25

before we got clear of our cargo, then took in ballast which took
another two weeks, and sailed for Mauritius for another cargo
of sugar, and arrived at Mauritius in Seventeen days. And got
loaded with sugar for Port Adelaide, and sailed and arrived
in Port Adelaide in thirty days after an uneventful passage, that would
be about the latter end of 1874. So we got discharged of our cargo of
sugar, then commenced to load flour for Algoa bay South Africa
once more. for it was a dreadful port to go to. Anyhow we had
to face it again. so we got loaded and sailed again for Algoa Bay
and made a quick passage of twenty eight days, discharged
our cargo and took in ballast and sailed for the Mauritius
I may say that the Mauritius is an Island belonging to Great
Britian (sic) in the Indian Ocean which supplied Australia with
sugar, before sugar was grown in Australia, and arrived
at Mauritius and commenced loading sugar for Port Adelaide
and got loaded and sailed an made a lovely passage
in twenty four days and I may say that the same crew was in
that ship for nearly three years, without a shift, and I may
say that we never lost a rope yard all the three years I was in
her with a good captain, officers and crew. So when we arrived
at Pt Adelaide, an old friend of mine came on board and
asked me if I cared about going mate of a small coaster that
had just came round from Melbourne for a Port Adelaide
firm. So I aggreed (sic) at once. As I intended to get married
and thought I would be more at home. So I told the
captain and he paid me of (sic). So I started mate of this little
vessel and found she was just the thing. She was trading
in the Spencers Gulf trade in the summer, and used to run
to Melbourne with wheat, then go to the river Forth Tasmania
and load potatoes in bulk for Port Adelaide. So when
we arrived in Port Adelaide I got married and settled
down in the coasting trade and everythign went smoothly
I was only six months in the Mimosa, as that was
her name, when I passed for mate and that allowed me to
take charge of any sailing vessel, under one hundred tons.
So I took charge of a ketch rigged vessel called the Lillie