol Why, where
should l go to trade, except among the
islands Pm going to make cruise
among the Kings Mill Group, thil
time. Shall touch Tanna Island first
and get two or three Tannamen; they
are good fellows, and we have 'em fo
interpreters. know lots of 'em hat
four with us last time. Then, if L cal
pick up cargo of sandal-wood or oil
shall run across to China and sell it
and bring cargo of tea and silk bacl
to Sydney, on owners account"
go no understands; you're goin,
on "a sandal-wooding trip. Why didn'
you say so at first thought you wer
going to do little bit of pirating whel
1 looked at your armory," I answered
Graham laughed, and produced
square bottle and three glasses from
transon locker; and the mate moran
and myself Joined him in drinking
glass of "old Holland" after which W
adjourned to the deck.
In conversation with Graham an
the mate discovered that "trade" nC