_CELEBES._
_Friday, April 15th._--Although it was nearly two o'clock before I
went to bed, I was up before seven this morning ready to go ashore
with Tom and Mabelle to say good-bye to our friends, and to see how
Silam looked by daylight. It is a neat, picturesque little village
with most of its wooden houses standing upon piles. Landing was, as
usual, a difficult matter, for there was nobody to hold the boat, and
no one to help us. The people in Darvel Bay have evidently very
little curiosity, for they scarcely turned their heads to look at us,
though European ladies have rarely landed here before. Near the shore,
little shops, mostly kept by Chinamen, are established on either side
of the pier. Their exterior is not imposing, but inside a very fair
display of goods is to be found.
The bay looked quite animated this morning, a fleet of small boats
having arrived during the night, filled with Sulus, Eraans, and Bugis.
Each boat carried enormous outriggers projecting on either side, and
had an awning thatched with kajang mats; while dried fish, arms,
gongs, cooking-pots, bags, and odds and ends of all kinds hung from
the poles which supported the roofing. A great deal of barter was
going on on shore. At the first shop I went to I saw one of the
bird's-nest collectors whom we had noticed yesterday pitch down a
bundle of nests on the floor without saying a word. The Chinaman at
once fetched some weights, weighed the nests, and mentioned the price
in one word. Three words escaped the nest-hunter's lips, which
resulted in the production of sundry bright-coloured cotton Manchester
cloths, some evidently modern kreises (probably made at Birmingham),
besides bird-calls and pipes. In the next shop were two dapper little
Sulus in Spanish-looking costumes, with dozens of pairs of the
golden-edged pearl-shells, which we had searched for in vain the night
before last. The bargain was not yet concluded, so that it was useless
for us to try to trade. The shells, being bought and sold by weight,
are handled rather roughly; but it was in vain that I endeavoured to
persuade them by signs not to throw them about so carelessly at the
risk of breaking their delicate edges. I did at last, however, succeed
in getting some good specimens, finer than any we had yet met with. In
the same shop were also some Bajans, or sea-gipsies, whose
stock-in-trade consisted of a miscellaneous collection, including
dried trepang, strings of very uninviting dried fish, smaller
pearl-shells, little skins of animals and birds, and rattan canes in
the rough, but much cheaper and better than those to be bought at
Singapore or elsewhere. The rattan is the stem of a creeping prickly
palm, the scientific name of which is the _calamus_. The _rotan saga_
is the ordinary rattan of commerce, but there are several others of
more or less value.
We walked up to the bungalow along a grassy path with kids and calves
tethered on either side. Alas! their mothers had not yet returned from
the mountains, so that the promised supply of fresh milk and butter to
which we had been looking forward was not forthcoming.
Our friends at the bungalow were up and dressed, and none the worse
for their fatigues of yesterday. Having mutually congratulated each
other on the success of the expedition, we heard how lucky we had been
in escaping the Borneo pest of leeches. It has not been raining much
lately, but in wet weather they are worse than in Ceylon. Not content
with attacking the passing traveller from the ground, they drop down
from every branch or leaf, and generally the first intimation of their
presence is the sight of a thin stream of blood oozing from their
point of attack. If an attempt to pull them off be made, their heads
remain fixed in the flesh and cause festering wounds. The only way of
getting rid of them is to apply a little salt, a bag of which is
always carried by the natives when going on an expedition into the
jungle. Strong tobacco-juice is another remedy.
We had now to return to the boat, and to re-embark in the 'Sunbeam,'
leaving the curios which we had purchased to be sent home by the
earliest possible opportunity. Our friends complimented us with a
salute of nineteen guns; to which we could make but a feeble return,
as our armament only consists of two brass guns for signal purposes.
None the less did we quit the shores of North Borneo with grateful
appreciation of its beauties and a vivid sense of its countless
undeveloped riches of every kind. Pleasant reminiscences of almost
everything did we carry away with us, except of the intense heat,
which I believe has been rather unusual this year, even the oldest
inhabitant complaining nearly as much of it as we did. Just at the
last moment the steam-launch 'Madai' arrived from Sandakan for Mr.
