_ALBANY TO ADELAIDE._
_Saturday, May 14th._--It was a cold showery morning when we landed,
to photograph a party of natives, and see them throw boomerangs and
spears. They were the most miserable-looking objects I ever beheld;
rather like Fuegians. The group consisted of two men, dressed partly
in tattered European clothes, and partly in dirty, greasy
kangaroo-skins heaped one on the top of another, and two women in
equally disreputable costumes. One of the latter had a piccaninny hung
behind her in an opossum-skin, the little hairy head and bright
shining eyes of the child peeping out from its shelter in the
quaintest manner. Although the poor creatures were all so ugly, we did
our best to take some photographs of them, using a pile of sandal-wood
bags as a background. Then we drove up to the cricket-ground to see
them throw their boomerangs or kylies, which they did very cleverly.
One of the kylies was broken against a tree, but most of the others
flew with unerring precision. The spears were thrown from a flat oval
piece of wood, in size and shape something like the blade of a paddle,
which sent them forward with great accuracy and velocity. The natives
have formed a small encampment not far from here, where they live in
the most primitive fashion, very dirty, and quite harmless. Their
nearest neighbour tells me that they come daily to her house for water
and scraps, but that they never attempt to steal anything or cause her
any annoyance.
We next visited two curio shops, kept by Webb and Gardiner. Webb is
rather a clever naturalist, and corresponds with Dr. Hooker; he sent a
good many botanical specimens from this neighbourhood to the Colonial
Exhibition last year. There were some beautiful feathers of the male
and female cockatoo, a few stuffed birds, and a good many weapons,
some of which we bought. At Gardiner's we found more native weapons,
which he buys in the bush and then sets the natives to work to repair.
Fortunately for us, he had only recently returned from one of his
expeditions, and we were therefore able to pick up some of the
specimens in the condition in which he had found them, all rough and
broken from the effects of recent fights. The spear-heads and teeth
are generally made of flint or granite, or old bottle-glass, fastened
to the shaft with kangaroo sinews and the gum of the 'black-boy.' The
tomahawks have double edges fastened on in the same manner. The knives
are like one-sided spear-heads, with a short handle attached. The flat
paddle-shaped pieces of wood by means of which they throw their
spears are called womaras. There were also numerous specimens of
kylies, and curious message-sticks about ten or twelve inches long,
made from the thigh-bone of the kangaroo, and sharply pointed at one
end. A sort of hieroglyph or rude writing is scratched upon them, and
they are used to convey messages from one place to another. We bought
some opossum-skins and rugs of various sorts, and admired the
beautiful live birds, including parrots and cockatoos.
From three to five o'clock I was 'at home' on board the 'Sunbeam.' The
afternoon had improved, and was bright and sunny. I think our guests
were pleased with their visit.
Tab, Mabelle, and Mr. Pemberton returned this afternoon. They seemed
to have had a most enjoyable though fatiguing day, having breakfasted
at seven o'clock, and started before eight. They saw some twenty or
thirty kangaroos, of which they only killed three. At half-past one
they set out for Albany, and drove the forty-two miles, through Mount
Barker and Chorkerup. Mabelle brought me back some bush flowers, very
beautiful and interesting when closely examined, especially the blue
holly, a plant with a holly-like leaf and a blue pea-shaped flower.
Two or three varieties of blue erica, tiny heaths, and epacris were
also very pretty. It is curious how all, even the smallest of the bush
flowers, run to bottle-brush just as readily as the great banksias and
eucalypti, and what strange little bottle-brushy appendages they all
have.
[Illustration: An Aboriginal]
Mabelle also brought some beautiful black cockatoos' feathers. Those
of the male bird have a band of brilliant scarlet right across them,
which looks so artificial that when a fan made of these feathers was
sent lately to New Zealand nobody would believe that it had not been
cleverly painted. The female bird has a light yellow and fawn-coloured
tail, more delicate in colour though not so brilliant as her mate's
plumage. We saw a great flight of black cockatoos yesterday. These
seemed to have white in their tails instead of red. Cockatoos are very
affectionate and loyal to one another--a fact of which those who kill
or capture them take advantage; for if they succeed in wounding a bird
they tie it up in a tree, where, so long as it continues to cry, not
one of its companions will leave it, but will hover around, allowing
themselves to be shot rather than desert a comrade. It is a great pity
these handsome birds devour the grain so terribly that settlers are
obliged to wage a war of extermination against them. Very different is
the behaviour under similar circumstances of the kangaroo, in whom I
have in consequence lost much of my interest. When hard pressed the
doe will take her offspring out of her pouch and fling it to the dogs
to gain time for her own escape. The meat of the joeys, as the young
ones are called, is by far the best, and tastes something like hare,
though it is rather tough and stringy. The flesh of the older animals
is more like that of red deer. Both require to be well basted, and
eaten with red currant jelly, to make them at all palatable.
