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be better to lose three and a half months wages as we had
one months wages in advance before we left Glasgow as all
ships usually give there crews one months wages in advance
in those days to clear up a few debts and besides I always left
my parents half of my pay that they could draw from the owners
every month. So it would not be very much wages I would
have to loose. But they had to pay you of with something if it was
only a shilling a month and a clean discharge and no
police running after you. So [?lie] and me went aft to
see the captain. And never thinking we was going to succeed
so easy as we did. As the rest of the crew reconed there was no
hope. Anyhow we meant to have a try. So the steward called
the captain and told him that two of the crew wanted to speak
to him. So he told the steward to bring them in to the cabin
so we went in and he says Hello two of my best men. What
is wanted. And we told him that we would like to stay
out here. And if he would kindly pay us of at a shilling
a month we would willingly accept that as our wages and
also a clean discharge. All right he says I will pay you
of tomorrow, so we thanked him and walked forward
and told the rest of the hands of our success. And they
could hardly believe it. Anyhow another crowd went
aft and succeeded th same and at last all the single
men did the same. So there was no one left on board only the
sailmaker and two carpenters. And two married men
of the crew. And the next morning after breakfast all hands
got packed up. the boats was lowered. one boat for men
and the other for chests and bags. And away we pulled
for the jetty at port Chalmers. and left all our luggage on
the jetty ready for the little steamer that ran between
Dunedin and port Chalmers. as there was no railway up
to Dunedin in those days. There was a bus running up
the road. But there was to much luggage for the bus.
So we got to the shipping office and got paid off with
four shillings and a sixpence and also a clean discharge
he very kindly gave us one shilling over the amount