Crocker and Mr. Treacher, bringing letters and presents of flowers, as
well as things which we had accidentally left behind. She appeared to
be a frail little conveyance for a voyage of so many miles under such
a broiling sun, and a good fast vessel something like the Rajah's
'Lorna Doone' seems needed to maintain regular communication between
the various ports of North Borneo, Brunei, Labuan, and Singapore.
We got under way at 8.45 A.M., and were much relieved when, at about
ten o'clock, the cutter was descried in the distance, and still more
rejoiced when we picked her up between the isles of Timbu Mata and
Pulu Gaya. Tab came on board directly, looking very well, but
tremendously sunburnt, as were also his four companions; but all were
in great spirits. They brought with them two deer, of which the meat
was too high to be used. It seemed that the shooting party had not
been able to reach the island on the day they left us, for the 'Gleam'
draws a good deal of water, and the passage was intricate and shallow.
They therefore slept comfortably in the boat, and in the very early
morning, seeing deer grazing, they landed, ascended a hill, and shot
two of them. They also saw a good many pigs, but could not get any.
Soon afterwards the Sulu chief and his followers, whom we had sent to
look after the sporting party, arrived; the chief waving the letter,
of which he was the bearer, in his hand, in order to allay the
apprehensions which his appearance might naturally arouse. He and his
people quickly spread themselves over the island, shouting, and waving
white flags, in complete disregard of all the usual rules of
civilised deer-stalking. Of course no more game could be got that day,
for it was impossible by signs to stop the noise. While two of our men
were out in search of deer, they were alarmed by the appearance of
some canoes from the mainland, containing thirty or forty natives.
They proved, however, to be only harmless fishermen in search of the
great tepai mother-of-pearl shell and smaller black oyster-shell, in
which pearls are found, and which abound on the shores of the island.
The night was again passed on board the cutter, and this morning
another unsuccessful deer-hunt took place. They found waiting in the
sun to be picked up by us the hottest part of the entertainment. The
tea had unfortunately been left behind, but they had some very good
cocoa, which supplied its place.
[Illustration: The Shooting Party]
At 9 P.M. we rounded the north end of Sibuco Island and passed
through the Sibuco Passage, entering the Celebes Sea at about 11 P.M.
_Saturday, April 16th._--A very hot day. At noon we had steamed 235
miles, and were in lat. 2 deg. 47' N., long. 119 deg. 32' E. Busy settling
down all day. Rather an anxious time as regards navigation. Tom spends
most of his time in the foretop. About 10 P.M. we entered the Straits
of Macassar.
Throughout the day we had been exposed to the danger of collision with
the numerous submerged logs and trunks of trees carried down by the
river Koti and floating on the surface of the sea. The current must be
tremendously strong in this river, which gives its name to a large
tract of country; for not only are trees and logs washed down, but
huge clumps of Nipa and Nebong palms, looking like (what they really
are) small floating islands, are carried out to sea with their
numerous feathered inhabitants. More than once when a sail had been
reported in the offing, it proved to be one of those masses of
vegetation, the branches and large fan-shaped leaves of which
presented a deceptive likeness to masts and sails. Those which can be
seen are not dangerous; it is only the half-submerged logs, almost
invisible, yet large enough to sink a ship, for which a careful
look-out has to be kept, both in the rigging and on the bows. In fact,
we were going slow and half-speed all day, our course having
constantly to be changed to avoid these obstacles. Our arrival at
Macassar may therefore be considerably delayed.
_Sunday, April 17th._--Another fine calm day, but intensely hot. We
crossed the line about 7 P.M., and soon after eight sighted the high
land of Celebes.
_Monday, April 18th._--At 4 P.M. we were off Cape Katt; at 8 P.M. off
Cape Madai. At noon we had come 211 miles under steam, and were in
lat. 4 deg. 14' S., long. 118 deg. 43' E., being eighty-three miles from
Macassar. Only the faintest breath of air could be felt, and even that
soon died away. The sails which had just been set had therefore to be
taken in again, and we proceeded as before under steam. This little
experiment delayed us somewhat, but gave everybody on board some
exercise.
