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small coal bound to Quebec. So the Tug took hold of her
and towed her well down the Firth of Forth. And when
the Sailors got all Sail on her, the Tug left. So we got
the news that it was time to come up. So up we came
as black as two sweeps. So we was marched aft to see
the Captain. And he asked us what we wanted on board
his ship. And after we told him the circumstances, he told
us to go forward and he would put us on shore at
the Pentland Firth where the people would sooner
eat you than give you any-thing. But when we got to
the Pentland Firth there was nothing said. And he
turned out a jolly nice man. And gave us a few clothes
and so did the sailors. And I can assure you we
dropped in all right. Anyhow I made the voyage in
her. But when I came home there was no talk about
not letting me go back to Sea. But my Father saw a ship
owner called Donald McGregor who had one of his ships
loading for Pt. Adelaide S.A. And got me bound app-
rentice in a full rigged Ship called the Melbourne.
Bound to port Adelaide South Australia. Now this was a beautiful
Ship when she layed along the quay in Leith Docks and loading for
Australia and anyone belonging to the Melbourne in those days was
reconed very lucky people to get into her. Anyhow we sailed on the latter
end of 1864 for South Australia and we found when we got outsid[e]
that the officers was not the best of men to sail with as far as us boy[s]
was concerned for a Sailors life in those days was a hard life. Especially
for the Apprentices. Anyhow we arrived in Port Adelaide on the latter
end of the month of March 1865 and was there about two months when we
sailed again for the point de Galle in Ceylon, But when out three days
we found that the sand ballast we had in choked her pumps
so we could not get the water out of her hold. So we had to put
back to Pt Adelaide and by good luck it was a nice strong fair
Wind. And we arrived at the Semaphore Anchorage and awaited
for the tug for in those days there was only the one Tug and her
name was the Eleanor and she did not show up until next-day
when she towed us up to the wharf and in those days there