Missing Friends: Being the Adventures of a Danish Emigrant in Queensland (1871-1880) — John Shaqi
Missing Friends: Being the Adventures of a Danish Emigrant in Queensland (1871-1880)Weitemeyer, Thorvald Peter Ludwig
History
Missing Friends: Being the Adventures of a Danish Emigrant in Queensland (1871-1880)
Weitemeyer, Thorvald Peter Ludwig
Queensland -- Description and travel
"How much money you think I receive for one bottle?" inquired I.
"Oh, plenty money," cried he, "my word ready; market, any one buys
them."
"What do they say?" asked Thorkill of me.
"They say the bottles are worth a lot of money."
"See if you can find out what 'dead mariner' is."
I took a porter bottle up, and then said, "You name that one 'dead
mariner'?"
Queenslander: "Yes, certainly; that is one 'dead mariner.'"
I took up a clear bottle and inquired, "This clear thing, you call that
empty bottle?"
Queenslander: "To be sure that is an empty bottle. But if you are
willing to sell, you take them all up to that large hotel you see there.
They give you half-a-crown apiece for them."
I then asked, "Which one is most costly, 'dead mariner' bottle or clear
bottle?"
Queenslander: "Oh, that fellow--'dead mariner'--very dear; three
shillings, I think."
"Heavens! here, we have made our fortune already, Thorkill," cried I.
"Three shillings apiece for these bottles and two-and-sixpence for
those. And it appears any one will buy. Are we not lucky?"
"Oh, but," said Thorkill, "I shall never feel justified in taking half
of all that money. It was your idea. I should never have thought of it.
I shall be very thankful to receive just a pound or two."
"Oh, no," cried I, "you shall share half with me whatever I get. But,
excuse me for saying it, you are so unpractical. Why are we not up and
stirring? Why are we sitting here yet? Remember time is money in this
country." Then I ventured to ask the Queenslanders if in the town there
was any one whom I might ask to assist us in carrying the bottles
ashore.
"Oh, yes," they all cried, as if with one mouth. "You go up in town and
get hold of a couple of black fellows, and then you take them all up
that street you see there. Any one will buy them there."
Thorkill remained on board keeping watch over the bottles, while I went
ashore to see what I should see.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account