Grandfather’s Yarns.

Southern Cross, Volume 2, Issue 31, 27 October 1894, Page 8

Grandfather’s Yarns.

(All Rights Resisted). GRANDFATHER’S BOYHOOD. EARLY DAYS IN SYDNEY.. STORIES op GOVERNOR KING. HOW THE CONVICTS FOUND CHINA. A CRUEL JEW. A FEMININE NATURALIST. BUTTERFLIES GALORE.. No. 2*7 * “ Grandfather, you promised to tell us about when you were a little boy,, to-night,” said Bertie. > So I will, Bertie,” answered Grandfather, “ but I’m sorry to say I wasn’t a good boy like you are, but a very mischievious, naughty one something like Jack. 1 was born in Sydney on the 17th March, 1311. Our house was in George street, just opposite the old barrack gate. “ My father was a Devonshire man, or, rather, boy, for he left England when very young. His uncle persuaded him to go on a voyage to America, holding out every inducement that would be likely to appeal to a boy’s mind. But the reality proved very different from what he had been led to expect, and my father was made to do anything his uncle chose. One day he was made to help the steward, and in shaking the tablecloth overboard he dropped a silver spoon into the water. Of course the spoon was lost beyond recovery, and my father led a dreadful life of it after that, for his uncle was a very mean man. “ Well, they made their voyage to America, and coming back called in at some small port with timber. As my father was sitting disconsolately on the wharf a recruiting sergeant came up and asked him if he’d enlist. He agreed gladly, and walked off at once with the sergeant. He joined the 17th Light Dragoons, and being a

splendid horseman he fell easily into the ways of the regiment. I’ve often heard my father say that though the daily routine was irksome and not very easy, it was paradise to what his life had been on his uncle’s ship.

“ Well, after a time he was sent out to Sydney as orderly to Governor Bligh, who, however, did not keep his billet long. Then "Governor King came —everybody liked him. He had been a sailor, and was very bluff and hearty, and when not suffering from gout was very genial and humourous. One peculiarity he hadj though. You see, in those days any free person could have several convicts for servants free of charge, and even if they held a very good character could have the prisoner, and his rations out of the Government store besides. Well, if anyone came and asked the Governor for a ‘Government.man’ he would refuse to give them one, but if they asked for an ‘ assigned servant ’ he’d give them one in a minute. “ Nobody quite understood the meaning of this, but I suppose he didn’t like being continually reminded that he was only the Governor of a penal settlement. “ I have often heard my father tell some amusing stories about the way the Governor dealt with people who came to him and asked for a ‘Government man.’ One morning a woman who owned a little property came to the Governor with the usual request for a ‘ Government man.’ “ ‘ What’s your name ?’ asked Governor King. “ ‘ Agnes Thawley, sir,’ she answered. “ ‘ Yes, but haven’t you another name ?’ persisted the Governor ‘ what do they call you in the town ?’ The poor creature stammered and stuttered for a time. (She had a' peculiar walk, or rather trot, and the boys had nicknamed her ‘ the pony.’) At last she said : “ ‘ Well, they do call me ‘the pony.’ “ ‘ Well,’ said the Governor, laughing, ‘ trot, you huzzy, trot.’ And off she had to go, too.'' “ Another day a man came and asked for a ‘Government man ;’ he was a tine handsome man, and the Governor said to him —‘ What trade have you followed all you life, my man ?’

“ The man drew himself up a trifle proudly, and answered that he was a soldier.

“‘ A soldier!’ repeated the Governor, ‘ oh, well let me put you through a few of your exercises.’ So he kept the fellow drilling away there for about a quarter of an hour. At last he got the man with his face towards the gate ‘ quick march,’ shouted the Governor, and the man was down the path and onto the road before he realised that he had been made a fool of. The Governor roared with laughter, went back into his room and shut the door.