_Sunday, May 15th._--Such a lovely day--more like an ideal May morning
in England than an Australian winter's day. We attended service in a
picturesque ivy-covered edifice.
After lunch a great many workpeople and others came on board, by
invitation, to see the yacht, as it was impossible for them to visit
it on any other day. The blue waters of the Sound looked quite gay
with the little flotilla of boats coming and going.
At three o'clock we all went ashore in the steam-launch, most of the
party intending to climb up the hill to the signal-station to look at
the view. My own destination was Quarantine Island, where I sat on the
sands in the delicious sunshine, while the dogs ran about and the
children gathered flowers. It seems a nice, healthy, breezy little
place, with a well-planned lazaretto, capable of accommodating a small
number of invalids, and a convenient cottage for the custodian and his
wife, whom we could see out in their boat fishing. While we were on
shore, the men in our boat, with the assistance of two boathooks, but
even then with considerable difficulty, captured an octopus about
three feet across; a horrid-looking monster, which tried to cling to
everything near with its round suckers and long feelers.
_Monday, May 16th._--Tom took me ashore to enable me to keep a
driving engagement; but he was suffering from a chill, and felt very
unwell. Although anxious to try the efficacy of his universal
panacea--exercise--he was ultimately obliged to abandon the experiment
and to return on board.
I enjoyed my drive immensely, for it was a bright sunny morning, with
a soft air blowing. The buggy was comfortable; the horses went well;
and Mr. Young, who drove me, was full of interesting information.
After passing the cemeteries, we went by a rough road through the
bush, where much of the vegetation was new and strange. Then we
crossed the extreme end of a large fresh-water lake, and shortly
afterwards emerged from the bush on to the shore of a fine bay, called
Middleton Beach, along the edge of which, by the side of the curling
breakers, we drove over a firm white sand, admiring the effect of the
dark blue sea, changing to a delicate pale green before breaking on
the shore. On the way back I was shown a small corrugated iron house,
with an outbuilding attached, in the middle of a considerable
clearing, the owner of which proposes to supply the town of Albany
with garden and dairy produce. I wish him every success, and hope that
he will include eggs and poultry in his scheme; for the only eggs
which we have been able to procure have been six in number, and have
cost threepence each. These, too, were only supplied as a special
favour, because I was 'sick.'
Tom dragged himself on shore again in the afternoon, but did not
remain long, as we had to receive more visitors, who had been
prevented from coming yesterday.
At seven o'clock Mr. and Mrs. Loftie and Mr. Young came to dinner, and
Tom being too ill to appear, I had to do my best to entertain them.
After dinner, having seen the invalids made as comfortable as
possible, we started, well wrapped up--for it was bitterly cold--for
the dance at the Court-House, which is built on so steep a hill that,
although the building is three storeys high towards the sea, yet by
entering at the back the level of the top storey is at once reached.
The dancing had just begun, and it proved a most cheery little ball.
All present were hearty, kindly, and genial.
[Illustration: The Port Watch]
_Tuesday, May 17th._--A lovely morning, perfectly calm. Tom much
better, and anxious to be off. Mails and farewell messages were
accordingly sent on shore, and Mr. Loftie came off with parting words
of kindness and farewell, and laden with flowers. Precisely at eleven
o'clock, with signals of 'Good-bye' and 'Thanks' hoisted at the main,
we steamed out of the snug harbour where we have passed such a
pleasant week and have received so much kindness. The pilot soon
quitted us, and we were once more on the broad ocean. The wind outside
was dead ahead, and the heavy rollers tumbling in foreboded a still
heavier swell as we got further away from the land. In fact, Tom more
than once asked me if we had not better put back. As it was too rough
to steam, a certain amount of snug sail was set; and, close-hauled, we
steered as near our course as circumstances would permit.
There are a good many invalids on board among the crew and servants,
the symptoms in each case being very similar. This morning the two
maids, two stewards, and three of the men had more or less succumbed
to 'malarial colds'--nothing serious, the doctor says, but very
uncomfortable. It is quite certain that many more are now laid up than
we ever had on the sick-list in the tropics; but the sudden change
from heat to cold may of course account for this state of things.
