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D6976/3 Reminiscences of H D Melville written 1887 entitled ‘Compensation for A Life’s Service under Civil Service Regulations of 1887: Book 3

Transcribed by L Fredericks, Volunteer at the State Library of South Australia, 2006

The spelling and punctuation are as appear in the text. struck, and disabled, by the floating wreckage, we were trying to reach one poor fellow who had got a hold on a span when the draw-back carried him out of our reach amongst a lot of rigging and we saw no more of him. he was probably stunned and carried out to sea. This was my first attempt at swimming in a surf, and I learnt this lesson, not to trust to my power as a swimmer, but go with the seas and when they break, get under and cling to the bottom, attempt to breast the draw-back and you’re a gone man, Some of the bodies were recovered next day (I think five) and buried in the sand-hill it was difficult to say how many bodies for dog fish had made such havoc amongst them, I remember seeing a dog fish hanging on to part of a body until a trooper (who was trying to land it) had got it near ashore, the trooper a smart young fellow

[part of page pasted to reverse of page ] 8–“The Advertiser,” Friday, October 13 1944

VIEWS AND

WRECK OF S.S. ADMELLA To the Editor Sir–In “The Advertiser” of the 11 th the graphic account of the wreck of the s.s. Admella makes interesting reading. This disaster of 85 years ago is comparable in the public mind only with that tragic happening at Port Willunga 56 years ago when the fine ship Star of Greece was broken to pieces on the reef with the loss of her master and 17 of her complement. While there are many who remember that stormy July night in 1888, there would be few, if any, living who recall the loss of the Admella. But in the Nautical Museum at Port may be seen tangible evidence of the wrecked vessel, viz., a dinner plate bearing the name and flag of the vessel, a panel from a cabin door, and a grease cup from the engine-room. A small event sometimes leads to great consequences. Had the steamer held on her course instead of heading to sea to ease conditions for the racehorses on board, the disaster might not have occurred.– I am, Sir, &c.,

VERNON SMITH Largs Bay.

(I. Ewens) had some rough and dangerous work in recovering the bodies. If this vessel had 120 fathoms of chain to her anchor as she should have had she would have ridden out the gale, the holding ground in the Bay could not be better. the ship like many others that came into port had never been at anchor in an open roadstead and was not properly found for such work, her chains had never been out of the lockers and thus more discredit was thrown on Port Robe by its opponents

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Wreck of the “Admella” August 1859

These are painful recollections to call up, and none as much so as the loss of the Admella s.s, I have always held and still do, the opinion that the loss of this fine steamer and the many lives, was mainly attributable to the desire

She broke her back on the reef the fore part went down and stern remained on the reef – canting over those saved were lashed in mezin rigging, the great loss of life was when the vessel parted \I believe/ some 80 lives were lost altogether but writing from memory I cant give the exact number I know that 22 only were saved, 19 by the portland life boat and 3 by our shire boat one of the number being the Capt the vessel struck the reef on the night of the 6 August and the rescued were on the wreck 8 days, I was in charge of the shore party under the Trinity House and a fearfully harressing time we had of it, All Adelaide was in a state of great excitement, and messengers were kept continually going between M t Gambier and the scene of the wreck bearing messages of the most extraordinary character some suggested catamarans as a means of getting at the wreck, and one begged that I would not lose sight of the fact that oil thrown on troubled waters had proved a success – the troubled water we had to contend with was the heavy seas breaking on two lines of reef between us and the wreck. the only opening was from the sea side, and the first attempt of the Life-boat to approach the wreck from the sea failed The people of Adelaide could not understand why day after day no plan was devised to get communication with the wrecked vessel, upon my visit to Adelaide shortly after the wreck I shewed the Governor Sir Richard M cDonnell a sketch I had made which fully proved the impossibility of our getting at the wreck from the shore until the seas went down, I now give the sketch then made, better men or stouter hearts could not be found than many of the sailors and boatmen that waited on that shore night and day for a week hoping the seas would go down and we should be able to launch our boats one a whale boat and the other a boat that we had patched up, neither of them would live in broken water, driven to desperation B. Germein and a volunteer crew did make one attempt, and nearly lost their lives the boat was capsized like \a/ nut-shell in the first line of breakers, one poor fellow had his leg terribly lacerated. I had been careful that no man entered the boat except as a volunteer, to have made another attempt would have been madness. to keep alive hope amongst the sufferers we kept large fires alight on the sand- hills all night – for this some very severe strictures were passed on me, It might have been the means of wrecking other vessels, Bosh no vessel could have mistaken three bush-fires for Cape Northumberland Light-token that light should be on view On the morning of the day the survivors were taken off the wreck 14 August 1859 the sea at day break was calmer than at any time since the wreck, and as the “Lady-bird” Str did not heave in sight with her Life-boat we decided to launch our shore-boats It being arranged that if the Life-boat hove in sight I should signal shore boats to return, which I did but not before Germein had got his boat alongside and the Capt and three [?] passengers into it. The other boat could not get over the second reef and was returning, we landed three out the four from the wreck one was lost in landing he was a pedler and quite mad. The Life-boat succeed in getting off the remainder (one a girl Miss Ludwick) and putting them on board the Lady-bird Str they were at once taken to Portland Bay and I believe all recovered We rigged a Gypsey tent for our three who were attended by D r Whell, their feet were like enormous black puddings with indentations were the