[Illustration: Under the Sun]
_Tuesday, April 19th._--At daybreak we found that we had drifted far
to the southward during the sudden squalls and constant shifts of wind
in the night. The currents hereabouts are exceedingly strong, and the
soundings taken early in the morning proved that we were in
unpleasantly shallow water--in fact, almost touching what we made out
to be the edge of the Spermonde (?) Archipelago. Tom was at the
masthead, endeavouring to pick up some landmark. At last he was able
to distinguish the highest peak marked on the chart to the south of
Macassar; whereupon he fearlessly gave the order to go full speed
ahead in a NN.E. direction between that island and Satanga. This was
much pleasanter than groping about by means of soundings, and it was a
great relief to think that we were at last fairly on our course for
Macassar. The scenery became lovely, and at 12.15 A.M. we reached our
destination, and dropped anchor near the lighthouse.
The approach to the Dutch town of Macassar is very fine, and no doubt
the beauty of its situation, as well as its convenience as a place of
call for ships of all nations, caused it to be selected as the first
European port in the East Indies. The roadstead was fairly full of
shipping, which included a gunboat, one or two steamers, and several
large sailing-ships. Pratt went ashore the instant the health-officer
and harbour-master (these officers being combined in one person) had
left, in order to find out the capabilities of the place; for we had
been unable to gather anything from our first visitor, who could not
speak a word of anything but Dutch, and contented himself with handing
in a bundle of ship's papers, printed in every known language under
the sun, and allowing us to select therefrom the one which suited us.
Pratt soon returned, reporting, to our joy, that there was an
ice-making machine ashore, and that, although it was only a little
one, and would take nearly thirty-six hours to make the required
quantity, we were promised a thousand pounds of ice by 7 A.M.
to-morrow, or half as much again by one o'clock. After some
deliberation the latter arrangement was agreed to.
About four o'clock we all landed, and under the guidance of the best
interpreter to be found--a Chinaman who could speak nearly twelve
words of English--we set off to inspect the ancient Dutch East Indian
town. It is the oldest European settlement in the Eastern Archipelago,
and has the air of respectability which belongs to old establishments
of every kind and in every part of the world. In comparing Macassar
with Singapore, it must be remembered that under Dutch administration
the community is left in a much greater degree to its own resources.
Of the results of the two systems of government, in relation to the
general prosperity, there is no room for doubt and uncertainty. The
exclusive policy of the Dutch, the obstacles opposed to commerce, when
not carried on under the national flag, have produced a lethargy and
stagnation, with which the marvellous growth of free and untrammelled
trade at Singapore offers a striking contrast. The Dutch have but a
slender hold over the Celebes. The physical configuration of the
island is singularly straggling. To this circumstance it is probably
due that the population is divided, both in race and language, into
several distinct tribes.
[Illustration: KINA BALU, 13,700 FEET]
Outside Fort Rotterdam a large level space is reserved as a public
park. Its drives are shaded by fine avenues. In the outskirts of
Macassar the streets become lanes, passing through rich groves of
tropical vegetation. The slender dwellings of the native population,
formed of matting stretched on a light framework of bamboo, are seen
peering out from underneath the overhanging canopy of dense foliage.
[Illustration: Our Coachman, Macassar]
Having called on the Governor, we drove to the Hotel Macassar, where,
with the assistance of the captain of a Norwegian ship, dinner got
itself ordered. After taking this precaution we drove out into the
country, or rather the suburbs, to look at a large collection of
native arms, from this and the surrounding islands. We were specially
interested in the narrow Dyak shields and the wider ones which come
from further north, as well as in the masks, skulls, and war-cloaks
from Bali, Lombook, and Sumbawa, the musical instruments and weapons
peculiar to Celebes, and the spears and kreises from all parts. So
badly arranged were they, however, and kept in such a dark outhouse,
that it was impossible to appreciate their value properly. After
inviting the owner--a superintendent of police--and his family to
visit the yacht, we continued our drive among pretty villas and
bungalows, surrounded by the usual tropical fence, with gorgeous
flowers and fruits inside it, until we came to a wealthy Chinaman's
house and garden. The house was full of quaint conceits, and in the
garden was a very pretty artificial pond surrounded by splendid ferns
and palms, looking something like a natural lake in the midst of a
tropic jungle. Then we drove on, through more valleys and past more
gardens, to the Government coal-stores, which Tom inspected with
interest, and which, he was told, contained at that moment 5,000 tons
of coal. Afterwards, some of the party went on board the Dutch gunboat
'Bromo,' which acts as guard-ship, and is now coaling alongside.
