The Journal of Louis Henry Parsons, R.N.

Louis Henry Parsons served in the Royal Navy between 1880 and 1901. He joined as a Boy (2^nd class) and left as a Petty Officer, having specialised as a painter. He kept a journal which gives interesting insights into the life of an ordinary sailor during the closing years of Queen Victoria’s reign, extracts from which are reproduced below.

More information about Louis and his family can be found at Louis Henry Parsons’ web page. The author of this web page is a cousin twice-removed of Louis’s.

Louis was born at the very end of 1864. His parents had come from the village of Marston Magna in Somerset but they separated before Louis was born and his mother Jane went to her brother’s home in Hereford for the birth. She settled in Weymouth and eventually, after Louis had joined the Royal Navy, re-married, her first husband having died. Louis was brought up partly at his grandfather’s home in Marston Magna but also in an area in neighbouring North Dorset which (perhaps coincidently, perhaps not) was close to where the man who later became his mother’s second husband had originally come from.

Louis had an older brother called Isaac William Parsons who as a young man served in the army.

He also had a cousin, Charles Dunn, who had been in the Royal Navy but drowned two years before Louis joined when his ship HMS Eurydice sank off the Isle of Wight.

In 1880, on the 6^th of March, at the age of 15 years, Louis joined the Royal Navy, initially engaging for ten years’ continuous service from his 18^th birthday.

Louis did his initial training on HMS Implacable in Devonport. Formerly known as ‘Duguay-Trouin’, the Implacable had been a French ship of the line. She was captured by the Royal Navy at the Battle of Cape Ortegal in 1805 after which she continued in British service until she was brought out of commission in 1844. She became a training ship in 1855. His training was completed on HMS Boscawen, a boy’s training ship based at Portland. He specialed as a painter.

In 1882 Louis left Portland to serve on HMS Victory, famous as Nelson’s flagship at the battle of Trafalgar, which was moored in Portsmouth Harbour in a rather decrepit state. Then, between autumn of that year and January of 1886, he joined HMS Linnet for a cruise to the far east.

I left HMS Victory (Nelson’s old flagship, where I had been stationed since 1st of February which date I left HMS Boscawen at Portland) at 1 o’ clock on the morning of Sept 19th 1882 to join HMS Linnet then at Chatham, commissioned that day. There were several men belonging to HMS Duke of Wellington and Excellent at the Portsmouth Harbour Station who were also going to the Linnet and some who were going to Sheerness to join HMS Osprey also commissioned that day. I with my companions (boys) was turned over to a Petty Officer going to our ship, who took charge of us and threatened to shoot us if we attempted to run away; of course he was joking but we were much too scared to think so then! After travelling four or five weary hours, I say weary hours because we were sitting five a side in the compartment we occupied, and so, of course we had not much room to move about and that made us weary of our ride to Victoria Station (London). A few of my comrades lived in or about London, but the majority of us coming from roundabout Dorsetshire did not care much for the sight we had of the Metropolis. There was a great deal too much bustle and traffic to suit our quiet life in Dorset, but I suppose we should soon get used to that. By the time our train started there was quite a gathering of friends and relatives of men who were going with us and who came to see the last of their ‘boys in blue’. As the train left we sang ‘the Anchor's Weighed’ and several other songs. The women used their handkerchiefs pretty freely and many I heard say “poor young fellows they are leaving home for far away”.

We arrived at Chatham about four o’ clock and then found we had a long walk before us in the mud and rain. We hired a man to take our bags down for us to the Dockyard. We found some more men here from Sheerness Barracks also there were men working on board to get her ready for sea. The Marines who were from the Chatham Division were on board. We had tea served out after waiting till six o’ clock and then we had to get in and drink out of anything we could pick up. (Candlesticks, pepper boxes, old tins of any sorts.) After our tea we had to sling hammocks, we slept very close the first night but soon we found more billets and then we did not disturb each other so much getting in and out of our hammocks. We did not have much to do for a day or two but pointing ropes and other small jobs.

We had to go over to our ship every morning to clean guns and bright work up to 9 o’ clock when the hands were piped to fall in and we were then told off in parties to go up to the dockyard to draw stores the remainder of the day. We had handcarts and brought the stores down to the ship unloaded and then back for more. It surprised me to see the amount of stores we had to take in. One morning while employed cleaning guns the Admiral and two gentlemen came on board to see how the work was progressing and pass their opinions on the fittings of the ship. One of the gentlemen (I suppose they were dockyard officials said he thought we ought to have more shot racks placed round the upper deck. The other said “I suppose there would be the same old objection that the enemy’s shots would be very inconvenient coming in and scattering our ammunition.” The Admiral turned and said rather curtly and droll “I should think the enem’s shots coming in at any time would be very inconvenient.” A few days after this we were paid a month’s advance and what other money we had due and gave four days leave to each watch. Port watch returned off leave on Monday 1st October and my watch went.

On Saturday 20th October we ran our steam trial of six hours full speed. We went as far as Dover and back going at the rate of twelve knots per hour. Our trial having proved satisfactory we returned to our buoy opposite the RN Barracks almost at right angles with the pier. We were inspected on Wednesday 24th October by the Captain of Sheerness Barracks. We first fell in in divisions and were inspected then we mustered by the open list, i.e. every man had to go round before the Captain as his name was called and call out his number, rating, gunnery qualifications and badges. Next came general quarters (heavy gun drill) and in the midst of it the first division of boarders was sounded then the second (men armed with rifles and cutlasses, pistols or boarding pikes). We then went to fire quarters and afterwards some hands mustered their bags and others their bedding. The Captain then left very well satisfied.

On Friday Novr 3rd we left at 10.45am and went to Dungeness where we dropped our mud hook for the night. As we passed Dover’s white cliffs I looked to see if I could discern a gun on the top, but it was too misty. The gun I looked for was called (so I have heard my Grandfather say) Queen Anne’s pocket piece. He used to walk sentry go by the gun and he used to repeat these lines to me which I believe he said was on the breech of the gun. “Sponge me out and keep me clean, And I’ll send a ball to Calais Green.” One of our men pointed out a spot a little Deal side of the Castle, a bit of rising ground where he said Queen Anne’s Pocket Piece stood. I caught a glimpse of the French coast as we came down the straights of Dover. We left about 9am and at 10am we started running full speed for 6 hours. I with some more had to go in the stokehold and help the stoker when it was our watch on deck.

Monday evening we saw the last of Old England’s shores for a few months (27th Novr). Tuesday we started to cross the Bay of Biscay with a lumpy sea against us and we were pitched and tossed about a great deal. The seas washed us fore and aft. The ropes off the topgallant forecastle being stretched right aft the whole length of the rope. The lookout man had to get by the foremast and hold on. Captain Harris’s dog Fanny was washed off the poop on Thursday morning, but we picked her up again; she was a pitiful looking object when we got her in the boat but she soon got allright again after she had been aboard a little while. My grandfather travelled almost the same course in his way to Spain or at least to Lisbon in 1809 to join the Duke of Wellington’s army in Spain under whom he served through the Peninsular War returning in 1814 to Dublin (now he is 93 years of age). My brother also passed over it on his way to Malta in the SS Egypt with the 75th Regt. Thursday night we got into some rollers and had to secure our mess traps.

