Vernon Smith's Diary Part 2

Saturday 22nd (Continued) Went below to straighten up. Have a cabin mate named Charley Smith. Prof. Neil Smith lives opposite, & there are three other Smiths on board. Had a last look at Pt.Charles Lighthouse. Most of the passengers travelled with us on the "Eastern", & seem more like old friends. The majority of them, if not all, have been touring Japan. They say the "Eastern" passed through between the Russian and Japanese fleets a few hours before they met. We passed Melville Id. at sunset - the destination of the "Venture". Sunday 23rd Rough sea, & strong wind. Good many passengers suffering from Mal de Mar. About a dozen gathered in the music room and sang some hymns in the evening. Monday 24th. Same strong wind (S.W) & sea. The vessel is steady, considering we are so light (17'6" aft) Tuesday 25th. Passed Booby Isd. before breakfast About 10am. anchored off Thursday Id. Jetty while Dr awarded pratique. Went alongside soon after and went ashore with Wilkie. Very close & muggy tho' the inhabitants say this is one of the coldest days they have had. Not very favourably impressed with Thursday Island Town, but the natural features of this & the surrounding islands are very beautiful. Posted some letters. Watched some fishing off jetty. Some fine salmon & a big barracoota were caught.

Tuesday 25th (Continued) Myriads of small fish under jetty - avg. length 6" - which are caught in a kind of large crab net, for bait. Water is a beautiful colour here - kind of electric blue. Plenty of pearling luggers & other sailing boats about. A B.I.Steamer, laden with coal, was anchored near the entrance. She had been ashore, and had jettisoned some hundreds of tons of coal to get off. Several wrecks seen. Population of T. Id. is about as mixed as one can find in any part of the world. Japanese, Chinese, Cingalese, Malays, Manila men, niggers, zulus and other kinds I could not determine, & a growing population of all varieties of tints. We all decided we would not care to live in Thursday Id. Left jetty at 1-0 having waited an hour for the engineers to fit a spring in the L.P. cyl. and get cover on. Passed thro' Albany Pass about 5pm. when it was seen to advantage. Cold dark night. SE trade wind continuing to blow. Wednesday 26th. Passing along Great Barrier Reef. Met the "Eastern" at lunch time, a mile or 2 off. Thursday 27th. Callled at Cairns, where we landed a couple of passengers and took on 5 more. Discharged 95 tons general, mostly rice. Mr Shaw, C.O. told me as a sling of cases went into the lighter that it was worth £3500. It contained opium. We lay about 6 miles from Jetty. Had to wait some hours for tender & lighter. Got away abt 9pm. Cold.

Friday 28th Arrived at Townsville shortly after midday. Customs Launch "Teal" & steam lighter "Barratta" came off from the Port (about 4 miles off). Lost 2 or 3 passengers and 5 came on Sir Rupert Clarke & party. Discharged some more rice & a line of over 1000 cases onions from Kobe. Also some cane furniture & other general. Got away about 3-3.30pm & soon overtook Sir Rupert's yacht "La Carribene", in which they had sailed up from Melbourne, & which was now on its way back there again. Saturday 29th. Passed Percy Ids. Also S/S "Darius" with horses for India. Concert on deck in evening. Sunday 30th. Weather extremely cold. Reached Morton Bay about 9pm & picked up pilot, who took the vessel up to the Pile Light & anchored. Monday 31st. Discharging cargo first thing, into steam lighter. Later on the steam-tug "Beaver" came out with passengers. No opportunity was given for us to go ashore, which I much regretted, as I wanted to see Mrs Walker, and Mr Bleechmore. Got away about 3pm, the pilot taking us as far as the lighthouse, where his steamer picked him up. Weather has now become very cold & bleak, with no promise of an improvement. Head wind & a big swell running, which makes things uncomfortable.

This diary has now served the purpose for which it was kept - covering, as it does, that part of the trip which is not the lot of many people to do - it has been a somewhat unique experience, enabling one to see many things that would otherwise have been impossible - short of chartering a small steamer & crew Health has been good all through, likewise appetite. The expedition (or what I saw of it) was marred only by the one lamentable incident on 20th inst. The run round to Sydney & Melbourne is familar to most people, however will put down chief events. Tuesday 1st August. & Wednesday 2nd. Vessel rolling in a beam sea. Hard job to stand up. All glad to see South Head light between 7 & 8 pm on 2nd & later on Manly lights. Anchored in Watson's Bay about 9.30pm for the night. Thursday 3rd. Dr came aboard first thing & saw everybody. S/S "Macedonia" from London, swept around our stern. Later on "Westralia". Proceeded up the harbor & were berthed at Circular Quay by 10-am. Caught 10-30 boat to Mosman's and went to Dr [Nan? Someran's?] where I had lunch. Left @ 2-15 & reached Sydney @ 3. Proceeded to Ashfield after doing some business - & spent

Tuesday 3rd a pleasant night with the Brandises - though Mr & Chris were away. Went to Sydney with them next morning Friday 4th & afterward went onboard the "Australian". Made some purchases in Sydney and returned to Ashfield. Met Annie in the train. After lunch said goodbye and returned to Sydney. Annie also came in to her painting lesson. Saw her to the "Tech". Just arrived at the steamer in comfortable time - we got away at 4pm. Very few passengers. Slight swell. Saturday 5th. Decks seem deserted & ship strangely quiet. Only 1/2 doz. passengers. Felt indisposed Sunday 6th. Cold & windy. Reached the Heads about noon. Wrecked "Australia' half broken up. Berthed at No.16 South. Did not go ashore. Monday 7th. Drove from "Australian" after breakfast, with Mrs McArthur, and called at Gibbs, Brights' Office. Also, Clem Hacks & Mr Howats. Went to Prahran for lunch with the misses Willshire & spent a pleasant afternoon. Miss Willshire came into Melbourne with me @ 4pm. I took a room @ the Federal Hotel, and then a cab to the steamer