[Illustration: Dutch (Native) Soldiers]
The Netherlands Company's steamship the 'Bajara' sails to-morrow at 4
A.M., and the mail closes at six o'clock to-night; so it was necessary
to hurry back on board in order to get our letters and journals ready
in time, though we had luckily foreseen this emergency. The dinner
was very good, and was served in a nice cool airy room at the hotel,
landlady, waiters, and all being extremely civil, though we could
scarcely exchange a single word with any of them.
_Wednesday, April 20th._--Went ashore at 7.30 with Tom, Mabelle, Baby
and Mr. Pritchett. The latter goes home to-day in the 'Bajara.' The
morning was fairly cool. Mabelle and I went to one or two shops and
tried to make some purchases; but, between our ignorance of the
language and our poverty in the current coins of the country, we did
not meet with much success. While we were at one shop, a very smart
lady drove up in a neatly turned-out victoria and pair. She was
dressed exactly like all the natives, except that the materials of her
costume were better. A sarong, worked in a peculiar native way with
wax, was wound round her waist, and a snowy white close-fitting linen
jacket trimmed with lace and insertion formed the rest of her costume.
Her hair was neatly fastened up with a comb, but her feet were bare,
except for prettily embroidered slippers.
[Illustration: Macassar Policeman]
After breakfast most of the party went off on various shopping
expeditions, for it will be Muriel's birthday to-morrow, and we are
all providing suitable offerings for the occasion. Mabelle and Mr.
Pemberton also went to the police-officer's residence to try and
bargain for some of the arms which we had seen last night. There were
eight or ten weapons which I should dearly like to possess. However,
it proved to be hopeless to attempt to drive a bargain, for the
collection could not be broken up, and I did not care to give the
price asked for the lot. The owner presented me, however, with a
magnificent _Gordonia rubra_, which I regarded as a great acquisition,
having long searched vainly for this very plant. It is a specially
perfect specimen, with beautiful feathery tips. After great trouble
Mr. Pemberton also succeeded in buying for me a few spears, kreises,
and baskets from Celebes, Sumbawa, and Bali, together with some
so-called tortoiseshells (really turtle-shells) of a larger size than
any that we had seen before. Still more pleased was I to get ten skins
of the exquisite birds-of-paradise which Wallace so well describes. He
considered himself amply repaid for toil and hardship by the discovery
of their previously unknown splendour, which one can quite imagine,
even in their dried and imperfectly prepared state. I have seen them
alive at Singapore in an aviary, and they are indeed gorgeous.
Meanwhile Tom and I had returned to the yacht, where we were
endeavouring to hasten such necessary preparations as coaling,
watering, and provisioning. I vainly tried to get a little rest,
notwithstanding a stream of visitors, including the Governor,
Commandant, and many others. We all lunched ashore, and found most of
the officers messing at the hotel, but at a separate table.
After further trouble in money-changing we went on board the yacht
again, to find that the plentiful washing of decks, so necessary after
coaling, was in full force, as well as the general air of confusion
always prevailing before setting off on a long voyage. There being no
chance of a start at present, Mr. Pemberton kindly went off to try to
get back a cheque which Tom had given for the tortoiseshells and
birds-of-paradise already paid for by me on shore. Pratt reported that
he had the greatest difficulty in getting his stores off intact; for
as fast as he had bought a thing and paid for it, the object or
objects--as in the case of twenty-four chickens--suddenly disappeared
into the recesses of the market again, and had to be hunted up with
great difficulty and many excuses and subterfuges on the part of the
sellers. The poor man with the cheque soon came on board, looking very
frightened, and bringing a peace-offering of large green lemons and a
bunch of the finest gardenias I had ever seen, the blossoms being
eighteen inches round.
Just before dark we got under way. After our long passage under steam
everybody pulled at the ropes--Tom, children, and all--as if they had
never seen sails set before; the men working with a will, and shouting
their loudest and merriest songs. All sounded most cheery; but the
wind was unsteady, and the result was that the sails, which had been
sent up with the fervent hope that they might remain set for the next
six weeks, had to be lowered abruptly in as many minutes, and the
anchor hastily dropped, to avoid a Dutch brig moored close to us, into
which we were rapidly drifting in consequence of a sudden shift in the
wind. The poor brig having already been in collision, and having lost
her bowsprit and foretopmast, it would indeed have been hard to damage
her again, though I expect we should have got the worst of it, for she
was of a good old-fashioned bluff build. It was annoying to fail in
getting under way under sail, and still more so to have to wait two
hours while steam was being got up. At 8.30 P.M. we started again,
more successfully this time, and proceeded quietly through the night.