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______toes were. The Capt suffered in mind as well as body We watched them all night and kept their feet well attended to, I had not slept for three nights and now that the excitement was all over we knew the worst. reaction set in and I could have slept for a week I was awoken by Inspector G.B.Scott to relieve him and take morning watch over our saved ones, after giving them their medicine and anointing their feet I sat at the mouth of the tent with an arm round the pole and tried to keep awake when I was most thoroughly awakened by the shrieks of the Capt whose mind was at work and \in his delirium/ he was reviewing the whole scene of the wreck on that terrible night she struck. Oh the poor women and the children Oh my God save them look look. my hair was on end I wanted to sleep no more. poor fellow. remorse had something to do with his ravings

I give the incidents most worthy of note in connection with the wreck of the “Admella” no bodies were washed ashore the only body recovered was found at Cape Bridgewater a long way south of the wreck. The first attempt to get ashore was made by the mate he was seen by those on \the/ wreck till near the shore when it was supposed he became exhausted, or not being able to free himself from the Life buoy he had secured to his body he was taken out to sea. Strange to say two horses got ashore without injury one a race horse (Barber) and another a grey draught stallion. We found the carcase of one fine old Racer (Jupiter) and gave it decent burial, many old colonists will remember what a splendid horse Jupiter was. I give a copy of a lithograph by Mr Tinkler of the Trinity House of this \grand/ old horse The first report of the wreck was made by two sailors Leach and Knapman who were lucky plucky enough to get ashore on a raft and walk 20 miles along the coast to the Cape Northumberland Light-house, I think it was the second day after the wreck, there were many touching incidents that I cannot remember but may be found recorded in a little pamphlet published at the time There is always one painful experience in connection with wrecks and that is the presence of those who go for no other purpose than plunder, and we had a number of these bipeds to deal with, my old friend G B. Scott was their Inspector of police and had several of his men on the beach to protect property one of the passengers of the “Admella” was known to have some 700 sovereigns on his person and his body was hopefully looked for by the wreckers but never found, After the wreck I had to get the pilot boat and crew back to Adelaide, overland

[page trimmed – narrower and shorter] to Port Robe and from thence by steamer it was rough work for the poor fellows but better than risking their lives in an attempt to reach a vessel in the boat with heavy breaker to cross

Wrecks of Alma and Livingstone Dec r 15 and 16 th 1861

These two fine vessels were driven ashore [?] in Guichen Bay during a hurricane that swept the coast and did immense damage, barring a cyclone in the Tropics it was the fiercest storm I was ever in, was from the north west and out of […] The “Livingstone” was a fine ship of about 600 tons loaded with wool and ready for sea riding at the usual anchorage \with/ her own anchors and chains, The “Alma” not so large or as fine a vessel, was in ballast and not much of that, as she was discharging it at the time, \the 15 th / and was away from the usual anchorage in seven fathoms of water, and exposed to the full force of the seas and wind she had good ground tackle but the strain on her chains was too much to stand

