THE AUTHOR'S DEPARTURE FROM MADRAS, DESCRIPTION OF A
WATER-SPOUT--HIS ARRIVAL AT ST. HELENA AND DEPARTURE
THEREFROM, ARRIVAL IN ENGLAND--JOINS HIS MAJESTY'S TRANSPORT
SHIP, TOTTENHAM, BOUND FOR NEW SOUTH WALES--HER RUNNING ON
SHORE IN THE RIVER AND PUTTING BACK TO DOCK--HE AFTERWARDS
JOINS HIS MAJESTY'S TRANSPORT SHIP, LADY CASTLEREAGH. HIS
DEPARTURE FROM DEPTFORD AND ARRIVAL AT PORTSMOUTH--HIS
DEPARTURE THEREFROM AND ARRIVAL AT NEW SOUTH WALES.
As soon as our dispatches were in readiness, we proceeded on our
passage for England; the morning was beautiful, and as the men were
heaving up the anchor, my heart felt an inward sensation of joy and
gratitude to our Creator, that he had been pleased to bring us so far
safe on our voyage; we made sail with a steady breeze, and soon lost
sight of land. After we had been at sea about two days, close on our
weather-bow we observed a water-spout; when we first saw it, it was
whole and entire, and was in shape like a speaking trumpet, the small
end downwards, and reaching to the sea, and the large end terminating
in a black thick cloud: the spout itself was very black, and the more
so the higher up; it seemed to be exactly perpendicular to the
horizon, and its sides perfectly smooth, without the least ruggedness
where it fell. The spray of the sea rose to a considerable height,
which had somewhat the appearance of smoke; from the first time we saw
it, it continued whole about a minute, and till it was quite
dissipated three minutes; it began to waste from below, and gradually
up, while the upper part remained entire, without any visible
alteration, till at last it ended in black clouds, upon which a heavy
rain fell in the neighbourhood. There was but little wind, and the sky
was otherwise serene.
On our rounding the Cape we experienced a very heavy gale, which
continued for the space of ten days. We arrived at St. Helena in about
ten days after clearing the Cape of Good Hope.
The approach to this Island is tremendous, it being an immense large
rock in the midst of the sea, on which there is not the least
appearance of verdure, houses, or indeed any sign of inhabitants, till
you arrive at the anchorage, which is to leeward of the Island; and in
turning round the corner of the rock is a fort, close to the water's
edge, from whence they make all ship's heave to, till they have sent a
boat on board from the Admiral; and in case no attention is paid to
their signal, they fire a shot. After proceeding a little way, the
town is discovered in the midst of a valley, and has a very
picturesque appearance.
The produce of the Island is potatoes and yams. The yams are used in
time of great scarcity of wheat, for bread; the inhabitants are under
the necessity of boiling them 12 hours and baking them, before they
can eat them; and in fact, many of the Islanders prefer them to bread.
The coast produces an amazing quantity of fish, particularly mackarel,
which are in great abundance, and run in shoals about six fathom under
water. At this time Napoleon resided at Longwood.
After staying here 12 days, we proceeded on our passage to England,
and arrived there in six weeks and two days.--The distressed state of
England, and scarcity of employment determined me again to try my
fortune abroad, and for that purpose I made several applications to
the different owners, but for some time was very unsuccessful. At
length I was engaged by Messrs. Robinson, to join his Majesty's Ship
Tottenham, bound to New South Wales with 200 convicts. On June the 8th
I joined her. After receiving all the ship's and government stores on
board, we proceeded to Woolwich, and received on board 50 of our
number, and in the afternoon of the same day we made sail, and on a
sudden struck on a reef at low water; we were lying high and dry;
every means was used to get her off, but without success, till we sent
our convicts up to the hulks, and discharged our stores into the
different crafts sent for that purpose, and by that means lightened
her so, that at the flood she drifted; she was so materially damaged,
it was deemed necessary she should return back to Deptford to Dock.
I had not waited long in London, before another vacancy occurred on
board His Majesty's Transport Ship Lady Castlereagh, lying at
Deptford, bound to the same Port. Shortly after I had joined her, we
sailed to Woolwich, and received on board our guard, which was
composed of a detachment of his Majesty's 46th regiment of foot, and
after receiving a portion of our convicts, we proceeded on our passage
to Portsmouth: we received another portion from Sheerness, and in two
days arrived at Portsmouth. The remainder of our prisoners not being
in readiness, we were forced to bring up and moor ship a cable each
way.
Spithead is a spacious road for shipping, between Portsmouth and the
Isle of Wight, and where they in general lie after they are in
readiness for sea. I went on shore to see the town of Portsmouth. It
is situated inland of Portsea; the streets are generally narrow, and
rather dirty, owing to their not being properly paved.
The Dock-yards, as there are several, resemble distinct towns, and are
under a government separate from the garrison. Here is a commodious
arsenal for laying up cannon, and the fortress may be justly
considered as the most regular one in Great Britain. The number of men
employed in the different rope-yards generally is considered to be
between eight or nine hundred, and the garrison is very large. The
town of Portsmouth contains about 40,000 inhabitants, and the harbour
is reckoned one of the finest in the world, as there is water
sufficient for the largest ships, and is so very capacious that the
whole of the British navy may ride in safety. The principal branch run
up to Fareham, a second to Pouchester and a third to Portsea Bridge;
besides these channels there are several rithes, or channels, where
the small men of war lie at their moorings. Opposite the town is the
spacious road of Spithead. On the 20th of December we received our
convicts, and the following day we made sail and passed through the
Needles, which are two sharp-pointed rocks at the N. W. end of the
Isle of Wight, so called from their sharp extremities.
The prisoners, during their voyage, behaved themselves with great
propriety, considering the variety of characters which we had on
board. We arrived at New South Wales on the 26th of April, 1818, after
a pleasant passage.