37

as soon as the ships ran up the burgee, which was a flag with
a split-tail, as at that time the ships could not come into the
Swan River, as there was four dredges at work, dredging the
new harbour out. So those butchers had a sailing ship arrived
from Sydney with a wad of frozen meat, called the Himalaya
she had a large refrigerator on board for keeping that meat
frozen on the voyage, and also until it was sold. Now that
ship layed at Owens Anchorage for eight months. And
when the firm got any orders for meat for Perth or the Gold
fields, I had to run out with this small steamer and bring
in a load and discharge on to the trucks for the fields. But those
butchers found out that they had made a great mistake
chartering that ship, as they could not get clear of their frozen
meat so easy. So the consequence was they found they were
bankrupt. So I layed the steamer up, and she was sold. So
that finished me with that firm, after serving them for
twelve months. Anyhow I thought I would go over to
Port Adelaide and see how my family was getting on in
there lodgings as I had some in Port Adelaide and some
in the city of Adelaide. So before I left I thought I would go
and see the manager of the Swan River Company and tell
him that I had just layed up the steamer I had, as the firm
had failed, and I thought I would go over to Port Adelaide and
see my family, as I had seven of them in lodgings. As my wife was
dead and if there should be a vacancy in any of your steamers
on the Swan River, I would be much obliged to you for a birth.
So I got my ticket and came accross a passenger in the Gabo
and I also told the manager of the Swan River Company that
I was going to Port Adelaide in the Gabo, and I would come right
back with her. So when I arrived at Port Adelaide, I found
my family to be all in good hands, and getting on all right
so being satisfied about my family, I waited until the Gabo
came back from Melbourne, and came back to West Australia
again. So I arrived at Fremantle, to my great surprise, the
manager of the Swan River Company was waiting on the wharf
for me to take one of the steamers a paddle boat called the