_Thursday, April 21st._--Muriel's birthday. Ceased steaming at 6 A.M.
A heavy roll throughout the day, with occasional strong squalls. All
suffering more or less from the motion. At noon we had steamed
sixty-three miles and sailed twenty-one. In the afternoon the weather
improved. At 7 P.M. the ship was put before the wind in order to let
Neptune come on board, after which the ceremony of crossing the line
was carried out with due solemnity and with great success. The
costumes were capital, the procession well managed, and the speeches
amusing. Muriel was delighted with an offering of shells, and Neptune
finally took his departure amid a shower of one rocket (we could not
afford more for fear of accident) and a royal salute of eight rifles.
We could watch the flames of the tar-barrel in which Neptune was
supposed to have embarked, as it rose and fell on the crests of the
waves for many miles astern, looking like a small phantom ship.
[Illustration: Fishing-boat, Allas Strait]
_Friday, April 22nd._--Bad night; heavy squalls throughout the day.
Made and rounded the Paternoster at 8 A.M. Much cooler on deck; no
apparent difference below.
At noon we had come 174 miles under sail, and were in lat. 7 deg. 56' S.,
long. 116 deg. 56' E. In the afternoon we made the entrance to the Allas
Strait.
The Strait of Allas is one of several navigable channels by which
ships can pass from the confined waters of the Eastern Archipelago
into the Indian Ocean. It divides the island of Sumbawa, famous for
possessing the most active volcano in the world, from the island of
Lombok. At the eastern end of Lombok, a magnificent peak rises to a
height of 12,000 feet, and overshadows the narrow channel beneath with
its imposing mass. The effects of scenery were enhanced by a sharp
squall, which drove us into the strait at a thrilling speed, under
half-lowered canvas. When the squall cleared away the peak of Lombok
stood forth clear of cloud, in all its majesty and grandeur, backed by
the glorious colours of the evening sky. During the hour of twilight a
massive cloud rested motionless in the sky immediately above the peak.
Beneath this lofty and imposing canopy, and seen more dimly in the
fading light, this solitary mountain presented by turns every feature
that is sublime and beautiful in landscape.
_Saturday, April 23rd._--To-day proved lovely after the rain, but
there was very little wind. At noon we had come 66 miles under steam,
and 62 miles under sail. I have felt wretchedly ill for the last few
days, and seem to have lost both sleep and appetite. The motion, I
have no doubt, has something to do with my indisposition, for we are
going close-hauled to a wind from one quarter, and there is a heavy
swell on the other, so that we roll and tumble about a great deal
without making much progress. Every scrap of the Macassar ice has
melted in these three days, instead of lasting three weeks, as did the
ice from Singapore. This is a terrible blow, though we are consoled by
the thought that the weather will be getting cooler every day now, and
that we shall therefore want it less. Unless exceptionally fortunate
in making a quick passage, I fear, however, that we shall run short of
provisions before reaching our first Australian port, Macassar having
proved a miserable place at which to take in stores.
[Illustration: Our Wind-bob]
At 4.30 P.M. we found ourselves suddenly, without any warning, in a
curiously disturbed stretch of sea. It was like a tidal wave, or a
race off a headland, except that there was no tide and no cape, and we
were many miles from land. I immediately thought of Wallace and the
volcanic waves which he alludes to, especially when I observed that
the water was covered with greenish yellow objects, which at a first
hasty glance I took for spawn of some kind. We soon had buckets and
nets over the side, and fished up some of the floating particles,
which proved to be bits of pumice-stone, rounded by the action of the
waves, and covered with barnacles from the size of a pin's head
upwards. So thickly were they encrusted that it was almost impossible
to recognise the original substance at all. The barnacles, with their
long cirri projecting and retracting quickly in search of food, gave
the whole mass an appearance of life and motion very curious when
closely observed in a basin. There were sea-anemones among them, and
one little bit of stick, of which a long black snake or worm had
scooped out the interior and thus made itself a home. Saribowa, said
to be one of the most active volcanoes, is not far distant from the
spot where we picked up the pumice-stone.
