New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1893-10-22

SOME THEIUINi ADVENTURES ~ TIE
SCITiT PA IFIC.

"The Melbourne Argus" gives interesting
story Of the career Of Captain Arthur pevlin. who
has Just died. His death recalled. 1t Is said some
81 the events which happened before the golden
era which made Australia what 1t ia. His striking
form was well known about Melbourne for the last
sixty years: he was tn father" Of the Athenaeum
club He was n spendidly hui'. tall stout man
Of over six feet and claimed to be- the first Aus
tralinn child Of Australian mother He Wa
born on the banks Of the George River In New
South Wales on February T.. ISL. and would thus
be- In his cghtv-thirl year at the time OF his
death. Ills father. Arthur D"ylin. was one Of the
i've ringlcnd"rs Of the Irish Rebellion OF l"" WHO
were banshed - the colony Of N"w South Wales
fer the part they played In That AFFAIR; they had the
privilege Of selecting IN acres In any part Of TIA"
colony Arthur Devlin. the deceased's father
after arriving in New South Wales. married Pris-
ella. the daughter of james Squire who was N"
founder Of the frst brewery In Australia. Shortly
after this he made his selection Of 100 acres at
Kissing Point" on the banks ~ the Parramatta
River. and It was during this year ISL that IN"
subject u this motif" was born. His father died In
ls.a. leaving ss1 Children. three boys and three
;ir.s % whom captain \. Dern was the eldest
lie vent 20 s-a at the acr OF twelve. in "A ship
cl.iel the HoIe. commanded 10y captain Norr''
,nI trading between sydney and South America.
lie remained at sea FOR some time and mad" rapid
strides In his profession. and also an expert
Ing Australian industry. and great rivalry existed be-
tween the whaling crews. Captain DevlIn was on"
OF the first whslcboais crew which caimed the
championship 81 New South Wales. his boat com
plnlons being James Chapman. George chapman.
William Howard Andrew Melville and George Null
hall ak young Australian giants. all standing over
six feet In height. and splendlly built men. For
many years this unb"aten. and on one
occasion rowel two races 81 twelve miles each
With an interval Of only two hours between the
first and second races Young Deylin at the age ~
twenty imported racing gg called the Paddy
from cork. AMI 1t WIS In this boat that these
races ,ycrc rowod. During the next fcw years he
not only hal command Of several trading vessels.
but bail, AMI owned others AMI was the captain
who commanded the first vessel moved 10y steam
IN Australian waters. This boat was called the
Surprise. and was built Tor Captain Dcylin b.
Henry Gilbert Smith. In sydney in lN2 He waa
ihen twenty-five years Of age. He brought the ma
tcrlal and helped To build the first wharf In South
Australia which was called MLaron's Wharf. In
eight years from that date he had accumulated
wealth enough to have an account covering
credit baanc" Of s2ioOr This amount b" lost In
Two years afrerward. and through marine disas-
tcrs n left penniless. or. "a he used to say.
with nothing bat ships compass.
with indomltable pluck and energy. he was soon
once more In anurnce and command of several
vessels Iut It Is interesting TO know that but for
the extraordinary strength OF body and viii power
which h. possessed BE- could never have survived
the trying ordeal which he had to pass through
On Of his trips in vessel called the Rapid.
he was wrcckcd-and some readers Will remember
the wreck OF the Rapid. on January IT, 1870 and
the subsequent suffering the crew Of the vessel UNI
lerwcnt II may be here stated that il was through
fault Of Captain Dcvlin that the vessel was lost
The crew OF the vessel managed TO get away from
the wreck in the two boats. and for twenty-five
days these men fought the pangs OF hunger, thirst
and other privations. and. but for the determined
will and physical force of Captain Devlin. would
have taken extreme measures 10 alay their mis-
cry. ON February they made of the Fiilan
islands. and on this deserted tribe Of Fljian can
nibals, who gave chase. acre again Captain Dew
Inns energy stood In good request, and by his tact
they outwitted the natives and got clear and after
being forty-eight hours at the steer oar he fell
asleep, and when H. awoke he found that his hair
had fallen out and that he was n bald man. ON
one Of the Fijian islands the crew got twenty co.
coanuts, and for twenty days they had to
suffer privatons. and finally reached Rotumah
after some OF the most trying and dreadful eXpe-
renccs man could pass through.
Despite all these troubles priVatlOns and loss OF
everything Captain Deviin. with the indomitable
spirit which character him throughout life. set
mandel the Abercromby and sailed for China talk
Ing "A cargo OF sandalwo"d and returning with IL
cargo of tea. which he disposed of in Australia at
n great profit. While In China he contracted the
Hong Kong fever and was given up FOR dead scv-
era times, but his great physical powers sustained
him again. His chief officer. named Wright, was
the same he had when the wreck Of the Rapid oc-
Cured. and for many years aftcrward he was the
captains right -hani man. From 1872 to 1916 he met
with varied success. and In m" latter year, while
on IA trip to America he purchased the Emma,
and continued to trade between Australia and
America with his vessel until lt52 lie has
rated In his diary several Incidents which occurred
during these trips to several men who became
very prominent In after HE. principally thu late
Mr. Anthony llordern. sir Archibald Niche. and also
the man who startled tn world by
his discovery of gold In Australia. who some
~ the passengers VINO were aboard the Emma dur
ng her passages between California and Australia
under the coWman! ~ CAPTAIN Bev.ln. and the
kcen wit ~ the captain -. the expense of the
, hOvc persons AMI othrr notable people who have
figured I'm the colonys history t. brought plainly
before the readers q. this journal CAPTAIN Drvlm
In his history Of the golden age uany
startling and interesting events which happened
.uring those stirring times and how he left the
sea 20 become II member OF the firm OF Devlin ~
Crawford gold buyers IN Melbourne. Since then
his history is well known. and probably when the
events OF this most remarkable man
have been gathered together and published. as IL
was his WISH II viii prove the most interesting
history Of early life In the colonies OF Australia.