One of our men was sleeping under a table when a sea came down one of the ventilators and swamped him and before he could get up a bag of flour and a jar of lard came down off the mess shelf, the bag bursted and he was smothered with flour, lard and salt water. When we arrived at Gibraltar we lashed alongside the coaling jetty and Monday morning we coaled ship, the natives brought the coal in baskets and we stowed it.

We left Gibraltar on 6th Decr, Wednesday, and proceeded to Malta.

Monday the 11th Decr we did some gun practice, also fired some of our boom torpedoes blowing up the target when we had finished firing. We had to unship ventilators and berthing, and stow it on the lower deck, also to strike lower yards and topmast, in clearing deck for action. We reached Malta on Tuesday 12th December. The Maltese swarmed alongside in their quaint looking boats, called gondolas. The lower deck was full of them, bartering cigars &c. for old clothes. I heard several peculiar phrases from them. They would call out “Jaack you want good cegar I give you one bottel wine and box cegars for noting”, “you give me ze blankets”. Some would try to crack old ships with you. The Alex [Alexandra] for instance. “Ah, I know de Alec ven she vos a gunboat” meaning she had since grown to a big ship.
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I went up to Suez it was a long walk. We had plenty of donkey boys after us wanting us to ride and bestowing no end of praise on the qualifications of their respective steeds. “Dis am Jerusalem Johnny debbil to go.” Some of the people sat down on the side of the streets and went to sleep covered over with their long robes and looking like bundles of rags. Some of the houses were worse than stables in England. There were no doors to some of them and the furniture consisted of a board and some rush mats. The stench was very disagreeable to a European.

1883
We had a shark follow us from Suez here and from here to Suakim and Massowa; we had our cook mad and he had to be watched closely. I had to do four hours watch over him, but I don’t think I should have been so contented in my mind if I had known how he was, for I was only told he was sick and as he was in his hammock at the time I did not feel any frightened, but next morning when the Doctor saw him he looked so funny, that I thought what was the matter. He kicked the Doctor and threw a gun lever at another man. We sent him from Aden.
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We left Colombo on Wednesday 7th Feb. for Singapore passing round Point de Galle. Colombo was an attractive place &mdash everything looked so beautifully green; it made me think of my schooldays, when we used to run paperchases to Duncliffe Wood.
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We left Singapore for Hong Kong on 26th Feb. and arrived on Tuesday 6th March. We had a fair passage until Sunday 4th March when it came on to blow. We ran down lower yards and topmast and set our storm sail but the wind headed us so we had to take them in. It rained very heavy at times and on Tuesday when we sighted Victoria Peak [Hong Kong] it poured in torrents until an hour or so before we anchored. This was our introduction to Hong Kong. While at Malta the Maltese had told us we should [not?] want oilskins in China, so some of them bartered theirs away, but they would not forget the fact when it rained so, and I fancy the Maltese who had them would not have been overjoyed at the anathema that were hurled on their heads by those who had been duped into parting with their oilskins.

We gave general leave here [Shanghai]. It was a very nice place, there are some nice drives and walks here. The Shanghai races were on at this time. I and several more went to the races, there were hundreds of Europeans there and heaps of the Celestials as the Chinese call themselves.

When we got back to Shanghai we had a Jin Ricksha race (a light cart pulled by a man). It was fine fun, each one trying to make his man go faster than the others by tempting him with small coins or beating him with his handkerchief tied in a knot. I was leading in mine but one wheel came off and I was thrown out, but I scrambled in another but came in last, as the poor fellow could not run much with two of us in one Ricksha. One man got so excited that he kept standing up, and overbalancing himself at last and fell out forward on top of his man; neither were hurt.

We left on May 6th for Chefoo where we arrived after a fair trip on May 9th. The British Consul died in the morning as we arrived in the evening. We heard he died of fright. The Zephyr had some marines on guard here so I suppose there was something occurred before we came. This is a dirty place; we only went on shore to church and to play cricket amongst ourselves. We went to a temperance entertainment here, and when some men were called on to give a few words on their experience, one of our men (not knowing what they were asked to go on stage for) got up and sang a song.

Thursday night 24th May we were turned out at 11.15pm for fire quarters, a junk loaded with cotton had caught on fire and drifted down on our ship. The Chinese seemed stupefied and let the junk go where the wind and tide liked to take it. It got jammed across our bows so we boarded her and pumped away for about 1 1/2 hours before we got it under. The Chinese were not pleased about our interfering to put it out and went away growling; they even tried to push our men out of the junk but they desisted as soon as the hose was played on them.

We had a battalion day here also a few days’ field gun exercise. There is a racecourse here a little way out of the place and we used to go every evening to play cricket there. We played with the Europeans and beat them by 48 runs.

We found ourselves in a rather dangerous place not far from Cheefoo, we were close to Cock Island (a little ways off Cheefoo) and plenty of rocks around us We now got up steam (all that had been sailing) and proceeded to our anchorage at Cheefoo distant about 20 miles arriving there about 7.30am on the 20th July. On Monday and Tuesday 23rd and 24th July we landed on Cock Island for drill previous to our grand landing for inspection by Admiral Willes which we had on Thursday 25th. On landing we were told off for our battalion. The first consisted of the field and machine guns and their respective crews and pioneers. Then came the small arm men of the Curacoa and Audacious headed by the flagship’s band, an ambulance party bringing up the rear. The 2nd battalion (headed by the fife and drum band of the Cleopatra) consisted of the men from the Cleopatra, Pegasus, Daring, Albatross, Linnet, Vigilant and Zephyr and their ambulance party. Then came the marines and marine artillery. We numbered altogether about 1200. The Admiral was very well satisfied with the whole thing.

We left here on Sept 4th Tuesday for Vladivostok, arriving there on Wednesday 5th Sept. Vladivostok is the principal Russian naval port on this station and is well protected naturally and artificially. There is a large arsenal here and lots of soldiers. We had to go in a narrow passage about a mile to get in here, forts on both sides. We could see the soldiers at drill every day. The place looks something after the English style and is pretty big though only in its infancy now. There are a lot of convicts a little ways inland and several exiles here. Some Russian officers came here and looked all round our ships but they did not allow us to see any of their fortifications. They took one of our officers prisoner and sent him on board his ship for sketching ashore near some of their strongholds. There are plenty of Chinese here and a few Japanese. Neither of whom are liked by the Russians, at least that is the opinion I formed from the way they were treated. We coaled ship here and had to get it in in buckets; it was nearly all dust but as it rained hard we were not in much mess.

It is beginning to feel cold here about now; it is frozen over in the winter. We dressed ships and fired a salute here on Tuesday 11th Sept. I went on shore here but it was not so pleasant as I thought it would be; we had to pay 3s for a bottle of English beer (supposed to be).

Then we had a row with the Russians and they drove us down to the waters edge, where we stood (of course we had more men coming every minute). Then we rushed at them and took away any of our men they had driven down. Some Russian official came down and put a stop to them and our position being seen from the ships there were boats sent in for us also a strong picket to pick up stragglers. The row partly started through our men offering the Polish exiles some drink; the Russians would not allow it and knocked the glasses out of our men’s hands. I believe we got the best of the row as we only had one or two hurt with sticks or stones and I saw several of them carried into some of the houses close by rather the worse for wear. We got no more leave here.
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Near Canton Shanien is a pretty little spot; but the native city is much the same as ever, squalid houses and dirty narrow streets, (what I could see of them, for we were not allowed in that part). Lots of the natives live in boats on the river. We went ashore every night to play rounders and quoits or cricket and Sundays to church.