It is a lovely, clear, starlight night, with no black clouds to
threaten coming squalls of wind or rain. The breeze, though not so
fair as we could wish, is at any rate cool and refreshing, and the
reduced temperature is felt as a great relief to all on board. Even
the poor carpenter, who has been ill for some time past, is beginning
to look better, though his eyes are still very painful. I am sorry for
him, poor man, and for ourselves too, for his services are wanted at
every turn just now. We are making all ready for the bad weather,
which we may fairly expect to meet with when once in mid-ocean. All
the big boats have been got in-board to-day, chairs have been stowed
below, the top of the deck-house cleared of lumber and live-stock,
cracked panes of glass replaced, battening-down boards looked out, new
ropes rove, and all preparations made for real hard sea work. How I
wish we were going down the east coast of Australia, inside the
barrier-reef, instead of down the stormy west coast! I dread this
voyage somehow, and begin even to dislike sailing. Perhaps my
depression is partly caused by that stupid boy Buzzo having allowed my
favourite lark, which I had brought from Hyderabad, to escape to-day.
He sang much more sweetly and softly than most larks, and was a dear
little bird, almost as tame as my pet bullfinch. Now he must meet with
a watery grave, for he was too far from land when he flew off to reach
it.
_Sunday, April 24th._--Weather still calm, fine, and hot, but no wind.
Our little stock of coal is running very low, for we have been obliged
to get up steam again. At 11.30 we had the Litany, at which I was able
to be present, on deck. At noon we had steamed 127 miles, and were in
lat. 11 deg. 25' S., long. 116 deg. 39' E. Tom is getting much better again,
but is rather anxious at not having picked up the Trades so soon as he
had expected. He now much regrets not having taken more coal and
provisions on board, as he fears that the voyage may be unduly
prolonged. We had quite a serious consultation to-day with the
head-steward on the subject of ways and means, for the strictest
economy must be practised as to food and water, and the most must be
made of our coal. Oh for another twenty-five tons in reserve!
[Illustration: More Bad Weather]
You may imagine what the heat has been during the last few weeks,
when, with the thermometer standing at 80 deg. to-day, people found it so
chilly that they could not even wait until to-morrow to get out their
warm clothes!
_Monday, April 25th._--Fine and hot, with, alas! no wind. Ceased
steaming for a brief space, but, as we made no progress, resumed after
twenty minutes' pause. At noon we had come only eight miles under sail
and 158 under steam, and were in lat. 13 deg. 58' S., and long. 114 deg. 52'
E. The afternoon was showery, and hopes were entertained of a change
of wind. A little breeze--a very little one--came out of the squalls,
and we ceased steaming about six o'clock.
_Tuesday, April 26th._--A breeze sprang up in the course of the night,
and we ceased steaming at 8 A.M. In the shade, and in a draught, the
thermometer stood at 77 deg.. Everybody was--or at least many were--crying
out for blankets and warmer clothing. The breeze increased almost to a
gale, and we were close-hauled, with a heavy swell, which made us all
very uncomfortable.
_Wednesday, April 27th._--At 4 A.M. went on deck with Tom. Weather
much finer and wind fairer. We must hope that yesterday's curious
little moon may have changed our luck. All day it continued finer, and
in the afternoon the wind freshened, and shifted a point or two for
the better, sending us along, at higher speed and right on our course;
so that we must not grumble, though the motion was still most
unpleasant.
_Thursday, April 28th._--I have been suffering much from neuralgia,
and last night could not sleep at all, so that although this was
really a lovely day I was unable to enjoy its pleasant beauty. At noon
we had come 148 miles under sail, and were in lat. 18 deg. 36' S., long.
109 deg. 26' E. There was no variation in the compass to-day, this being
one of the spots in the world where a similar state of things is
observable.
At 5.30 P.M. we had the third nautical entertainment of the present
voyage, which was quite as varied and successful as usual. Mr.
Pemberton's recitation from Tennyson, and Tab's humorous account of
Father Neptune's visit to the 'Sunbeam,' were the novelties on this
occasion. There were also some excellent songs by the crew, a pretty
ballad by Muriel, and a reading by Tom; Mabelle being as usual the
backbone and leader of the whole affair. I managed to sit through it,
though in great pain, but was obliged to go to bed directly after.