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______long, I had the Lifeboat on its carriage with a fine crew ready to launch should the signal of distress be given, the men on board knew that our Lifeboat could not take them off the vessel and land them without great risk of all hands being lost; no number of men could have pulled that Life-boat back to the landing against so fierce a hurricane, and had the attempt been made for a certainty the boat would have been driven ashore amongst the breakers. the crew were safer on board while her anchors held and they knew it. the only assistance we could have rendered would have been to take off Coir springs to ease her chains but we had no such warp, which was a decided want. A newspaper correspondent at Robe badgered me a good deal with his opinions, What’s the use of the Life boat if you dont use it. If that vessel goes ashore in the breakers all hands will be lost. M r Melville you are running great risks. to all which I could only respond with mind your own business no signal of distress has been hoisted. the crew are safer were they are, It was a trying time – but I had a splendid fellow as Coxswain of the Life-boat in whom I had every confidence, and his opinion only would have swayed me, about mid-day the “Alma” parted from her anchor and the mate (Swan) ran her ashore in a little inlet of the rocks under a cliff. Now was the time for the Life boats crew to act and so we did to some purpose, All hands with the rocket apparatus were speedily on the cliff, our first rocket line was driven by the gale over the stern of the ship her mast were all cut away I lowered the elevation of the next rocket which was a mistake as the rocket line had become heavier with salt water so the line fell short. While preparing for a third trial the Capt (who was ashore when the gale set in) gave it as his opinion that the men would not leave the ship if we did get communication, he said they would never to such fools as to risk their lives on the warp, they were safe enough were they were. this from an authority made me hesitate and reflect – Coxswain what do you think Oh she may remain jammed in the rocks or she may not. The conclusion I came to was this that while I had a rocket left (I had only one) it was my duty to \try and/ get communication with the ship – If the men could not run the risk of landing on the warp the fault would not be mine. the sequel will shew that I was right in taking the action I did. with the third rocket we got our line over the ship, and now another and unforeseen difficulty arose. to the uninitiated I must explain that in connecting the shore with a wreck it is necessary to establish a circle by means of an endless line working the cradle buoy on the warp – and thus the buoy is worked to and fro. this we had done, but those on board not knowing the working of the apparatus let go one end of our line here was a pretty go – now what was to be done, there was only one thing to do, and that was some one of us to get on board and explain use of the tackle and \start/ the first man, but who was to do it several volunteered, at last it was generally agreed that the Coxswain should undertake the service, no man better able, but he was a very tall and heavy man, and therefore incurred a greater risk than a lighter man, however he succeeded we got him safe onto the wreck but in returning the warp dipped just over a boulder and he received a nasty blow on the back from which he suffered for a long time – the gear once in good order worked well and one by one we took off twenty four men, but it was only by the greatest care the vessel surged heavily and strained the warp to the utmost tension before we could slacken, we had to haul in slack and pay out again every few minutes or the warp would have parted and we should have lost the man on it, and all that remained on the wreck, it was indeed a most anxious time – had any of the men been lost, and the vessel held together as the Capt predicted I should have been severely censured, and this I felt, and what was worse that instead of saving I had helped

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______a fellowman out of the world – Alls well that ends well, and nothing succeeds like success, and we succeeded, all this time the Livingstone was riding out the gales gallantly, and we thought her safe, she was less exposed than the Alma, I had set the watch and gone home to lay down at about 1 a.m of the 16 th but was soon aroused again by the watch, with the unpleasant information that the Livingstone was drifting she had parted from her best anchor and was now dragging two lighter ones she took the ground about daylight but as the gale was abating we had no fear of her breaking up, the boat was now manned and all board were taken off, when day broke there \was/ nothing to be seen of the Alma but her nose and only a few feet of this – she had been lifted nearer in shore and smashed into thousands of pieces and scattered over ten miles of beach – I cant say that we saved the crew of the Livingstone they might have got off without our aid, but this I can say that but for the Rocket apparatus and the Crew of the Port Robe Life-boat not a man on board the Alma would have been saved, they would all have been dashed to pieces on the rocks and this the crew knew and acknowledged what the

Capt thought I don’t know. I did’nt ask him – I had every reason to be thankful, that I had adhered to my determination to \try and/ get communication with the vessel while I had a rocket left The residents gave the Life-boats Crew a dinner, at which we received the thanks of those saved. but no recognition of our service was made by the Authority that should have done so, My Chief never cared to give prominence to any meritorious action of his officers where his own cocked Hat was not seen, The Coxswain Fergus Fullerton should have received a medal he was a fine fellow and risked his life on that occasion, I did all that an officer in my position could do, in directing attention to the matter without inviting self praise. As Receiver of Wrecks I obtained the aid of Messrs Ormerod & Coy of Robe and by their men and boats the cargo of the ‘Livingstone’ (wool) was taken out and realised nearly its full value Forty thousand pounds but for the aid George Ormerod Esqs the Insurance offices would has lost this amount. Altho I received no acknowledgement from the Head of my Department I received letters of thanks from Underwritters and Fifty pounds

Wreck of “Agnes” sch Cape Jaffa March 13 th 1865 I received information of this wreck from the only survivor who got ashore on a raft I remember his name. he reported this he had left the Capt alive on the wreck some three days previously and that he thought we might save him – so no time was to be lost. as time was the great object I decided not to take the Life-boat (which produced a howl from the newspaper correspondent) but took the Coxswain Fullerton and one of the [?] I. Noble We left Robe about 4 p.m. hoping to reach scene of wreck that night I also took the survivor to point out the position in which he left the wreck, We kept under sail rather too late to secure a safe anchorage, and got amongst some broken water – and as some heavy seas came rolling in during the night we feared much our chain would part in such case the Robe people would have had to search for our bodies, I know it made me think of my wife children and Insurance office, as I’ve said before my coxswain Fullerton was a fine fellow and never lost his head – so by keeping a close watch and a stout Coir line on our chain we rode out the night and when day broke made sail for the Margaret Brock reef for a long time we could see nothing of the wreck, but at last finding some floating spars and rigging we concluded that the schooner had broken up, and we