On Wednesday 28th Novr we went to an entertainment in the Freemasons’ Hall. On Thursday 29th Novr we had a regatta here. The USS Juniata and the French gunboat Lutin having arrived here a day or two before, joined in the races. Of course the American boats took everything (as they are much more suitable for racing than our heavier built boats). But every one of our men that pulled had $1 each. The punts (old boats or rafts used for cleaning and painting the ship’s outside) were very good. Our punt was rigged in imitation of a turret ship and the men dressed in nigger costume and blackened their faces. The Americans rigged theirs like a river steamer and had on fancy dresses; both of them had banjos and concertinas in them and went alongside each other’s ships and fired 21 guns salute (with friction tubes) and played the national anthems.

On Sunday Decr 16th we left for Hong Kong where we arrived about 2.30pm having left Canton at daybreak. We gave general leave here and spent our Xmas here as well. The troopship Orontes left here on Decr 20th with the crews of Zephyr, Cleopatra and Daring, also invalids and time expired men. We had a very comfortable Xmas. Our messes were decorated with coloured ribbons and papers and green stuff all put in fancy shapes. We also had fruit in abundance.

At Hong Kong on Sunday February 10th as we came out of church instead of going on board to a nice hot dinner we were piped to shift into working dress and fall in immediately. We then got out fire engine and hoses and all requisites for a fire and had to pull 1 1/2 miles. It was a kerosene store that had caught fire up the farther end of the harbour. There were crews from all ships there, French, German, Italians, Russian and Portuguese as well, the Hong Kong fire brigade and a detachment of the 3rd Buffs. We pulled down one building and shifted the kerosene out; we could not save any where the fire actually was, but had to let it burn out and content ourselves with preventing it spreading any further. We got back to the ship about 3 o’ clock wet, dirty and hungry with none too pleasant faces either for our dinners were spoilt.

We had Admiral’s inspection on Saturday 9th February, afterwards we had 48 hours’ leave granted to each watch and left on 24th February for Canton, arriving the same afternoon. We had a draft of boys and a cook join us just before we left; they came out from England in the Hankow which brought drafts for the Station. I went on shore on Friday 22nd February to Hong Kong Races. There were lots of people there. The Chinese had stalls and gambling tables of all descriptions there. A Sikh policeman upset one of their gambling tables and the Chinaman struck him on the head with a stool and knocked him down, then he ran away. I ran after him through mud and water (for it had been raining) and finally caught him by the pig tail. I do no know who was most surprised, me or him, for we soon had a crowd round and I being out of breath running could hardly speak and did not know what to do with him beyond occasional knocks and twitching his pig tail. Presently the man whom he had knocked down came up and his chum with him and took him over; they explained to the other Sikh police what had happened, and thanked me, then marched him off to prison. I do not know what induced me to chase him for I did not know what to do with him amongst so many of his brother celestials and I believe if the Sikh had not come up I should have been marched off instead of John Chinaman.
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We left Penang on Tuesday 19th August for Oleleh (Sumatra) close to Achin Head and arrived there Thursday 21st August after a very uncomfortable trip. A steamer was wrecked a few hundred miles from Penang on the Sumatra coast, called the Nisero; her crew were made prisoners by the Rajah of Tenom and taken up the country. The Pegasus came down with orders from our Admiral for their release, and we were sent down to assist them if needed. We were now looking for the Pegasus and she was expecting us.

We called into Laviga Bay on Saturday afternoon and anchored for an hour while we went ashore to a Dutch fort to enquire for her. We heard that she was at Boe Boe. We got up anchor again and after 2 hours steaming we arrived at Boe Boe and found the Pegasus and turned over what orders we had and the two men we had brought from Singapore.

There were heaps of cocoa nuts here; we could have got loads if we had landed. The surf is dreadful along this coast and we rolled heavily all the time we were at anchor. There were lots of sharks so it was not safe to bathe although it looked so tempting. At some of the places we could see the bottom and trace the cable right along to the anchor. The Pegasus lost a boat’s crew here in the surf; it was capsized.

We passed the wreck of the Nisero on Friday evening; there was only her bows and two masts showing — she was almost embedded in the sand. We left here on Sunday 24th August for Olehleh where we arrived on Monday 25th August, 4pm. We did some of our firing this trip. It rained nearly every day at intervals. We passed a lot of nice looking islands, well wooded, but most of them had heavy surf round them.

We remained at Oleleh until Sept 1st when we heard that the Rajah would give up his prisoners, so the Pegasus waited for them and we proceeded to Penang and after a pleasant trip we anchored there on Wednesday 3rd September and landed Col Lockhart and Capt Maxwell and servants. We played cricket here with the 27th Regt and they beat us by an innings and 97 runs. It rained several times while we were playing. The barracks were surrounded with cocoa nut trees and you could hear the rain beating on the leaves long before it reached you. The Pegasus arrived here on Sunday 14th September with the captive crew of the Nisero.

We had our second anniversary at sea (2 years in commission) when we finished our quarterly firing in honour of the occasion Friday 19th September. We had a nice cool breeze behind us and pleasant weather and with both these in our favour arrived at Hong Kong on Wednesday 24th Sept. The Esk and Vigilant were here and the flagship came in next day. We coaled, painted and gave general leave.
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We left Shanghai on Tuesday 28th October and anchored at Woosung in the evening. On Wednesday morning 29th October we got up anchor and went out for target practice. We finished about 3pm and then proceeded to Chin Kiang where we anchored in the middle watch. Chin Kiang is the first port on the great Yangtze Kiang River. We had a marine die here at 10pm, he was only ill 3 days. We buried the marine here.

The Albatross was here waiting for us to relieve her. We gave her her ammunition and she left next day. We were now 640 miles up the river which is the largest in Asia; it is 3000 miles long. We moored ship here.

Hankow is a great tea trading place. I went out with some friends to see round the place. We went into a temple, something I should think like a chamber of horrors. I do not know for what reason we were pelted with mud and stones when we got outside but sure it was we had it, and could not turn round to get out of the city but had to go straight through and be punished all the way without a chance of paying back. We heard from one of the missionaries that it was as much as our lives were worth to go through their city without a guide for they hated Europeans. (We did not try it again.)

We spent our evenings and general leaves at a shed we had lent us by a Mr Price of Hankow. We fitted it up and covered the sides with canvas, put a boat’s stove in it and had one end for a Canteen. We christened it Muggins’ Hotel. On general leave we were allowed to take our bedding ashore to sleep in. We used to buy a sheep and cook for our meals, sometimes rob a Celestial hen roost and bake the fowl rolled up in clay with feathers and all on, so that when they came to look for them (if we were suspected) there was not a feather to be seen. We had several sing songs there and had some of the gentlemen there very often. It was very cold and we often when scrubbing decks had the water freezing as it was put on the deck. Some of the gentlemen ashore had house boats and invited our officers to go up the river with them on shooting excursions and they often came back with good bags. We built a 600 yards firing point here and were the first to use it as we did our annual firing here shortly after.