_Friday, April 29th._--The weather is now really lovely. Painting and
varnishing are still the order of the day. At noon we had sailed 143
miles, and were in lat. 20 deg. 40' S., long. 107 deg. 52' E. Again there was
practically no variation in the compass, and if we only go far enough
we shall soon have an extra day in one of our weeks!
_Saturday, April 30th._--After a very bad night, during which I
suffered agonies from neuralgia, I woke feeling somewhat better. We
are now bowling along before a brisk trade-wind, which produces a
certain amount of motion, though the vessel is fairly steady on the
whole. At noon we had sailed 162 miles, and were in lat. 22 deg. 32' S.,
long. 105 deg. 53' E. The wind freshened in the afternoon as usual, but
died away slightly during the night, which was beautifully clear and
starlit. Everybody is full of spirits, and I hear cheery voices on
deck with the least little bit of envy, I fear, as I lie in my bed
below.
_Sunday, May 1st._--The merry month of May does not commence very
auspiciously, with a dirty grey sky, a still dirtier grey sea flopping
up on our weather bow, and half a gale blowing. Fortunately it is from
the right direction, and we make good progress.
I was able to attend the Litany at 11.30, and evening service at 4. At
noon we had sailed 153 miles, and were in lat. 24 deg. 39' S., long. 104 deg.
14' E., and were fairly out of the tropics. In fact, everybody is now
grumbling at the cold, and all the animals and birds look miserable,
although the thermometer still stands at 69 deg. in the shade. Perhaps the
fresh breeze makes us so chilly, though it does not affect the
thermometer.
[Illustration: Topmast Stunsails]
_Monday, May 2nd._--The weather is finer, though it still keeps
squally; but the wind is baffling, and we were sailing a good deal out
of our course during the night. At noon we were in lat. 26 deg. 44' S.,
long. 103 deg. 50' E. I managed to go to the deck-house to-day for lunch,
and remained on deck a little afterwards. Just before sunset we saw
several sea-birds, and a splendid albatross with a magnificent spread
of wing. It was wonderful to watch its quick turns and graceful
skimming flight, so swift, and yet with hardly any perceptible
movement.
_Tuesday, May 3rd._--A fine day, very smooth, almost calm. Carried
away the strop of the mizen-topsail-sheet block and rove new sheets.
At noon we had sailed 140 miles, and were in lat. 28 deg. 54' S., long.
103 deg. 12' E.
At 2.30 a large fish was observed close to the vessel. He was from
twenty to thirty feet long, and must have been either a white whale
or a shark swimming on his back, and so snowy white as to make the
sea, which was of a beautiful clear ultramarine blue, look pale green
above him, like water over a coral reef. The creature did not rise
above the surface, so we had not a good view of him, and he gave no
sign of a disposition to 'blow,' though we watched him for more than
half an hour. This makes me think that he must have been a shark, and
not a whale, as the others assumed.
At 4 P.M. the fires were lighted in order to enable us to get within
the influence of the true west wind, for we had reached the edge of
the trades. About 6 P.M. we commenced steaming.
_Wednesday, May 4th._--A fine day, with a moderate sea and a little
imaginary breeze. At noon we had come eighty-six miles under steam and
forty under sail, and were in lat. 30 deg. 24' S., long. 124 deg. 26' E.
[Transcriber's Note: Long. 124 deg. E. would put the Sunbeam in the middle
of Australia. More likely the author meant 104 deg..] The temperature at
noon in the shade was 65 deg., which we found very cold.
At 4 P.M. we saw a steamer hull down. In about an hour we had
approached each other sufficiently close to enable us to ascertain
that she was the 'Liguria,' one of the Orient Line, bound for
Adelaide. We exchanged a little conversation with signal flags, and,
having mutually wished each other a pleasant voyage, parted company.
This was the first ship seen since leaving Macassar. The evening
bitterly cold.
We have just seen a splendid lunar rainbow, and I suspect it forebodes
a good deal more wind than we have lately had. It was perfect in
shape, and the brilliant prismatic colours were most distinctly
marked. I never saw such a rainbow, except as the precursor of a
circular storm. I only hope that, should we encounter such a gale now,
we may get into the right corner of it, and that it will be travelling
in the right direction. I wish it would come in time to run up our
weekly average to a thousand miles by midday.