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______should find the Capt lashed to some portion of the stern so beating on and off shore we descyed about mid-day a part of the wreck and a signal lashed to it and made at once for spot – as we neared the object I could with a powerful glass see a body on the star board quarter of the sch, and our spirits rose immensely, hes asleep thought one, worn out with exhaustion thought another, surely he’s not dead we \all/ exclaimed and sincerely hoped

But alas he was, dead as a door nail what killed the poor fellow I could never understand unless finding himself drifting away to sea he gave up all hope and died broken hearted When we found his body it was about ten miles off the land, it was well clothed with woollen garments and the sailor told us he had some biscuit and water when he left him four days previously. His name was Taylor his brother was Keeper of the Queenscliffe Light house at the time, I took the body to Lacepede Bay and had a post mortem examination and Inquest it was then buried in the Kingston Cemetery, but his relatives expressing a wish to have the body buried in George Ormerod with his usual kindness had the body taken up and placed in a specially constructed coffin for shipment to . but on arrival at Port Robe it was found necessary to again bury it, and a tombstone and railing now mark the spot, I received a very nice letter from Capt Taylor’s relatives but not a word of approval from the Head of my Department, altho myself the Coxswain and boatman had risked our lives in the attempt we made to save our fellowman, as Harbor Master I was bound to submit but felt it on the mens account, for there was not a smarter set of men on the coast than the crew of the Port Robe Life boat, all used to pulling together in discharging and loading vessels nearly all in the employ of M r Geo Ormerod and he never kept a useless man – considering the nature of the Service a Life-boats crew should receive every encouragement I always managed to keep together a fine set of men and but once had a disagreement with them, and that was thus – myself and Coxswain wishing to give the boat a trial in broken-water took her out one day over the reef off Cape Lannes upon which the sea was breaking heavily, we got over all right but in returning we \were/ struck by a monster that came curling yards above us, the Coxswain was prepared and shouted give way men but instead of giving way they looked back, I had a youngster bowman on his first trip who save himself from going overboard stuck his arm in a grummet on the bit head I had just time to take it out and tell him to cover himself by the bulk head when the sea struck her, and whether in the water or under the water none of us knew, it was a queer sensation and to many of us a novel one, the boat soon proved her self righting quality and we were again riding on the water, but my bowman was gone, then came the shout two men overboard, it was’nt two it was the bowmans head and his cap they saw, or rather they thought they saw his head but it was another prominent part of his body that was above water and kept his head under, we were just in time to pick him up. and find that he had not fastened cork jacket properly, and that it had slipped from his chest to his stomach, when we took stock it was found four of our oars were smashed the \stern/ water-tight compartment was stove in, the rudder gone and the lintel pin altho of half inch iron was twisted like a corkscrew, nobody was hurt but the young bowman much frightened, and for the future gave up Lifeboat practise, this little bit of practise cost the Gov t about Ten pounds in damage done, and nearly broke up my crew. I was not surprised when next morning I saw all the crew marching up to my office and the spokeman enter with a severely serious countenance and inform me that the crew would at any time be ready to man the boat for life saving purpose but did not care to risk their lives for fun as they

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______were mostly married men with children, this was a nasty jar for me, but they knew me and I knew them so with a little Customs Rum matters were smothed down again but it was not all over for me, another jar when I got home – men who had wives and children to care for, should give up this sort of thing. and yet another from the Marine Board what was the cause of this unusual expenditure? And there it ended.

Wreck \Stranding/ of the “Boomerang” brigantine I have no record of the loss \stranding/ of this vessel and therefore cannot give the date. it was I think about the year 1866, and I only refer to it to shew the value of a Receiver’s services on a coast when the Master is obliged to abandon his vessel and she becomes direlect, the Boomerang first struck the Margaret Brock reef off Cape Jaffa and went ashore on the beach near the Cape here she discharged a portion of her cargo (flour) which enabled her get off and make for the anchorage in Lacepede Bay where in a gale she dragged her anchors and got stranded again M r C. Stewart the Sub Collector of the port reported the matter to me, and I took charge of the wreck, M r Stewart and myself succeeded in getting a number of men to work night and day and thus saved the cargo, which consisted of Flour, Bran, and Pollard only a small lot of Pollard being damaged, but for our immediate action in this matter, the cargo would have been entirely destroyed, the cargo was not insured, and so we saved the shipper a great loss, I only charged my actual expenses I hope he was grateful, if so he never expressed it, a fact I could not help noting, feeling that both M r Stewart and myself were entitled to some acknowledgement Several other wrecks occurred of the coast during my time as Receiver the particulars of which I am not able to give, and can only say that I managed to save a considerable amoun of property for those concerned, in once instance I had \to/ destroy property spirits that had been found by the natives, and a fine corroborie they had over it, as it would not pay the cost of carriage I knocked the heads of the casks in, to prevent the natives getting it, and probably committing crimes, while under the influence of the powerful stimulant well knowing the frightful atrocities the savage will commit when maddened by alcohol