There was a very comfortable room lent us by the Rev. H. Johns where we could have tea and c. but it would not hold many and was not so romantic as camping out at Muggins’ Hotel. We spent our Christmas here pretty comfortably and enjoyed ourselves as well as could be expected of course we had to make all the sport ourselves and we were not wanting in funny people in the Linnet.

We carried out near about the same routine all the time we lay here which was until March 15th 1885.

We received a telegram from the Admiral Sir William Dowell on Saturday 14th March to get ready for sea at an hour’s notice; on Sunday 15th another ‘Leave immediately - Woosung’. We had our fires lit and it was not long before we were off. We received the telegram at 6.50pm and was gone at 7.30pm. We stopped long enough at Chin Kiang Monday to send a tombstone for Fossey’s grave.

Our sudden call was on account of the Russians with whom we were almost at war, in fact we did not know a minute that the news might arrive, we were all in good spirits and would have worked all night without grumbling just to have had a brush with them next day.

Affairs are looking bad although it is pretty quiet. We have notice to come off if three guns are fired any time we are on shore. A gentleman said in Shanghai, to some of us that if we beat the Russians he would treat us to a champagne supper. (We wanted it at once.) We told him we could beat them easy enough after, or never return to get the Supper. He said he should have great pleasure to pay for two but he wanted to see the work done first. We saw him after the scare was over and claimed our reward on the ground that we frightened them so they would not fight. He gave us a bottle of champagne to drink his health and we did it.
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We left Chemulpho on Friday 12th June for Chefoo and arrived Saturday night 13th. We coaled Sunday morning leaving at 5pm Monday 15th for Chemulpho again. When the Agamemnon went into Yokohama the Russian flagship was there and she pointed her guns at her (the Agamemnon). Captn Long of the Agamemnon steamed up towards her at an angle of about 45° and he said had they fired as much as a pistol he would have rammed her and cut her through. The papers gave the account. The Admiral had to apologise to the Japanese Government for clearing for action in a neutral port; also to our flag through Capt. Long. While the Agamemnon slowly steamed round her the Russian band had to play ‘The Queen’ and their crew stand to attention. It was galling to them, but our men were greatly pleased at their humiliation.

When we returned from target practice Tuesday at 1pm we had orders to prepare for sea again so we left at 5pm the same day 30th [June]. We passed the Swift on July 1st noon, she was coming from Shanghai and we were going there and arrived next day July 2nd Thursday. We painted ship, coaled and gave 24 hrs leave. We dressed in nigger costumes and blacked our faces, borrowed some Chinese and Japanese fiddles and banjos and paraded the streets in rickshas. We frightened some of the celestials and had a few skirmishes with them; we always beat them and they would go down dark alleys and then get a mob and often we had to fight our way back against long odds. We did not follow them down when they were up to their tricks. The Swift came in on Thursday 16th July and we left on Friday 17th for Port Hamilton.

We arrived at Nagasaki on Wednesday 22nd 3pm, coaled, took in bread and other provisions, also material for building huts. We left at 10am Friday 24th July, the Daring also left with us, she carried a deck cargo of coal and bullocks besides other things. We had bricks and cement and coal and some bullocks. At 8pm it came on to blow and soon we had a strong typhoon.

About 9.30 we lost sight of the Daring, also a steamer called the Hever (she was bound for Shanghai) who reported Linnet and Daring gone down in a typhoon when she arrived at her destination. About 11pm it was misty and I think it was about that time the typhoon began to get strongest; at 11.30 we had our storm staysail blown out of the bolt ropes and sprung the jib-boom. Soon after our gig was lifted out of the gripes and one fall unhooked the sail, tackle was hooked to the davit head or we should have lost boat and davits as well, for the next sea half unshipped the foremost davit and twisted it up as though ‘twere paper. We had to secure it somehow by lashings. We were all drenched and had to stop up in it until 3am when it began to drop a little, then we called the watch (i.e. one watch went below) but everywhere was swamped but we could not get our hammocks down. It freshened again about 6am. We had bricks mortar, coal, potatoes and matting and bullocks all mixed and topsy turvy, for we rolled and pitched very heavily. As the seas struck us she trembled like a human being in almost every plank. We could not keep the galley fire alight and had salt water in our cocoa and in our rum at dinnertime.

About 3 in the afternoon Saturday 25th we sighted land but could not make it out for some considerable time; at last we saw it was Port Hamilton and we made a run for the opening, the sea had abated a lot after noon. There is a stretch of shingle runs out from one point at the entrance and I believe we fairly jumped it. It surprised the other ships to see us come in and we were in an awful plight. The Daring came in next morning about 10 o’ clock. They had to kill some of their bullocks (as they had their legs broken) and throw some of their deck cargo overboard. We brought ours safe, but in a sorry state.
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August, at Shanghai. I was chaffing a Japanese girl here about marrying her and taking her to England with me. She said “me no speakee too muchee English, makey lose, no can find.” I said I would give her a letter to bring and send someone to meet her at the first place she landed in England. She used to laugh and thought it a good joke. I was rather surprised though afterwards, for I received a letter from her a few months after, and just as we were going to Hong Kong to pay off, she wished to see me to make arrangements for going to England.

The cholera was bad in Shanghai the last time we called there previous to paying off and we did not communicate with the shore, so poor little Wakhombeysaw could not even see me to say goodbye, let alone arrange for a passage home. We also told her mother and father that one of us would take her away. They were very nice people; they kept a restaurant and I think did a good trade. Her father used to do a lot of tattooing as well; I wear one of his marks now.

We coaled Tuesday 6th October, at Shanghai and left at daybreak Wednesday 7th for Port Hamilton where we arrived after a dirty trip on Friday the 9th October. We brought the news that we were to proceed to Hong Kong to prepare for paying off. We went outside and did some target practice on Monday 19th October and returned in the evening. On Saturday October 31st we hoisted our paying off pennant at 8pm and steamed round the fleet, who cheered us as we passed out on our way to Hong Kong. We took invalids and time expired men from the other ships; Sunday and Monday 1st and 2nd November we had bad weather, but the remainder of the trip fair. We arrived at Hong Kong on 5th November Thursday and began to strip the following Monday. We had to hulk aboard the Wivern as our ship was turned topsy turvy and there was a lot of repairs to do to her. We spent a very comfortable Christmas here, the more so because we were paying off.

The crew of the Linnet were paid off on January 6^th and travelled to Malta on board the Orontes. The Orontes went into dock there and Louis and the rest the passengers completed their journey to Portsmouth on the Jumma. Most of them were bringing home chests of curios and there was some difficulty finding space to stow them all. They reached Spithead on Sunday 28^th February 1886 and were given seven weeks leave.

When Louis returned from leave in April he spent some time on HMS Asia which was lying up on the Gosport side of Portsmouth Harbour before being posted to HMS Pylades.

I remained in this ship until August 17th when I was sent to Sheerness to commission HMS Pylades, a 14 gun corvette or a 3rd class cruiser as she was afterwards termed.

