lately learned by experience, in a
homeward passage, that you have to put up with companions in the
cabin, as objectionable as can be imagined in almost any situation
of life.

At Dartmouth, a day or two before the ship started, I found that
William had expended some money on a quantity of stuff rolled up
like balls of black ropeyarn. I exclaimed with astonishment, "In
the name of goodness, are you going to chew or smoke all the way to
Australia?" for the commodity was the good old pig-tail tobacco. He
said, smiling, "This is to make friends with the sailors: I intend
to learn something about a ship by the time we reach our
destination." I dare say the worthy skipper of the good ship Janet
Mitchell, should he be still alive, has some recollection of him.
His mode of proceeding, as he told me, was first to secure the good
graces of the crew through the persuasive medium of the pig-tail;
then, to learn the name and use of every rope, and of every part of
the ship's tackle from stem to stern. He soon acquired the art of
splicing and reefing, and was amongst the first to go aloft in a
storm, and to lend a hand in taking in topsails. When I arrived in
Melbourne at a later period, several of his fellow-passengers spoke
to me with praise and wonder, referring to his activity, and
readiness to leave an unfinished meal, on the slightest indication
of danger or difficulty. His journal of this voyage, is now before
me, from which I extract a few remarks:--

1852. October 1st.--Left Dartmouth--Slightly sick for the first
few days--My brother much more so, but got right again--Foretopmast
carried away by a squall, just at the crosstrees, bringing down
with it the main top-gallant mast--'We look a precious wreck!
'--Remember the Honourable Michael de Courcy, brother of Lord
Kingsale, saying to me on the quay at Dartmouth, the day before we
sailed, that the first gale would carry away the fore-top-gallant
mast--I believe the Janet Mitchell is quite a new ship, on her
first voyage--The remark speaks well for the judgment of a young
officer.

19th.--Sailors prigged some spirits in the hold and got very
drunk--A passenger so drunk that he became mad, and was put in
irons.

20th.--Sailors not yet recovered from their drunkenness--A naval
captain, passenger on board, insulted by one of them; struck him
with his fist and cut his face open.

22nd.--Fine weather--Getting hot--Latitude north 21, longitude west
36--The Great Bear getti