35

then got her overhauled and sailed for Port Pirie and arrived
next day and the Master of her who was successfull in getting over
his trouble took charge of his steamer and I went mate with him
as the Nelcebee had to be laid up and I sailed mate with him
for eight months and they laid her up and paid me and the
crew of. so the agent asked me if I would take charge of a schooner
called the Dianella as the master of her was sick and had to go to
the hospital. Now this schooner belonged to the Port Pirie Shipping
company, this company had two schooners and this agent
was agent for both companys and I knew that those two
schooners was nothing more than two workhouses. Anyhow
I agreed to take charge of the Dianella as I thought that it
would not be for long as I had been used to steam for so
many years. I thought it would be pretty hard if I had
to keep this windjammer for any length of time. So I went to
Port Adelaide by train as this schooner was there loading for
Port Pirie. So when I arrived at Port Adelaide she was ready
for sea and a tug alongside and they were only waiting for
me so I just had to hop out of the train and get on board of the
Dianella and of to sea in this workhouse. As them two schooners
belonged to all the storekeepers and butchers of Port Pirie and
they even expected you to run to time as it was only a short
distance but they had no thought about the winds only run to
time and believe me she was a wreck. Anyhow I ran her
as near to time as I could but seemingly not to their satisfact-
ion and in fact I was just hanging on until the master
of her was better. But unfortunately the master of her died.
so they had a meeting of shareholders in Howes Hotel in Port
Pirie. So I happened to be there at the time of the meeting, and
they came to the conclusion that I had had to leave. So I got
notice from the agent at Port Pirie to give her up as soon as
I arrived at Port Adelaide and as I told the agent that I
was very glad of the change as I was just fed up with her
and also with her owners. So I sailed from Port Pirie and
arrived at Port Adelaide and gave her up after running her for
nine months. So I finished with the Port Pirie Shipping Compy