The men were all singing and playing banjos and other instruments all the way. Some of them were, as we afterwards found, not bad comedians. At a station just before Sheerness (Sittingbourne) we had to change trains, or wait some time. At any rate we were out on the platform. The station master was furious because some of them would cross the lines while others were wheeling each other on the hand trucks and those riding were playing their instruments, causing a lot of amusement to the people who were there. We went on board the ship when we arrived to get out clews and lashing hammocks and bags and then turned over to the Royal Naval Barracks No 13 Room. The 1st Lieutenant was on board when we went there and I heard him say that this was a bright lot to send to commission a ship, they have all been imbibing pretty freely, but I’ll shake them up tomorrow, and he did.

We scrubbed decks, went to fire quarters and started several other jobs next day to get her ready for sea. She was a smart trim looking vessel and I think everyone took a liking to her.

The Tourmaline commissioned a week before us and the ship’s company occupied 15 Room in the Barracks, being the opposite wing to ours. One of our men had occasion to go down to the Quadrangle at 11pm on the 1st or 2nd Saturday we were there, and on his return to the room was accosted by a curious looking object in a night dress, asking him for a drink. He directed him to a room that led across to 15 Room telling him he would be more likely to get a drink in that room than any other as the canteen manager lived there. He then left him and came on into his own room, but strangely enough did not turn in his hammock, but got on top of the beams. He was looking so frightened and his eyes were fixed on the door. Another man sleeping just under the beam he was on, woke I suppose by his sense of someone looking at him; seeing the direction of the other’s gaze, he also looked, and saw the same object peering in at the door; he could not speak, but shook the next man to him and pointed to the door. Several were awakened like this, and some turned out to see what it was, but came back with the news that nothing was to be seen about anywhere. The next morning we heard that the ship’s steward of the Tourmaline was found hanged with his hammock lashing, between 11pm and quarter past; life was extinct and it was supposed he had been hanging some time. Every one of us that saw the object peering in at the door (and there was not a few) said it must have been the man’s ghost. No one would cross the Room leading from ours to 15 after dark if they could help it.
. . . . .

We left Madeira on Saturday 16th October. We feathered our screw Sunday morning and set sail, with starboard studding sails. We had to take them in Monday evening. We had pretty fair weather and some days made good sailing, doing 260 and 280 miles. Sometimes the wind was nothing and we were just crawling along. We saw a few sharks but did not catch any although we baited the hook several times. On Saturday afternoon November 6th we were bowling along at about 7 knots, and not being far from Bermuda were cleaning the ship’s side. One boy lost his footing and fell overboard. Immediately the Bosun Mate’s call sounded and clear lower deck, square main yard, away lifeboats crew, man overboard, rang out and in a few seconds all was bustling about on deck at their different stations. The life buoy had been let go and the boat was lowered and the crew pulling hard to reach the man. Meanwhile those on board had the ship hove too. All was now anxious to learn how the lad fared, and from time to time the signalman (who had gone aloft with his glass) passed word down, as to where he was. At last the boat reached the buoy, but no sign of the lad; he had disappeared. The boat’s crew searched around for nearly an hour but only found his cap and the bucket he had been using. When they went to pick up the buoy there were two large sharks close by it and undoubtedly they had eaten him. This occurrence cast a gloom over us all. We read the burial service and then proceeded on our way.
. . . . .

We left St Georges [Bermuda] on December 21st and joined the fleet outside in the afternoon. We spent our Xmas at sea when we had boat races in the afternoon. The weather was fine and we hove to. We had several races with the ships (sailing); we won two which was very creditable as the Canada had not been beaten before. On December 29th we had a sailing race again. The Tourmaline, after rounding the Lily, ran into us, carrying away our port quarter boats’ davits and crossjack yard. We then had to heave to and repair damages and it being rope yarn Sunday the men were rather disappointed with having to work. We picked up the fleet next morning and the Bellerophon’s (Flag’s) band played ‘Where have you been to all the day’ as we came up. In all the races each ship as she passed the flagship had appropriate tunes played for them. These races were very exciting for us, especially when our 1st Lieut. Mr Bailly was sailing her, as he was a thorough sailor man and was as proud of his ship as any man afloat. We could almost say every time he had the handling of her that she was bound to win. But he was unfortunately sick most of the time.
. . . . .

1887
We had a regatta here [Barbados]; we won 3 first and 2 second prizes. There was an old bumboat woman here used to bring fish and fruit off to sell. We called her Blacking Box. She would say ‘Yo buy de fish and Alligatur Pares an de balana ob Blacking Box my Lub, dey is berry nice.’ She had a fight with another bumboat family and refused to be turned out of the ship even if no one bought anything of her. She was told to go unless she sold her things cheaper, for she charged a third more than the other did.

On Sunday the petty officers of the flagship went by train to Esperanza. We went Monday 11th April. We got our provisions ready overnight and turned out at 3am leaving the ship at 4am and Vera Cruz at 9.30am. Vera Cruz is a nice looking place; there is a large square close to where we landed, with a fountain in the centre and our flagship’s band played there in the evening. We stopped at several stations and were 7 hours on the road. The scenery was magnificent, at times you could look out of the window down, perpendicularly into a ravine three or four hundred feet deep and on the other side the snow clad mountain tops loomed up high above our heads. We were at about 11,380 feet above the sea level when we reached Esperanza or Orizaba. We had our final view of the scenery on the road back and our last look at some of the Orizaba senoritas who I daresay if we could have spoken Spanish we should have made love to. We had a stroll round Vera Cruz when we got back and saw them promenading around the fountain. We left at 10 o’ clock and got on board at 11pm downright tired.
. . . . .

We arrived at Nassau on Saturday 23rd April and anchored about 1 mile from the lighthouse. This is a nice looking place, the natives brought off fruit, eggs and sponges and some submarine curiosities. We left for Bermuda on Tuesday 26th April and arrived after a fair trip on Tuesday May 3rd. We were all glad to get back to Bermuda for bad as it is we could get something to eat in the way of vegetables that we could not get in the West Indies where we had to put up with horse beans for potatoes.

We coaled ship here and Capt. Rolfe joined us and gave us a pint of beer each on Queen’s birthday.
. . . . .

We left 9am Wednesday 22nd June for a sham attack on Halifax. The Admiral and a few big men from the regiment and ashore went out with us to view the fight. We had a lot of boats full of men with us for landing. We started firing at 10.15am and continued firing until you could not see anything for smoke, then the boats crept out from under our stern full manned and landed their guns and men close to one of the forts without being seen. Some of the boats’ men landed at McNab’s Island (one side of the entrance to the harbour) but they were supposed to have been beaten as they fell into an ambuscade. While the men were landing we retired a little but still kept up the fire to attract the attention of the forts.

The reporter we had on board said he trembled for the safety of his ink bottle he had left on the Capt’s table when we fired our broadside of 14 guns. There were thousands of people down along the shore each side watching us. We finished and went up the harbour again about 1.30pm. We were to have illuminated the ship the night before but it came on foggy and we could not do it. We sent a field gun’s crew ashore to compete for the prize at the tournament and they won the 1st, a silver cup value £9. The first Lieutenant filled it with champagne and the gun’s crew had a drink round out of it. The remainder of the ship’s company had a drink of beer each out of it. We had turkey for dinner and a pint of beer each man and bread and cheese and pickles for supper on Jubilee Day. The people onshore were very pleased with our display in the mimic attack, it was good amusement for them, but plenty of hard work for poor Jack.

