Travel Diaries and Journals

10

season the hardships which sailors have to undergo on board these coasting vessels, are dreadfully severe, a sad per centage of them having too few hands to work them properly, and [underfound?] in necessaries, finish their careers among the treacherous sands and shoals of the Eastern coast.

After some considerable experience in this way of life, and conversations with my uncle, I aimed for a larger ship and to see foreign parts, so returned home to Carlton and assisted in the family business again, and although I found a glad welcome amongst all and desire that I should remain, I could not settle down, and in somewhat less than a year I found my name on the books of a large East Indiaman called the Lord Lowther, and bound to China. She was lying at Gravesend when I joined her on the 7th April 1830. She was a fine vessel of about 1600 tons. After taking in pigs, fowls and sheep for the Captain's mess-table, on the 18th "wives and sweethearts" took a last farewell of their jolly tars and left the ship, orders were given to get the anchor, the bars were ship'd to the capstan and round we went, the old fifer giving us the tune of-

"Go where I will I'll ne'er forget The girl I left behind me."

I believe the only tune he ever learnt, for whether outward or homeward bound, making sail or reefing topsails, fair or foul weather, he reminded the jolly tars of their vows to their absent fair ones by giving them that tune to work by, he was a funny little old man, with a jolly good temperance, grog-loving face. I shall not easily forget it or his tune either.

We ran into 'the Downs' and it coming on to blow strong and right in our own teeth, we let go the anchor off Deal where we remained several days, making during the time some