_Wednesday, May 18th._--The wind was rather more favourable; but,
although close-hauled, we were nearly two and a half points off our
course, the head-sea running very high. Although the air was warm I
remained in my cabin all the morning, feeling wretched and
uncomfortable. At noon we had run 110 miles--100 under steam and 10
under sail--and were in lat. 35 deg. 44' S., long. 119 deg. 53' E., Kangaroo
Island being 820 miles distant. The total distance now accomplished
since we left England is 9,236 miles under sail, and 7,982 under
steam, making a total of 17,218 miles.
I was called upon deck once during the day to see a whale with a fin
on its back. Gray, in his book on Western Australia, says that this
kind of whale lives principally on the large phosphorescent medusae.
The evening was cold, as usual, and I was glad to go below early.
Venus rose brilliantly, but so red that several on board thought it
must be the port light of a ship astern; though how any vessel could
have suddenly got there they could not make out. Soon afterwards
shouts were heard on first seeing what Tom described as lamps of light
or fireballs astern. These turned out to be the luminous medusae which
Gray speaks of, and which were much larger and more brilliant than any
we had yet seen.
_Thursday, May 19th._--Wind fair, but head-swell still continuing. I
had a very busy morning below, writing journal and letters. At noon we
had run 120 miles under sail, and were then in lat. 36 deg. 12' S., long.
122 deg. 4' E. In the afternoon we took some photographs of Tom in his
R.N.A.V. uniform, the Guard of Honour, ourselves, the Court, &c., on
the occasion of Neptune's visit when we crossed the line. Sundry
unsuccessful attempts were made to photograph the animals, but they
seemed to be suffering from a severe attack of the fidgets. To see
'Jenny Jenkins,' the monkey, in her new blue jumper with 'Sunbeam
R.Y.S.,' embroidered by Mabelle, and 'Mr. Short,' the black-and-tan
terrier, playing together, is really very pretty; they are so quick
and agile in their movements that it is almost impossible to catch
them. 'Mrs. Sharp,' the white toy terrier, in her new jersey, a
_confection_ of Muriel's, occasionally joins in the frolic; though her
condescension is not much appreciated, for she is rather too quick
with her teeth. The photograph of the Guard of Honour was spoiled by a
passing whale, to which Tom suddenly drew everybody's attention by
pointing to it with his drawn sword. The monster left a greasy wake
behind him, as he swam lazily along, blowing slightly.
Towards evening the air became very cold, and the wind not quite so
fair. A splendid sunset threw a lovely glow on the sails. Later on the
sea continued to go down, and I was able to make my first appearance
at dinner at sea for many a long day past, but only as a spectator
even now.
_Friday, May 20th._--Another fine clear day; but the horrid easterly
swell is as bad as ever, and with such a light wind we seem to feel it
more. A busy morning with journal and letters.
At noon we had come 148 miles under sail, and Kangaroo Island was now
546 miles distant; we were in lat. 36 deg. 25' S., long. 125 deg. 13' E.
_Saturday, May 21st._--A pouring wet morning, with every appearance of
continued rain. Later on the weather cleared, though heavy squalls
came up at intervals until noon, when it turned quite warm, bright,
and sunny.
[Illustration: Running Down--Easting]
In the afternoon the wind freshened considerably, and our speed
improved in proportion. The heavy head-swell having gone down,
everyone on board felt more comfortable. Advantage was taken of the
lull to get a few photographs of the engineers, cooks, and others. A
nautical entertainment had been fixed for 6 P.M.; but unfortunately
that hour was selected to gybe the ship, so that it was 6.30 before
the entertainment commenced. There was but a small audience; which
seemed a pity, for the performance was exceptionally good.
[Illustration: Cracking on]
The wind continued to freshen, and by 11 P.M. we were tearing through
the water before a fair breeze, but knocking about a good deal more
than was pleasant.
_Sunday, May 22nd._--From midnight until 6 A.M. the state of things
was wretched in the extreme. Sails flapping, the cry of the sailors
continually heard above the howling of the wind, and much water on
deck. Then I went to sleep, waking again at seven to find it blowing
half a gale of wind, which rapidly increased to a whole gale. At noon
we were in lat. 35 deg. 55' S., long. 132 deg. 7' E., having run 206 miles
under sail.