In 1868 it was the policy of the then Government to construct a railway from Port Caroline (Lacepede Bay) to Naracoorte and thus make that port the principal entrepot and shipping place of the South Eastern District, port Robe would no doubt have been selected but for the fact that Messrs Ormerod & Coy the merchants there had not identified themselves with S.A and diverted the trade of the district to

Victoria, it was therefore the policy of the Gov t to shut-up port Robe altho the best port on the Coast As I was the most fitted officer to take charge of port Caroline I was in August 1868 ordered to do so. this meant a very serious loss to me I had been fourteen years without promotion while others who had no claim on The Service had been through influential friends secured good positn in the Customs Department, that I sh d have been only too glad to have got I had a large family and port Robe was a very expensive place to live on two occasions I had to send members of my family to Adelaide for medical treatment and my children there to school, these were serious disabilities and cost me some hundreds of pounds, feeling that

I stood no chance of getting any promotion, I tried to secure a home for my wife and self when my twenty years of service expired and I became entitled to retire and claim compensation, expecting to remain in the District other six years. As my salary and position was to be rather

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______improved I could not make a claim for loss of office, had any reduction in my salary been made, the alternative of Compensation for loss of office would have been offered me, which I should most certainly have accepted and thus saved the forced sale of my property, as it was the Collector of Customs had the power to order my removal to any port in S.A and so I had to go, and make the best of it, My removal was very hurried I had barely time to instruct my successor, and learn from him my new duties as Telegraph Station Master and postmaster, the action was taken solely by my Controlling Minister The Treasurer (Hon T. Reynolds) he did not wait for Legislative sanction so to meet his views I had to leave my family at port Robe, the quarters at port Caroline not being completed, and take charge of the several Departments at port Caroline, that is now nearly twenty years since, and to this day I have not recovered what I then lost by this premature action what I have suffered my tale will unfold and I trust be a lesson to others

In August 1868 I took charge at port Caroline the greatest pluralist of the day, I was Collector of Customs, Harber Mater, Receiver of Wrecks, Telegraph Station Master, Postmaster, Clerk of the Court, and a Registrar of something, I had one assistant as Telegraph operator and the Bailiff of the Local Court, other aid was employed when required, as I knew nothing whatever of the duties pertaining to Telegraph, post office, and Local Court Department, my position was not a happy one, however I did not wish the public to suffer by my incompetence so I worked very hard to acquire a knowledge of my varied duties and as the public were satisfied with my performances I suppose I succeeded fairly well, some of my efforts were ludicrous enough to record, As postmaster without any fittings for some weeks, I had to chalk squares on the floor and squat in the middle and thus distribute the contents of some dozen mailbags my assistant in like form packing the newspapers and letters, my first efforts in jurisprudence were certainly not a success, I remember the first case in Court was a disputed claim to a pig, the J.p.s got fogged over the matter, and I was supposed to be a luminary, was I not Clerk of the Court Oh certainly I was but not inspired, my J.p s were good fellows and I got through my first Sitting of the Local Court without any serious disaster, The pig business had been settled but I was not at all clear how, so I sought counsel of the Serjeant of police who had been in attendance and I never forgot that officials reply to my question as to who the Court had decided was the rightful owner with a strong expression of contempt in his face, for such a Clerk he replied Why Bob got the Pig and so I let Bob and the pig rest – I had just about got well into harness when my Minister and his measures fell parliament had rejected the port Caroline and Nanacoorte Railway Bill and the Ministry had gone out of office, and but for the intercession of John Riddock Esqr of Yallum the Member for the District I should have I believe \been/ left very much out in the cold, ergo I should have been obliged to accept anything the New Minister (H K Hughes) might choose to give me, he told me he was not responsible for the blunders of his predecessors as however I pleaded that such desertion would utterly ruin me, and I had a large family of young children, he promised to find some suitable position for me or allow my return to port Robe if I could effect an exchange. this I tried to do, offering Fifty pounds to the Clerk of the Local Court there, which was refused On 23 July 1869 I received a telegram from the Collector of Customs offering me a position in the Adelaide Branch of the Customs salary ₤250. per an which I was bound to accept. My position at Robe filled up, and the