[Illustration: Effect of a Squall]
_Thursday, May 5th._--At 5 A.M. I was awakened by being nearly washed
out of bed on one side and by a deluge of water coming into the cabin
on the other. A squall had struck us, and we were tearing along with
the lee rail under water, the rain meanwhile pouring down in torrents.
The squall soon passed over, but there was every appearance of the
wind increasing, though the barometer still stood high. Squall
followed squall in quick succession, the wind increasing in force, and
the sea rapidly rising. It soon became plain that we were in for a
gale of some kind, and a very little later it became equally evident
that, in accordance with the law of storms, we must be in the
north-west quadrant of a circular storm, the centre of the disturbance
being somewhere to the south-east. Sails were furled, others were
reefed, and all was made fairly snug.
At noon we had run 136 miles to the north-east since the early
morning, but we had not quite reached our estimated weekly average of
a thousand miles. At noon we were in lat. 31 deg. 29' S., long. 105 deg. 48'
E., with Cape Entrecasteaux 546 miles distant. The barometer stood at
30.10, and the temperature fell to 60 deg..
Several times during the morning the lee cutter had been in imminent
danger of being lifted right out of the davits and carried away. About
two o'clock the topmasts were struck; an hour later the skylights were
covered over with tarpaulin, and a good deal of battening down took
place on deck. Below, the stewards were employed in tautening up
things which had been allowed to get rather slack during the long
spell of smooth weather which we have had of late, nothing like a
storm having been encountered for weeks, or indeed months.
Before dusk the lee cutter was got in-board, more reefs were taken in,
all was made snug on deck, and I might say stuffy below. Shortly after
this was accomplished we sailed out of the influence of the storm, the
centre travelling quickly away to the south-east of us. Thereupon we
shook out one or two reefs and set a mizen trysail to prevent the fine
weather lops coming on board; for the sea was beginning to go faster
than the wind, and one or two big beads of spray found their way on
deck, one of which, much to their amusement, drenched the children
completely. The glass continued to rise, and the weather improved
throughout the night.
[Illustration: BAD WEATHER, WEST COAST OF AUSTRALIA]
_Friday, May 6th._--I was indeed delighted when, at dawn, it was
thought safe to let us have a little light and air down below. Soon
the sun rose, and all became bright and beautiful once more, though
the air felt extremely chilly. We were now well on our course, but
sailing pretty close to the wind, and therefore only doing about five
or six knots. Continual squalls struck us throughout the day, and the
sea was very lumpy from the effects of yesterday's gale, though the
wind had almost completely subsided. What there was of it gradually
headed us in the course of the afternoon, which did not tend to make
things more comfortable; though the children at any rate did not seem
to mind it, for they have entirely got over their slight sea-sickness.
At noon we had sailed 138 miles, and were in lat. 32 deg. 28' N., long.
108 deg. 6' E.; the barometer stood at 30.10, and the temperature was
still 60 deg..
_Sunday, May 8th._--Woke early, only to hear that the wind had
changed; but it proved a lovely morning, though the sky was covered
with fleeting clouds, which made it difficult for the navigators to
get the sun. We had the Litany at 11.30, and at noon were in lat. 34 deg.
47' S., long. 113 deg. 54' E., having run 201 miles. The temperature had
risen to 63 deg., and the barometer stood at 30.19.
Tom has been deeply immersed in calculations all this afternoon, the
best of the three chronometers on board, by Dent, having behaved in a
very erratic manner since we got into a cooler temperature. On the
other hand, the chronometer of Brockbank & Atkins, which has hitherto
been regarded as not quite so reliable, is making up for past
shortcomings by a spell of good conduct. Under these circumstances, it
is difficult to know which to depend upon, and Tom is consequently
somewhat anxious about his landfall. The weather has been so squally
and overcast that no really good sights have been obtained all day.
At noon we had only come 194 miles by dead-reckoning. Observation
proved that we had been helped onwards by a favouring current, and
had really come 201 miles. We had evening service at 4.30 P.M. During
the afternoon we saw many more sea-birds, and several albatrosses. It
was a fine evening, the wind having dropped rather light. In the
middle watch, however, it became squally.
[Illustration: Fauna, W. Australia]