We had service at 11.15, and again at four o'clock. In the morning
there was no congregation; partly because of the rough weather, and
partly because we had sailed so well that nobody realised how much
faster the time was to-day than it had been yesterday, and we were
therefore all behindhand. In the afternoon I went on deck for a short
time, but found it so cold that I could not remain; for, although the
wind was right aft, the gale blew fierce and strong. Tom had a very
anxious time of it, literally flying along a strange coast, with on
one hand the danger of being driven ashore if the weather should
become at all thick, and on the other the risk of getting pooped by
the powerful following sea if sail were shortened. At 11 P.M. we met a
large sailing-ship steering to the southward; which was felt to be
very satisfactory, showing as it did that we were on the right track.
_Monday, May 23rd._--Precisely at 7 A.M. we made the lights of Cape
Borda or Flinders, on Kangaroo Island, about twelve miles ahead,
exactly where Tom expected to find it, which was a great relief to
everybody on board, after our two days of discomfort and anxiety. At
noon we had run 265 miles, and should have done much more had we not
been obliged to shorten sail in the night.
In the afternoon the yacht passed between Kangaroo and Althorpe
Islands, the coast of the former being very like the white cliffs
between Dover and Folkestone. It was extremely cold, and after my
night of neuralgic pains I did not dare to go out on deck, and had to
content myself with observing everything through the windows of the
deck-house. In the evening we made Troubridge and all the other lights
on the way up to Glenelg, and after some deliberation Tom decided to
heave-to for the night, instead of sailing on to the anchorage of Port
Adelaide.
_Tuesday, May 24th._--By 6 A.M. we were on deck, endeavouring to
ascertain our precise position, and about seven a steam-launch came
bustling towards us, whose occupants hailed us with cordial welcomes
to South Australia. Directly they came alongside, our small deck-house
was crowded with visitors, who presented us in the name of the
Holdfast Bay Yacht Club with a beautifully illuminated and kindly
worded address. So anxious had they been to give us a warm and early
welcome, that they had been on the look-out for us all night, while we
had been waiting outside so as to arrive by daylight. It seems that
the signalmen on Cape Borda had made out our number yesterday when we
were more than seven miles off, so clear is the dry air of these
regions. Our early guests were naturally hungry and cold; and a large
party soon sat down to a hastily prepared breakfast. It was
excellently supplemented, however--to us seafarers especially--by a
large basket of splendid fruit which our friends had brought off with
them. Presently the Mayor of Glenelg and his daughter arrived, full,
like everybody else, of kindly plans for our amusement while here.
Having come to an anchor off Glenelg, Tom and Tab went up to Adelaide
to attend the Birthday _levee_, and I landed later with the rest of
the party at the long wooden pier.
The first appearance of Glenelg from the sea is very like that of
Deauville, the town appearing to consist of semi-detached houses
standing in the midst of gardens and trees, with a pretty background
of hills. There seemed to be no small houses or streets--an impression
which was confirmed by closer inspection. In fact, Glenelg is
essentially a fashionable seaside place; and though there are a few
excellent shops, most of the supplies must come from Adelaide, seven
miles off, to which a steam-tram runs every half-hour, taking twenty
minutes for the journey. The carriage-road crosses the tramway and
the railway line to Melbourne at intervals. The country is quite
flat, the road passing between fields now beautifully green. We saw
the suburb of Goodwood a little way off, and soon afterwards the tall
spires of the churches and the towers of the public buildings of
Adelaide appeared. To-day being a general holiday in honour of the
Queen's birthday, the houses in the city were decked with flags and
the shops closed, which gave it rather a Sunday-like appearance. The
streets are fine and wide, especially King William Street. We drove to
Government House, a comfortable residence surrounded by a nice
English-looking garden.
[Illustration: Proclamation-Tree, Glenelg]
It was very pleasant to meet our friend the Governor, Sir William
Robinson, again. After lunch we drove off to the races in two open
carriages, with an escort of police, passing through a pretty part of
the city, where charming little villas nestle in the midst of detached
gardens. The racecourse itself is extremely pretty, and commands a
fine view. The grand-stand is a fine building, with the Governor's box
in the centre. The Cup had just been run for, but we saw a capital
hurdle-race, over a course three miles long, with some very stiff
flights of rails, about which there was no give-and-take. Then came a
good flat race, three out of five horses coming in neck and neck. We
drove back to Government House to tea, and then returned to Glenelg,
where we had left the two little ones.