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______certainty that I should sustain a greater loss If I remained where I was I could only make the best of a bad job and try to recover myself, I was the senior Sub Collector of Customs and did not suppose that I could be deprived of that position unless by default of my own, a rooful mistake as will be seen

In August 1869 I took charge of the Adelaide Branch of the Customs

[page shortened ] As Customs Surveyor and Gauger the Department I had been called to take charge of, was just then disorganised. collusion between an officer of Customs and a merchant clerk whereby the Revenue had suffered had been discovered, and I was expected to put things right, the Sub Collector was an old officer of Customs but had been dismissed for misconduct, and taken on again as an act of charity, he was now virtually my clerk altho retaining the title of sub-Collector until the end of the year when I was informed a rearrangement would take place, my sub s salary was then ₤220 per an, he had been a very smart officer but was now thoroughly demoralised and quite unfit to take charge of any office,

[on reverse of page, in pencil , library notation? ] [Loose pages]

[next 4 pages trimmed along side and at bottom. Some of the words at the end of a line are missing or covered in white tape ]

[in pencil ] 1 long in ignorance, my sub. brother-in law was about to take the position of Collector of Customs and wished to send eighty pounds per an for his sister, and as he had helped the retiring Collector with a considerable loan, it was no more than he had a right to expect I was the only injured party and who was I? nobody with any influence I now gave up all hope of recovering my lost position and income, I conferred with my credito rs who were pressing me and all agreed that I had no course left open but retirement, and as I suffered from determination of […] to the head, which \was/ aggravated by the fumes of spirits when testing or gauging I obtained a medical certificate and the G ov t recognising the honesty of my case allowed me compensat ion [ … …] fair play my […].

[in pencil ] 3 the poor fellow was paying a heavy penalty for his follies, he had separated from his wife (sister of the Collector of Customs) and when tight declared her brother should keep her unless he got a better screw when in such case he would allow her eighty pounds per an In vino veritas, that there was truth in this I found to my cost – my unhappy Sub had many Lady Visitors whom he generally seated in my room out of public gaze and during my absence upon expressing my surprise at the frequent visits of Ladies he explained that he was a large donor to distressed females and that the Sister of Mercy often applied to him for aid, upon entering my room one day I found an elderly and a young female in warm confab with my Sub, of course I [ page shortened, last line of writing cut through and unreadable ]

[in pencil ] 2 My bottled up wrath exploded my dear Sub this sort of thing must stop, Sisters of Mercy don’t wear green ribbons, or attire themselves as the Ladies just departed for the future your engagements must be kept elsewhere. My Subs irregularities at last attracted public attention, I had screened him as long as I was able often sending him home in a cab when \he/ could’nt

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______walk, my surprise may be imagined when at the end of the year 1869 my Sub was promoted to the chief position his salary raised by Forty pounds per and mine again reduced by Ten […] and this done on the recommend of the Head of my Department, […] the time I could not understand […] motive for this most unjust and [..] irregular proceeding – but I was […]

[in pencil ] 4 should have performed the spirits gauging and testing not I and this after twenty four years of active Service, my position was taken from me, given to a man who had proved unfit for the position and I was thrown […] on the world with a wife and ten children to support at that time none of my children could help themselves, I was Compensated with £365 which did not cover the act ual money loss I had sustained When my creditors learnt the facts of my case they were very good to me only accepting one half their claim, after After my Sub had been promoted to the chief position, he got worse, he could not stand corn, one day I was sent for by the Collector, when the following conversation took place Coll r M r Sub’s conduct is a disgrace to the Service, you were seen putting him helplessly drunk into a cab you should report such conduct. Ego you have long been aware of his habits and recommended him for the position he holds Collector Yes but only as a temporary arrangement, If you report his conduct to me officially I shall reduce him and remove him to port Adelaide at once, You will then take your position as Senior Sub Collector and next year your salary will be made equivalent to that you received at Robe, Ego I am the Senior Sub Collector of Customs and should not have been deprived of that position, Collector Yes we know but the premature action of our Minister has upset the Department, good morning you understand your position – Yes I understood it too well. I was to do this mans dirty work, to regain a position I had been most shamefully deprived of, I also quite understood why my Chief did not care to remove my Sub, the Eight pounds per annum would not be forthcoming. Here was food for reflection, when my Subs brother-in law was made Collector my position did not improve, two principal officers of Customs were not required at one Branch so one must go, and I was soon made to feel that I was the one My written instructions as Customs Surveyor made me responsible for the stocks in Bond, so naturally for my own protection, as also in the interests of the Service, I wished to take Stock, having (with good cause, but little confidence in the correctness of the Office Register, I made repeated application to be allowed to do so, and the necessary assistance, so the Collector feeling obliged to yield to my request decided to have Stocks taken, but sent a non responsible officer from port Adelaide to perform the Service, and removed me to the port making me do duty as a Landing waiter, this was rather too much to take quietly so I laid the matter before a city merchant who had great influence and I was allowed to return to my post in the City. Stocks were now ordered to be taken in all the Bonded warehouses at the port and the result was that serious deficiencies were discovered and some heavy losses to the Revenue had to be made good, this did not tend to promote a better feeling between myself and my Chief, the man was utterly unfit for his position and but for a competent nurse could not have held it, He was then thought an Honor/able\ man, but I knew better, And all the Service now know what he really was. This stock taking business created quite a stir, in mercantile circles and to appease the Govt some one must be sacrificed so our Collector disrated the Warehouse Keeper at the Port, (a worthy officer who was in no way to blame,) and sent him to take charge of the City Branch, removing his worthy

