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time only, as trade got very slack and the agent could
not get a charter for her. So they laid her up and paid
all hands of. Anyway I met an acquaintance of mine by
name Captain Creed who had the steamer Euro trading
to Port Pirie. So he asked me if I would go second mate with
him so I thought I would better do that than nothing
so I signed on second mate of the Euro and run in
her for twelve months when a topsail schooner came out
from Glasgow. She was an Iron Schooner built for G. Wood
Son & Co and the owner came to Captain Creed to see if he could
recommend a Master for her. So he asked me if I would take
charge of her, as the captain that brought her out from
Glasgow was not going to stay out here but was going
home again. Anyhow as I told Captain Creed I was well
satisfied in the steamer. But as he had recommended me
to [?] the owner of the Moonta as that was her name
that I agreed to take her. And I ran her in the Spencer
Gulf trade to Moonta the port she was called after, for some
time. But unfortunately I had to leave her through my
right eye breaking out again. So I got a man in my place
to take charge of her and I had to go and lay up for some weeks
before the eye was better. Anyhow the man I put in my place very
unfortunately ran her ashore. In Port Adelaide river then
took a revolver and shot himself down the cabin. So when
when the men went down to see what was wrong they found him
dead. So the police boat was sent down for his body and
another master sent to take charge of her as she was bound
to Port Fairy in Victoria for a cargo of potatoes for the two owners
G. Wood Sons & Co and Drew in Moonta. Anyhow when my eye
got better, Captain Creed had charge of another steamer called
the Emu as they had chartered the Emu to another firm trade-
ing down the South East Coast with Captain Dowal in
charge so the Emu had to go through an overhaul before she
ran on the South East Coast. So Captain Creed sent for me to
to relieve his mate for a few weeks, as he was going on holidays
so I took his place in the Emu for a short time running to