The Cruise of the Dainty | Page 2

Amiel, the eldest
daughter of an English clergyman. Agricultural pursuits had not been
much to his taste, and he had therefore settled himself in Brisbane for
the purpose of carrying on a mercantile business. He had made a very
fair commencement, and had returned about a year before the time I am
speaking of to marry his intended. On his arrival he found that Mr
Amiel had died, and that his family, consisting of another daughter and

a son, were left in very poor circumstances. Prompted by his generous
feelings, he at once invited Fanny and Nat to return with him and his
bride to the colony. This they gladly agreed to do, and the whole party
forthwith took a passage on board an emigrant ship, which after a
prosperous voyage reached the colony.
I had from my earliest days wished to go to sea, and my mother having
consented, as I could not obtain a nomination for the Britannia, I got a
berth as a midshipman on board a trader bound for China. I was
unfortunate in my ship and my captain. This gave me a dislike not so
much to the sea as to the merchant service, and on my return from my
first voyage, finding that my brother, to whom I was much attached,
had gone back to Queensland, I got leave from my mother, after
representing to her the sort of life I had been leading, to go and join
him, she being certain that he would be very glad to receive me.
As I had made the best use of my opportunities of becoming a seaman
during my first voyage, I had no difficulty in obtaining a berth on board
a ship bound to Queensland, called the Eclipse, commanded by Captain
Archer, and I was thus able to work my passage out free of expense. On
this occasion also I made good use of my time, by adding considerably
to my knowledge of seamanship, and by studying navigation. Though I
was before the mast, as I had my own sextant and books the officers
allowed me to take observations with them and to keep the ship's
reckoning, I had thus a right, with the experience I had had, to consider
myself a fair seaman.
The Eclipse had been four days at sea, when the third mate summoned
me to accompany him into the forehold to get up some casks of
provisions. While searching for those he wanted, I heard a sound as if
some one was gasping for breath, and then a low moan. I told the mate.
"What can that be, sir?" I asked. "It comes from forward."
"Take the lantern, and see if there is any one there," he answered.
I made my way to the spot whence I fancied the sounds proceeded, and
lowering my lantern into a small hole, I saw the figure of a boy

crouching down, with his head resting against a cask. He made no
movement, and his eyes appeared to be closed.
"There's some one here, sir," I cried out. "He seems to be very far
gone."
The mate quickly joined me. "A young stowaway!" he exclaimed. "We
must have him on deck at once, or it will be beyond the doctor's skill to
bring him round. I have known more than one lad lose his life in this
way; and I shall get blamed for not having examined the hold before we
left port."
Saying this he lifted the lad in his arms while I held the lantern, and
forthwith carried him on deck. The low groans the boy uttered showed
us that he was still alive, but he was pale as death and in a wretched
condition. He was dressed like a respectable lad, but his face and
clothes were covered with dirt.
"The captain will be in a great taking when he finds this out," said the
mate; "still more so if the young fellow dies. Go aft, Ned, and call the
doctor; maybe he'll be able to bring him round."
I hurried aft, and soon found the surgeon, who was in his dispensary.
When I told him what he was wanted for, he at once, bringing some
medicine with him, hurried forward.
"This will do him good," he said, pouring some liquid down the lad's
throat. "I don't think, Mr Simmons, that you need be anxious about
him."
The young stowaway almost immediately opened his eyes and stared
about him. The doctor then ordered the cook to get some broth ready,
while two of the women passengers brought some warm water and
washed the poor lad's face and hands. The broth, which he eagerly
swallowed, revived him still more, and the doctor considered that he
had sufficiently recovered to be conveyed to the sick bay,