The Life and Experiences of an Ex-Convict in Port MacquarieWoomera
History
The Life and Experiences of an Ex-Convict in Port Macquarie
Woomera
Penal colonies -- Australia -- New South Wales; Prisoners -- Australia -- New South Wales -- Biography; Woomera, 1817-1900
On Saturday, November 15, 1851, there was great excitement in Port
Macquarie, for this was the day on which, in attempting to cross the
bar at the entrance to the harbor, the yacht "Wanderer" had become a
total wreck. This yacht had sailed nearly all round the world, besides
to a good many islands in the Pacific. She was owned by a man named
Boyd, and was a picture as she appeared on the ocean in full sail. This
unfortunate man, however, went ashore at the Island of Guadalcama,
where the ship had been prior to coming to Port Macquarie, and never
returned to the yacht again, the supposition being that he was murdered
by the natives. There were four white men on board the "Wanderer" when
she arrived at Port Macquarie, who were:--Captain Ottowell, master;
Mr. Webster, artist; Mr. Barnes, botanist; and Mr. Crawford (Boyd's
nephew), mate. Besides these there were a number of natives from
different islands, and one of the publicans in Port Macquarie got the
"niggers" dancing in his hotel to draw custom.
All the men came ashore from the wreck on rope, and, save a little
wetting, were none the worse for their experience. The wreck was sold
to a local man. On board the ship were some beautiful paintings and
views of the different places that the yacht had visited, besides
many skulls, native implements of war, shells, and many other things.
Amongst the articles were suits of both the Emperor of China and the
Shah of Persia, and for a wager two gentlemen of the town donned these
costumes and walked the streets. All the goods out of the vessel were
afterwards open to public view in a large store, and some of the cannon
balls and other material which belonged to the yacht yet remain in Port
Macquarie. The white men from the yacht afterwards spent a good deal
of their time at Lake Innes, where they engaged in sporting and other
pursuits.
THE "ROSETTA JOSEPH."
"Flung from the rock, on Ocean's foam to sail
Where'er the surge may sweep, the tempest's breath prevail."
--BYRON.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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