“ There were a number of Irishmen who were very bad in Sydney at that time. There were a great many Irish prisoners there, and they were very mutinous and also very ignorant. I’ve heard, though 1 won’t say that it’s quite true, that once about a hundred of them decided to run away. The rations were served out once a week, and they all started with a week’s provisions to walk to China.

£1 They walked, and walked, and got no great distance pff from Sydney. Of course there was nobody living out in the country then, but one morning one jolly Irishman woke up and heard, a cock crow. He roused all the others and they gave three cheers, for they were sure they weren’t far off China then. So they all got up and started walking again, but that morning they all walked into the arms of the soldiers and police, who had been out looking for them, and they were all marched back to Sydney.

“ The 73rd Regiment was stationed in Sydney then, and they were Irish to a man, and that made Governor King more anxious than ever, and orderlies were tra velling day and night from Paramatta to Sydney with despatches. One night my father was riding along when he heard cries of * murder, murder!’ coming from the

direction of some bushes at the side of the road. He rode over to see what it was, though he had no business to, as he was carrying despatches, and he found a Jew named Iky Bull beating a prisoner terribly with the butt of his gun. “Of course he took them both into Sydney with him. The prisoner was so badly hurt father had to put him on his horse and walk himself. It happened about ‘two miles from Sydney, so of course he was a good deal behind the expected time. “ Governor King came running out to meet him. * Oh, I’m glad to see you’re safe,’ he said ; ‘ but what s all this ?’ My father explained. “ ‘ Well,’ said the Governor, ‘ as it happens, it is a good thing you prevented a murder, but it wasn’t your duty, you know. It might only have been a trap laid for you ; each time you go I’m frightened you won’t come back again alive.’ “ Things were rather unsettled for some time, and the provisions were getting very low in the country, so the Governor said he thought everyone should go on an allowance. He was willing to go on the same allowance himself, and let everything be equal. “ But Colonel Johnson of the 73rd wouldn’t hear of it. He wanted the prisoners and others to go on half allowance, and the soldiers to still keep their full allowance.

“ You know, then, in Sydney there was a large Government store, and everything that came into the country went there —it didn’t matter to whom it belonged. Whatever goods a man brought they had to go into the store, and he could only take out a weekly allowance. He had no more power to take out more than his allowance than a man who hadn’t the faintest claim to the goods. “ Well, the Governor and the colonel quarrelled away about the provisions till at last the colonel put the Governor under arrest, and took charge himself.

“ Of course news couldn’t be cabled Home every day then, but when information was received in England a ship was sent out to bring both the Governor and the colonel Home to have the case tried.

“ The case went against Colonel Johnson, of course. His sword was broken over his head, he was disgraced, and ordered never to draw sword again in Her Majesty’s service. “ Colonel Johnson came out to Sydney again, where he had left his wife and family. He wasa very rich man, and had a lot of property in Sydney. He had a beautiful place some little distance out of Sydney. My sister and I went there to stay once —before, of course, there was any disagreement. We had a splendid time, too. One thing I always remember distinctly was that Blanche Johnson, the eldest girl, had a room full of insects dead ones, of course. There were gorgeous butterflies pinned all over the wall, and I was never tired of gazing at them.

“ When Colonel Johnson came out again he wrote to the English Government offering to find 1,000 men and mount them on 1,000 white horses to guard the country —in fact to keep a small standing army at his own expense. “ But his offer was declined. They would have nothing whatever to do with him. A great many people were sorry to lose Governor King. He was very well liked indeed. Before this his son had gone to England and applied to the Government there for a cutter to go through Torres Straits with and to cruise round Australia.

“It was granted him, and he came out in his smart little cutter, the Mermaid. He went through Torres Straits and right round Australia. He was the first to make the trip, and was knighted for it. He was a fine young fellow, too, and very popular. “ I think that is all I can tell you to-night, boys. It is getting very late. I haven’t told you much about my own doings after all, but I will go on to-morrow night.”