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______brother-in law to a very inferior position at the port, thus destroying my last chance of recovery, my poor Sub did not last long he gradually drifted from bad to worse and had to be dismissed, It now became painfully evident this. I should soon have to take the position of a Landing Waiter again and submit to another serious reduction in salary, however willing I might have been to submit to the degradation

I could not stand any further loss of income, and as the Civil Service Regulations would not permit of my seeking the protection of the Insolvent Court I had to retire, the Government allowing me \as/ Compensation ₤356. which did not cover the actual money loss I had sustained by my Ministers premature action and the maltreatment of the Heads of my Department, And this after twenty four years of active service I was thrown adrift on the world with a wife and ten young children to support. My creditors upon learning the hardship of my case were very good to me, they not only forgave me a portion of my liabilities but executed their influence to get me re instated It was well known in the city that

I was a competent and trust-worthy Officer of Customs, and had been treated very badly, therefore I had many friends to come to my aid, I now hold a letter from my Broker stating that as honorable man I had no other course open to me but retirement, and that I had sustained heavy losses by my removal from port Robe, I also received a Testimonial from the Residents of Robe and port Caroline conveying expressions of sympathy for myself and family, which will be found appended.

Adrift for Fifteen Months. as soon When I had made the best of the wreck of my property and arranged my affairs, I took charge of a Bonded Warehouse in the City, holding myself in readiness to accept any suitable position in the Public Service that might offer, my friends had brought my case under the notice of the Gov t and I was promised re instatement when suitable vacancy offered, I refused a position in the Customs Department nothing would have induced me to serve under the man who had so seriously wronged me, I accepted an offer to enquire into and report upon the Border Traffic between Victoria and South Australia which occupied about three months. during the fifteen months I was adrift I was not profitably employed six months, I had been ruined by Government action and foul play therefore all my friends advocated seeking redress by other appointment. our position

[this page out of sequence – see seven pages forward] with rare jewels on three of the fingers attached to the ivory hands was a piece of black molacca cane about fifteen inches in length, I was curious to know the use of this pretty ornament my curiosity was soon gratified. by my lady companion picking up the hand and scratching her back with it, replacing it again on the table with an easy style of manner and seeing a smile on my face she tapped me with her fan and said very pretty and very useful in the tropics Is it not – My fair companion was very curious about my means of living on the gold-reefs of the N.T. and indeed expressed her doubts of my living at all. English were so foolish she said, they generally killed themselves in the tropics. by exposure, she would present me with a nice sun-shade and I must not go out in sun without it. Oh I am an old bushman I can stand the sun nous verrons mon ami she exclaimed, had this fair damsel seen me six months after she would have had some reason to doubt my sanity My fair friend’s predictions were not assuring certainly but on parting She expressed a hope of seeing me some day in Batavia her home,

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______

I was much surprised at the little the Dutch had done in colonising this fine Island considering they had been in possession some 200 years On 9 th Dec r we sailed again for port Darwin bidding adieu to our hospitable friends of Koepang Many N.T. \men/ will remember the kind old Scot D___e – On the evening of the 10 th we were gliding along