We arrived at St John on Saturday 9th July and moored ship. The tide runs very fast here and there is a great rise and fall. On Sunday 10th we were full of visitors; they were very nice and sociable. We gave a free and easy on Thursday 14th July and had refreshments laid out nicely and invited the people from ashore; there were plenty came on board and they enjoyed themselves immensely. On Friday I had a cousin come to see me from Fredericton and we both being strangers to each other I suppose I felt rather embarrassed; at any rate I could not induce her to have tea, although they (her and her friends) wished me to go ashore with them where I suppose I should have been the bashful. Our bugler and a bandsman from the flagship deserted at St John.
. . . . .

We left Bermuda 16th August for Barbados where we arrived on Tuesday 23rd August and gave general leave. We passed loads of gulf weed on the road and saw lots of flying fish and caught some. We had our first anniversary on 17th Aug Wednesday and made a holiday of it. We had bad weather Thursday 18th and it lasted until Sunday when it eased down a bit. The Comus came in to Barbados on Sunday 28th August. We played a cricket match with them and beat them by 15 runs. Blacking Box was still on the run here but had cheapened her wares considerably. We left Barbados for St Lucia on Saturday 3rd September and arrived there Sunday evening 4th September. We coaled on Monday and left for English Harbour (Antigua) on Wednesday 7th September. We did some firing in the evening and arrived and anchored Thursday in English Harbour; we went seining in the afternoon but caught nothing.

On Wednesday 14th September we ran on a reef about 15 miles from Barbados about 4pm and stuck fast. We went to work to try and get her off but did not succeed till 2am Thursday 15th September, when we went in and anchored. We sent the divers down to see what damage had been done and found that we had torn off about 40 feet of our false keel.

We had to leave next morning Friday 16th September for Trinidad where we arrived Saturday 17th Sept. Our divers went down again and put a lot of copper on. The Captain said we deserved great praise for the creditable manner we worked to get the ship off. We were in a dangerous place and would have gone to pieces if it had come on to blow. We did our prize firing here and went out to fire at our night target as well; we had visitors on board each time. We had a conjuring entertainment here by Prof. Glover.

Some of our men went ashore to compete in the two and four men drill (rigging fire engines and fetching water). They took 1st prize at one drill and 2nd at another.

There was a lugger seized at La Guaira by the Venezuelan Government and detained unlawfully and they had to pay 5000 dollars for it. We were sent to Trinidad to be ready at once if they did not pay it to the Forward who was already down there. However the money was paid and the Forward brought it up to Trinidad. We had an excursion party to the pitch lakes here but I did not go, they enjoyed themselves very well.
. . . . .

1888
There was a court martial on board the Comus on our Navigating Officer and the Capt. relating to our running ashore off Barbados. It lasted two days, the Capt. was severely reprimanded and the Navigator severely reprimanded and dismissed the ship. We cheered the Captain as he came on board wearing his sword and he thanked us very heartily for our good opinion of him.

We left on Sunday July 15th for St John’s (Newfoundland) where we arrived Tuesday 17th. We passed a large iceberg on the morning of the 17th and several smaller ones just before we got in; there was one large one broken or breaking up just at the entrance to St Johns. There were also a lot of places where they were drying fish on each side going in. The Emerald was here, also the French ship Hurmann. We moored ship here. This is a large place and is full of fishing boats; a lot of them come from Dundee during the season and go back with fish. We had a landing party here — they marched up to a field called Qui Vidi about 2 miles out of the town and had hundreds of people following, it was a grand sight for them. We played a cricket match with the Tourmalines here but got beaten. The houses are nearly all built of wood and there are several stores on the beach. Some of our men bought some cod fish here and in order to smuggle drink on board had them cut open and bottles of whiskey put inside then sewn up and they marched on board with them feeling quite safe from detection. So many cod went aboard and men were found intoxicated that at last the inoffensive cod was suspected and sure enough the next one that came off was found to have swallowed 2 bottles of Hennesy’s three star, but no one could be found to own so drunken a fish. The man had heard a rumour and was afraid to bring it on himself so he sent it off to his mess with no names marked on it.

We left here Sunday morning 22nd July with Sir H. Blake (Governor of Newfoundland) and Lord Fitzgerald (his Secretary) for a tour round the Island.

We left Burin on the morning of the 25th July and hove to at the entrance to Fortune Bay. The Governor and his Secretary went on shore to a village and when they returned we steamed up the Bay and dropped anchor at Grand Bank. We had a try at fishing here but only caught colds. We left on Thursday 26th July but it came on a thick fog so we dropped anchor just off a place called Harbour Britain; we put out fishing lines at dinner time and just as we were getting used to the cold, the fog lifted and hands up anchor was piped just as one man had a bite, he hooked his fish and pulled it in - it was a nice sized skate; this was all was caught here. We proceeded as soon as the anchor was up and arrived the same evening, leaving in the morning Friday 27th for Burgeo where we arrived the same evening. We lost an anchor stock getting up the anchor at Despair Bay and had to ship the spare one.

We left Burgeo on Saturday 28th July and made sail as soon as clear of the land, heaving to off Rose Blanche for the Governor to land, and hove to again off the Port of Basque not far from Cape Ray. As soon as the Governor returned we went on, arriving at St George’s Bay Sunday morning 29th July; we had some people come on board here and they brought some sheep off for the Governor; amongst them was a small lamb and the men made so much of it that he would not have it killed but gave it to us for a pet. It soon knew us all, and had a bath regularly every Saturday, his wool combed and his feet blacked and polished. A cap ribbon sewn on a broad piece of red cloth and ‘Bill’ worked in blue and yellow silk on the cloth was his Sunday dress and he always fell in with the men at Divisions.

The scenery going up to Montreal is grand; we anchored about 22 miles from Montreal on Sunday 9th September and arrived and made fast to the jetty at the foot of the market, close to Nelson’s Monument in Jacques Cartier Square at 8am. We were crowded with visitors in the afternoon, one could scarcely move; they were all very nice and all loved Jack. We were employed while here, cleaning ship in the forenoon and as we could not move in the afternoons to work at anything we went ashore or amused our visitors who were already ready and willing to talk or listen to our yarns and in the evenings, to our songs. We lost 7 men here (they deserted); two were caught and brought back. We remained here till the 18th September and a pleasanter time we could not have. I had a young damsel fall in love with me here (perhaps more than one); at any rate I received her photograph and several letters after I had left Montreal. I rather fancy her father and mother thought I was in love with her, she was a very nice girl but I thought nothing more of her than an acquaintance or friend and gave her no reason to think otherwise unless it was in answering her letters, the wording of which I was cautious about.

We had an Irish boy in our mess to dish up &c. On one occasion he was told to make the tea, whereupon Mick took the kettle up and made it; when it came it was like water. The caterer said, “Mick you have put too much water here”. “Indade Sorr an its not the wather at all but its not enough tay”, said Mick. Next night the same thing occurred and the caterer said, “Mick there’s not enough tea here again, this time”. Says Mick, “Shure sorr an it’s not the tay at all, but I put the kettle under the tap and I could not see the wather for shmoke”.
. . . . .

