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

Off for China. Friday, March 17. Farewell reception for Mrs. Gray. We worked all day getting ready. Guests came at 5.30. The house was so pretty with Japanese lanterns, palms and flowers. The grounds were decorated with flags and bunting with lanterns hung in the trees. Constabulary band. Balcony decorated with lanterns and seats and tables. Served tea sandwiches, ices, punch, Scotch and soda and the table was loaded with fancy cakes. Many people go tomorrow. After dinner went out on the balcony to give K. a farewell [session?]. Palmer, Boughter? & Judge Carson were there to help. Went dining in evening with Judge Carson. Home at 12.30.

The walls rise at each side and above is a maze of hanging signs, red, black & gold, from 2 to 12 feet long & about 2 feet wide, suspended from cranelike arrangements, shutting out almost every trace of sky and sunlight and only allowing the rain to filter through. This makes the streets dark but gives an effect of color and picturesqueness and artistic arrangement found nowhere outside of China. The streets are lined with shops which are merely stalls with goods displayed. The more pretentious ones are entered through doors but seldom consist of more than one or two small rooms. We went into two that

were large, spacious and attractive. Behind these shops the people live. But their lives seem to be spent in the streets which are teeming with a mass of humanity, and the babel of sounds is fairly deafening. Japan is clean and artistic China is artistic but dirty. In Japan there is space and air and room for breathing. In China there is no room to move and the people live without sunshine. It is a mystery to me how such conditions can produce a race of such capabilities & possibilities as the Chinese have. The life in China can be expressed by the one word "sordid"

We came to anchor at 2 o clock. We were near going on shore & the anchor parted by the strain. We however got the other anchor down & all put to right. Gen Salter immediately went on shore Lt Dadson & I went to go on board the "Adelaide". She (Black boatman 'bout ship) steamed off just as we got along. Dadson shouted out to inquire for his brother wounded in China. Next went on board the "Octavia" saw Dr. Taylor whom I had parted with in Calcutta 6 weeks before. he was rather as- tonished to find me down here. asked him to see Fred. when he went down to Edinburgh. Went on board & dined. In the evening Dadson & I called on the Brigade Major & Dr. Summers the P.M.O. at Cape Town & reported our arrival Could not get off at night to the ship slept