On the pier we found awaiting us an unfortunate reporter, who had been
hunting Tom down all day to try and interview him, but had always
managed to arrive everywhere just too late. We took him off with us
and gave him some dinner, for which he was very grateful after his
hard wearying day. Presently Tom and Mabelle arrived, and directly
afterwards a boat came alongside with another reporter. More
unfortunate even than the first, he had sat at the semaphore, halfway
between here and Port Adelaide, all night, and then, not knowing where
to go, had oscillated between the two places all day, telegraphing in
various directions for information.
_Wednesday, May 25th._--At half-past ten o'clock we started on an
excursion into the picturesque mountains which lie behind Glenelg, Mr.
Stock driving us in his nice little American buggy, drawn by a capital
pair of horses. The rest of the party followed in a waggonette. Our
way at first lay through the suburbs of Glenelg. The houses which we
passed had a well-to-do appearance, with scarcely any shops or
workmen's dwellings to be seen. The road soon began to ascend, and
before long became steep. As we climbed upwards towards Belair the
view became so lovely that it was impossible to resist the temptation
of adding to our collection by pausing to photograph the scene. Our
first stopping-place was the Blackwood Hotel, where we found a capital
luncheon. The air felt pure and bracing, the sun shone brightly, and
the scenery had a thoroughly English character, with pretty hedgerows,
and little streams crossed by modern bridges, all of which reminded us
pleasantly of the old country. What was less familiar was an
unprotected railway crossing which intersected the road close by, and
over which a train passed rapidly, and, as it seemed to us, with
dangerously insufficient warning.
After driving for some distance along the crest of the hill, we dipped
once more into the valley by another road quite as steep and more
tortuous than the last. From this road the views were even more
charming than those which we had previously admired; for beneath us
lay a complete panorama of Adelaide and its suburbs, covering part of
the rich plain at the foot of the opposite blue hills, and skirted by
the north arm of the Port river. The little horses went well, and,
although the road was rough and in many places steep, trotted merrily
on until we reached the pier at Glenelg. Here we found a group of
sixty or seventy visitors to the 'Sunbeam' waiting to be conveyed on
board in the steam-launch, which had to perform several journeys to
the shore before her task was accomplished.
_May 25th._--About noon we got under way and steamed up towards Port
Adelaide, stopping for a time off the semaphore in order to visit the
Japanese corvette 'Ryujo,' and the South Australian gunboat
'Protector.' The coast reminded me of that outside Liverpool, near the
mouth of the Mersey; well-built watering-places, piers, and sandy
beaches--a very paradise for bathers--completing the resemblance.
Largs Bay is a particularly healthy spot, and possesses an hotel which
is said to be the best in South Australia. At the semaphore also a
compact little township has been established, which boasts a mayor and
corporation.
Further on nothing except sand and bushes could be seen; and a little
higher we got into a narrower channel, and passed a few boats and
small craft, every one of which had some sort of flag or bunting
flying in our honour. The shouts of warm greeting increased as we
approached the town, till at last it was difficult to turn quickly
enough from side to side and respond to the waving hands and cheers
and shouts of cordial welcome to the new country. The pier and wharves
were densely crowded, and we were scarcely abreast of them before the
Mayor (Mr. S. Malin) and Corporation came on board with an address
saying how glad they were to see us in their waters. This visit was
followed by another from Commodore Honey, Mr. Justice Bundey, and
other gentlemen representing the South Australian Yacht Club. All this
was very pleasant and gratifying; though I must confess that such
unexpected kindness produced that familiar feeling known as a lump in
my throat. It is always rather touching to hear any one else cheered
enthusiastically, and when those nearest and dearest to one are
concerned, it is naturally doubly trying.
[Illustration: 'Protector' Gunboat]
After a hurried inspection of the yacht by our visitors, and a hasty
tea, we were obliged to say 'good-bye' to our newly-made friends, for
we had to catch the five-o'clock train, and there was no time to
spare. In fact, we nearly missed it, and I am afraid we must have
presented an undignified spectacle to the numerous idlers who had
turned out to look at us--I in a waggonette heaped with bags and
bundles, and the others flying along the street. Passing through the
pleasant country, we arrived at the North Terrace station, and reached
Government House a few minutes later. In the evening there was a
dinner party and a reception, which brought what had been a most
agreeable, but for me a very tiring, day to a close.
[Illustration: Sunset]