1889
At Port Royal, in January, we used to go ashore and play skittles for a dinner (Sunday dinner) in the evenings at the Naval Canteen. It was here I first joined the A.F. and A.M.’s [Ancient Free and Accepted Masons] at the Phoenix Lodge No. 914 E.C. Port Royal Jamaica.
. . . . .

We had some rollers this trip and plenty more when we got to Colon on 1st February. The Lily, Forward, USS Ossipec and Atlanta, and the French ship Bisson were here. The Lily and Forward left soon after our arrival. There was likely to be a disturbance here through the failure of the Panama Canal Company and thousands were thrown out of work and walked to Colon in a starving condition without money or food. We sent away hundreds in steamers every day (British subjects belonging to the West India islands). Many died on the road down. We took one man on board our ship, I thought he would never stop eating. He attended the doctor a long time with his feet and could wear no boots, his feet were swollen so badly. He used to tell us all the hardships he had undergone. He was a married man and had his wife and children in London. We made a collection and sent her £7.

We had 26 under arms ready to land at any time should they be required; but as long as we could get them sent away and give them a meal there was no chance of a riot. The English are not liked here at all; no leave was given.
. . . . .

Leaving Port Royal Jamaica, 3 June, Ole Mammy Jonsing and Chloe, one of my dusky loves, and several other washerwomen came out in a boat to the entrance of the harbour to bid us adieu; they waved their bonnets and hats, Mrs Jonsing taking the lead and giving the time for three cheers. They did very well out of our ship, as they seldom came on board without having a meal of some description. Two of them fought over a cask of rock salt and we had to separate them and divide it fairly for them.
. . . . .

On August 5th there was a great carnival at Halifax lasting till Aug. 10th. There were boat races and other sports afloat and ashore during the week. On Thursday 7th August there was a grand torchlight procession of firemen and different tradesmen, etc. The firemen came from all parts of Canada. It was a very long procession. They had eight bands and took an hour to pass by, from the first to last carriage. I had a cousin to see me. He had come from Fredericton N.B. He belonged to that fire brigade. He spent one evening on board with me and brought some of his companions. They enjoyed themselves very well and I entertained them in the Warrant Officers’ berth kindly offered me by our boatswain.

The boats of the fleet made a mimic attack on Halifax, landing at Point Pleasant where we were opposed by the soldier[s] and volunteers and had a sham fight. There were thousands of spectators, many of them visitors to Halifax for the week. One evening we illuminated the ships and they looked beautiful. Our ship was rimmed with Chinese lanterns, rainbow style electric lights in every gun port and candles in each scuttle. There was a boat procession too, all illuminated. The people cheered us lustily as they passed. They said we looked like a phantom ship.

I think taking it altogether, Halifax has never witnessed or recorded in her annals such great proceedings as the Grand Carnival of August 1889.

On August 29th we left for Montreal and anchored at Trois Rivieres for the night and got under weigh at daylight and moored alongside in the afternoon of the 30th August. The Tourmaline came up next night. The people treated us as old friends and were very glad to see us back again. I had met an old friend here and gone home to tea with him where I was introduced to his sisters. They asked me if they could look round the ship (of course I said yes). Next day one came and the day after the other; I took them down and gave them some tea, as they came aboard. The afternoon the second one came down and I had just brought her a cup of tea when who should appear on the scene but my young lady of the year before who had brought a friend of hers down to see the ship (an old widow lady), as she was not with them when they came the year before. It took me by surprise and I tried to introduce them but they were both very stiff and I could see disliked each other and I was in a quandry. However to make the best of it I got rid of one and showed the other two round and found I had to escort them home. Just as I was about to leave and say good night we arrived at the old lady’s house and then I was duty bound to walk another mile to see the young one safe home. I had, of course, to call two or three times after that and once to say goodbye. I did not see the others again. We spent a very happy time here and I bought a picture of their Winter Ice Palace as a souvenir of Montreal to remind me of the young lady in years to come.

We left on September 7th and anchored at Quebec the same night. Barnum’s Greatest Show on Earth was here and I went to see it but thought very little of it.

HMS Lily was wrecked just above Forteau Bay on the Labrador Coast and seven hands lost. We were ordered there to pick up the remainder of her crew, but the Emerald was on her way with them, we heard later. They came in a day or two after without a rag to their backs save what the Emerald’s men had given them. All the ships gave them something as soon as they arrived.
. . . . .

I got 5 day’s leave here [Halifax] this time and went to Fredericton N.B. to see my cousins. There was a cooking and refreshment saloon in the train and I soon made friends with the cook and got my dinner in his berth. I met my cousins at Fredericton and they treated me excellently well. Some of the people had never seen a sailor and asked if I belonged to the Salvation Army.

We left Halifax for Bermuda to pay off on the 14th of October, taking some of the Lily’s men with us. We had a very bad trip and had to close reef for two days. The flagship’s band played us out and we had plenty of cheering and waving handkerchiefs till we were out of sight. We arrived at Bermuda on October 18th and ran a steam trial with the dockyard officials next day. We then went in the camber and started stripping etc. The Tourmaline was here in dock having left Halifax a week before us. The Canada was also here. Both were preparing to pay off. We paid off about the second week in November and left in HMS Himalaya (who brought our reliefs out) about two days after we paid off, arriving at Plymouth after a fair trip November 28th. We had one death coming home.

We arrived at Portsmouth on November 30th and turned over to our respective depots and went on leave, to relate our further adventures and lay up for a while.

Louis did not enjoy his time on his next ship, HMS Camperdown.

I returned off leave in January 1890 and served on board HMS Asia until 17th May, when I commissioned the Camperdown flagship of the Channel Fleet (Admiral Sir Michael Culme Seymour). We went to Torquay soon after commissioning and lay there a long spell. We went out and did our firing with our 67 ton guns and 6 inch guns, returning to Torquay when we had finished. We left Torquay for Bantry Bay to take part in the manoeuvres. We were far from being a comfortable ship; we had 40 punishment warrants read out in two months. A few bought their discharge having had enough of her. We coaled at Bantry Bay taking in 1000 tons and then left for the Azores (this was the job run that part of the fleet had in the manoeuvres). We took colliers to sea with us and some of the ships coaled from them. The other part of the fleet had to try and find us (I believe the object was to see what damage a hostile fleet would do to our merchant fleet). We being the hostile fleet had to elude the others and coal without being caught. I suppose a lot of damage could have been done by us, as we did not call in or go near any place, so that they could not tell where we were, or our strength without scouting for us. I do not know if this was the correct meaning of these proceedings but it is what I thought.

We had some rough weather during the cruise, and had to tow the Serpent part of the time; we did some target practice in line. We returned to Portsmouth after the manoeuvres and gave 7 days’ leave to each watch. We had a gun taken out that was damaged and another put in.

We replenished our stores and then took a tour round the United Kingdom, going to Portland for a couple of days and from there to Kingstown, Ireland, and then across to Liverpool. We had no leave given for about five weeks and the men were very dissatisfied. We were invited to a dinner in Liverpool by the people but were not allowed to go. We went on the quarterdeck and asked for leave and they granted us 24 hours each watch.

The officers had gone ashore at every place.

