Cameron County press. [volume] (Emporium, Cameron County, Pa.) 1866-1922, 1902-04-10
CHAPTER I.

remarkable circumstance that, in
nine cases out of ten, a mans sue
cess in life is not found in the ca
reer he originally chose for himself,
but in another and totally different
one. That mysterious power, force
of circumstances" is doubtless re-
sponsible for this, and no better
illustration for my argument could
be found than my own case. | be-
lieve my father intended that /
should follow the medical profession,
while my mother hoped | would enter
the church. My worthy uncle, Clut-
terfield the eminent solicitor of Lin
coins Inn Fields, offered me my
articles, and would possibly have
eventually taken me into partner
ship. But l would have none of these
things. My one craving was for the
sea. If l could not spend my life
upon salt water, existence would
have no pleasure for me. My fatIer
threatened, my mother wept, Un;le
Cluttertield prophesied all sorts of
disasters, but | remained firm.
Every WELL" said my father, WHEN
he realized that further argument
was hopeless, "since you must go to
sea, go to sea you certainly shall.
But you mustn't blame me if YOU
find that the life is not exactly what
you anticipate, and that you would
prefer yourself on dry land once
more"
l willingly gave this promise, and
month later left Liverpool as an
apprentice on the clipper ship Maid
of Normandy. Appropriately enough
the captains name was Fairweather,
and he certainly was a character in
his way. In fact the whole ships
company were originals. Had my ia
ther searched all England through ne
could not have discovered a set of
men, from the captain to the cooks
mate, who would have been better
calculated to instil in young mans
heart distaste for Father Neptune
and his oceans. In the number of the
various books of the sea | have en-
countered was one entitled: "A
Floating He'll" When reading it l
had not expected to have the misfor-
tune to be bound aboard a vessel of
this type. 1t was my lot, however,
to undergo the experience. We car
ried three apprentices, including my
self, each of whom had paid large
sum for the privilege. L was the
youngest. The eldest was the son
of country parson, mild, decent
lad, who eventually deserted and be-
came a housepainter in the South
Island of New Zealand. The next
was washed overheard when we were
rounding the Horn on our hOmeward
voyage. Poor lad, when all was said
and done he could not have been
much worse off, for his life on board
was a disgrace to what is sometimes
enormously called human nature"
In due course, as we cleared for San
Francisco, and long before we
crossed the line, | was heartily tired
of the sea. In those days, few years
/ ago as it is, sailors were not so well
protected even as they are now, and
| on a long voyage aboard sailing
| ship it was possible for a good deal
to happen that was not logged, and
much of which was forgotten before
| the vessel reached its home-port
again. When ] returned from my
first voyage my family inquired how
l liked my profession, and with all
! truth, | informed them that | did
not like it at all, and that | would
be willing to have my inGentures can
celed and to return to shore life
once more, if l might be so permit
ted. My father smiled grimly, and
seemed to derive considerable salts
faction from the fact that he had
prophesied disaster from the outset.
NO." he said, you have made your
bed, my lad, and now you must lie
upon it. There is still a considerable
portion of your apprenticeship to be
served, and it will be quite soon
enough for us at the end of that
time to decide what you are to do"
A month later | was at sea again
bound this time for Sydney. We
reached that port on my nineteenth
birthday, and by that time l had
made up my mind. Articles or no arti-
cles, l was determined to spend nc
more of my life on board that hateful
ship. Accordingly, one day having
obtained shore leave, l purchased
new rig-out and, leaving my sea-togs
with the Jewish shopman, / made
tracks, as the saying goes, into the
bush with all speed. Happen what
might, was resolved that Capt. Fair
weather should not set eyes OIL
George Fairfax again.
From that time onward my career
was a strange one. [ became a yer
liable Jack-of-all-trades. A station
hand, roustabout, shearer, assistan
to a travelling hawker, a gold miner
and al last trooper in one of the
finest t.odies of men in the world
the Queensland mounted police. i
was in this curious fashion that
arrived at my real vocation. Afte
a considerable period spent at head
, quarters, L was drafted to a station
, in the far west. There was a goot
| deal of horse and sheep stealing go
ing on in that particular locality, ant
large amount of tact and ingenui
, ty was necessary to discover th
criminals | soon found that this wa