I  had  been  laid  up  for  a  whole  month  previously,
but  was  beginning  to  get  better  when,  on  the  ist
of  June,  the  Mary  Herbert  was  signalled  twenty  miles
out  with  the  wind  contrary.  I  hired  a  steamer
and,  lame  as  I  was,  got  on  board  and  went  off  to
meet  them,  and  by  nightfall  we  had  tugged  the
vessel  up  to  the  wharf.  Though  it  was  getting
quite  dark  a  great  crowd  had  assembled,  who  cheered
us  most  lustily.  I  cannot  describe  the  sympathy  we
have  met  with  from  all  classes.  I  wish  you  could
hear  Mena's  description  of  what  she  underwent  in
the  voyage.  In  the  first  place,  the  deck-house  was
so  small  that  they  had  hardly  room  to  turn
round  in  it.  If  it  had  not  been  for  the  steward,  who
behaved  splendidly  and  who,  with  Mena,  took
entire  charge  of  the  children — the  nurses  being
worse  than  useless — I  don't  know  what  would  have
happened.  Then  they  had  very  rough  weather,
though  the  wind  was  fair  generally,  so  that  they
continually  spent  the  night  mopping  up  the  water
which  flooded  the  cabin.  The  captain  turned  out


CAPUA  245

to  be  an  ex-convict,  and  besides  drinking  like  a  fish,
knew  so  little  about  his  work  that  Mena  had  to  give
orders  to  the  crew  to  reef  in  the  sails.  The  cow
gave  no  milk,  and  had  to  be  killed  on  their  arrival,
and  Mena's  pet  mare,  the  most  beautiful,  docile
creature  in  the  world,  which  followed  them  on
board  like  a  dog,  and  can  never  be  replaced,  died
on  the  voyage.  Thank  God,  Mena  and  the  children
are  quite  well,  and  little  Angela  began  to  improve
from  the  time  of  their  going  to  sea."  x

Weld's  life  in  Tasmania,  though  doubtless
pleasant  enough,  must  have  offered  a  marked  con-
trast with  that  led  by  him  in  Western  Australia.