A Surprise . On the evening of the 10 th we were gliding along between the numerous Islands of the Sunda Straits the water was smooth as glass the passengers and crew were on deck, about twenty five men, when on rounding an Island we found ourselves in the midst of a dozen proas filled with natives they parted on each side of the vessel and we glided gently thro the flotilla, and did not attempt to heave to, or parley with the natives. It would have been a very simple matter for these natives to have boarded the vessel and over powered the crew had there been no passengers aboard Had they any such design, who can say – These Island are swarmed with a mixed race chinese. Malays Molucca and other people, our little brque would have been a fine prize, and her fate probably never known, foundered in a Cyclone would have been the supposition as she was in much danger of doing a few hours later A Cyclone . I had witnessed many a gale, and been in a hurricane when I could not keep my feet at Robe in Dec of 1861, but in a cyclone never before, and certainly have no wish to be in another, On the night of the 11 th at 8 p.m we were caught by a cyclone that lasted in full fury for eight hours barometer down to 28 – 30 the sails were blown clean away from the bolt rope masts carried away, bulwarks smashed, in fact on deck the vessel in a few hours became a wreck, the poor horses, did not stand it long, the dead and dying were in a confused heap, the Capt and a seaman were lashed to the helm one of our passengers C___d who took a turn at the wheel had to be lashed, the sea was terrific and we all thought of our wives and children, one of our passengers a powerful and quarrelsome fellow who had been very pugnacious all the voyage, was now a very different man, when danger faces a man his true character becomes apparent and so it was with this man, oh Mr M I shall never see my poor wife again, these are not times to give expression to our feelings, I had a wife and ten children dependent upon me, and my thoughts were not of a very lively character, and I am afraid my reply was not a very sympathetic one a poor boy we had on board had come into the cabin and was resting his head on the table I thought sick or hurt, I was groping about the floor trying to recover my watch that had been washed out of my cabin I enquired if he was hurt. No Sir but I am afraid I ll never see my poor mother again, my Father was lost at sea, this poor boy was thinking more of the grief of his mother than his own life, whenever I came below the poor lad would lift his head and say How is she. It was a terribly grand sight from the deck, the moon was shining bright and looking so innocent the seas were rising all around us mountains high, sweeping the deck sometimes over the stern then /from\

[5 pages cut out ] more entered con amore upon my duties as a public servant

–The Northern Territory – I sailed for the Northern Territory in the brque “Farningham” October 9 th 1872 with the distinct understanding that by the end of the year I should be supplied with suitable gold mining act and regulations and a salary commensurate with the responsibility of my office would be placed on the Estimates.

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______we got into a heavy squall at starting and put back to Kangaroo Island on the 13 th to sling the horses, we had 16 very fine animals on board, we sailed again on 15 th and had bad weather until the 24 when we picked up the S.E Trades and had fair weather until in Lat 11 S and 120 E. Long where we got becalmed and for the next three weeks made but little progress in fact I dont think we got out of sight of the Island of Sumba, we got short of water and were obliged to make for the Island of Timor we put in at Koepang on Dec 7 th and shipped 3000 gallons water We found the Dutch settlers very glad to see us and ex change our soos for us, I was entertained by a worthy old Scot who had been there 20 years and married a Lady of Color, I was much struck with the free and easy manner of the Ladies, and amused by some novelties, at dinner I was the occupant of a seat alongside a very fascinating lady who could converse in French or German as well English, and exceedingly well informed on the table between us lay a beautifully carved ivory hand [this should be followed by the page seven pages back ] seriously affected my wife’s health and for her sake and my childrens I urged my claims upon the Government. In 1872 my former Minister (by whose action I lost my position at Robe) came again into power as Commissioner of Crown Lands, I therefore waited upon him and stated how much my self and family had suffered by my since my removal from Robe thinking to enlist his sympathy and aid, he received me with bare civility and stated that he could now offer me a position equal to that I had lost, as I had stated by his premature action. viz ₤250 per an and quarters adding with a sneer on the Northern Territory Gold Reefs as Warden, I pleaded that the salary was totally inadequate considering the rough life, risk of health in a tropical climate and separation from my family. he then gave me to understand that if I refused this offer, I need make no further application for employment, so all my troubles were to end in \the/ Siberia of Australia I had to go and went, and so did my Honorable Minister who had the power to transport me, I am alive to tell the tale, where is the Minister, gone before, and how my story will shew poor old man then so arrogant, \and insulting/ how little either of us suspected our relative positions would be so changed in two years – as after events proved, I left his office with a choking sensation on the throat and a queer feeling at the heart what would my poor wife think of being left with the entire responsibility of a large family, with a divided income of ₤250 per an and her husband subjected to exposure in the tropics, a life that only the strongest men could stand, the trial was a severe one for us both, but we proved equal to the emergency,

My next interview with my Minister was of a more pleasing character \[in ink ] I presented a letter from an influential friend/ he gave me carte blanche for my outfit, assured me that my salary would be raised at the end of the year, that it was expected the Gold Fields of the N.T. would attract many thousands of miners and my position as Chief Warden and Magistrate would become a very important one, so I once /again\

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