The Liverpool people sent us off a pipe and 2oz of tobacco each man. We had lots of visitors on board but they could not see much of the ship, for the gangway was roped off so they could only go down one ladder and follow the ropes round and go up another ladder and back into the steamer. They knew as much about a ship when they left as when they came on board.

The Aurora lost a man overboard here. We went from Liverpool to Greenock and had very bad weather. One of the ships lost a man here; he was drowned. We left Greenock for Kirkwall and had a pretty fair trip. It was squally while we lay here, and the Speedwell had a boat capsized and one or two men drowned. We left here for Scarboro where we had another invitation to a dinner. This time 40 went from our ship; no other leave was granted. The Admiral and Captain were off as soon as the anchor was down. We had very rough weather here and I being one of the lucky 40 was ashore and could not get off for two days. It was perhaps lucky for me as all the men stationed at the same place as I was for getting up anchor were more or less injured, one was killed and six others severely injured and 9 slightly; while slipping the cable or trying to get the anchor up, the chain parted and at the same time a sea came over, knocking everyone there down and injuring them as I have said. The fleet had to put to sea for safety.

We enjoyed ourselves at the dinner and went to the circus after. When the weather moderated, we got on board as soon as the ships came in and left for Portland where we sent one man to hospital and had three days coaling, then proceeded to Portsmouth and were in the Dockyard hands till 16th January 1891.

I left her here having been fortunate enough to get a man to change with me and I was heartily glad to get away from such a miserable ship; although I had to go out to China soon after I would not have gone back to her even to be allowed to stop in England to finish my time for pension.

Louis’s next posting was once again to the far east.

I was told off for HMS Imperieuse, the flagship on the China Station, the latter end of January and went on 10 days’ leave to bid adieu once more to home and friends. I returned off leave on February 7th and on the 9th embarked on board the Tamar (lying at the Farewell Jetty). We left at noon the next day. The jetty was crowded with people who came to see the last of their friends. We arrived in Plymouth Sound at 2am on Wednesday 11th February. We took in some more men here and left for Gibraltar at 12.30 noon. We had a splendid trip and arrived at the Rock at 9am Sunday morning. I went on shore after dinner until 4 o’ clock to see some friends. We left at 5pm for Malta with a fresh breeze and rather choppy sea, arriving there on Thursday morning 19th February and coaled ship. It hailed and rained in the afternoon and was very cold. We left Malta on Friday 20th at 9am for Port Said. We had a very rough passage for 2 days, the ship rolled and pitched a lot, but that did not stop us from having a free and easy and nigger party to cheer us up.

My brother was married on the 19th Feb., the day we arrived at Malta. We arrived at Port Said on Tuesday 14th and coaled. It was hailing and very chilly here. We passed the Euphrates at noon Saturday. We entered the Suez at 11.30 am Tuesday as soon as we had got our coal in. We soon had to gear up to let some ships pass. There were several parties of pelicans on the desert, looking like soldiers drawn up in squares. We had to gear up three more times during the day.

We soon had the swindlers (ostrich feather dealers) on board and the usual company of young niggers in their little canoes alongside diving for coins. We left Aden on Wednesday March 4th for Colombo and had another free and easy Thursday night 5th, also an obstacle race and a bucket race. There were barrels with paper heads to go through and one man got stuck in one and when he came out he was covered with flour; he then had to go through a windsail the one end leading into a bath of water. In the bucket race they had to run with a bucket full of water on their heads, the one bringing the most water in winning the race. These races were only amongst the officers.
. . . . .

We left next day for Tsushima, where we arrived the same evening but left again at once for Port Hamilton to do our prize firing. When we had finished we went to Nagasaki where we arrived on October 31st, coaled, painted and gave leave after another attack at the torpedo net defence drill. The Admiral left us here and went to the Alacrity to visit river ports and places where the water was not deep enough to allow us to go. One of the Japanese princes died while we were here and their ships fired minute guns the day he was buried.

We gave an entertainment on shore on November 16th and left on Tuesday 17th November for Amoy. We did our machine gun firing in the afternoon as soon as we were clear of land and arrived after a fine passage at Amoy where we moored on Friday 20th November. We gave an entertainment ashore here on Monday 23rd and the people enjoyed themselves immensely; our men had a supper afterwards at the Seamen’s Mission. We also had a ball on Tuesday on board (officers only) and left on Wednesday 25th for Hong Kong, arriving at Titam Thursday morning and had a few torpedo runs.

We went into Hong Kong in the afternoon and made fast to our buoy about 3pm. We had a fair trip down, but the wind was chilly. We spent our Christmas here pretty comfortably. We went over to Stone Cutter’s Island (a small island off Kowloon where there is a firing range) to get some green stuff to decorate with. The bumboat man supplied us with coloured paper and we dressed the messes up and made them look tasty and pretty. We had puddings, ducks, geese, hams and tarts with fruit and other things, for a sailor never studies expense at Xmas time; he believes in getting everything money can buy for a good dinner.

1892
We proceeded to Castries Bay where we arrived on Tuesday 16th August. This is a Russian port (Siberia) and is as miserable in appearance as could possibly be. There was a couple of houses in sight but we did not see a boat of any description save from two Russian men o’ war here. We caught a few fish here but it was too cold to be comfortable on that job long at a time. Our officers had permission to go shooting here and two of them and Dick our pet dog caused considerable uneasiness by not returning on board after being away all day. At daylight a search party was sent on shore to look for them and found them at noon none the worse for their night out. I think Dick was the most anxiously watched for, there were two or three basins of warm dinner for him kept in the galley and every one was glad when he returned he was such a favourite. He knew every eating house in places we went ashore in and never missed a meal when with any of us ashore. He generally did the general leaves with us, and often if he had lost our boat would come off in a sanpan himself. Every one knew where he belonged and were always sure of the fare being paid for bringing him off. In Hong Kong at the Club there was always a bed for Dick and any man coming in late even if he had no bed would not turn Dick out but rather sleep on the floor. Dick belonged to a Lieut. J. de Roebeck of our ship, but he was as fond of us as he was of his master.
. . . . .

The French flagship and two or three Russian ships were at Vladivostok when we arrived. We gave 3 hours leave to petty officers here but only about a dozen went. Three of them got handled pretty roughly by the combined Russians and French. They were walking up the main street and were met by a party of half a dozen Russians and as many French who were shouting in broken English that we were no good and spit at our three men, whereupon our men knocked a couple of them down, but that only made matters worse for they were soon surrounded and kicked and jumped on. Our men were brought on board in a bad plight and, had it not been for a French officer who said he saw the whole affair but dared not interfere, they would have been severely punished by the Captain. No more leave was given here or there would have been a terrible row. Our Captain had all of us aft and said he knew how we felt about the matter but hoped that we would not interfere with any of them if we met in another port, but we intended to get even with them if possible.

We left here for Goskevitch on Wednesday 31st August and arrived there next day. We did our mining and countermining here and likewise had a night attack on the mines with boats. We left on Monday 5th September for Hakodate, where we arrived on Wednesday 7th. The French flagship was here and their men on leave. We gave general leave and as many as could possibly go did, determined to wipe the streets with the Froggys, but to our utter disappointment they went on board just as we were landing and did not come on shore again.

We left here Tuesday November 1st for Nagasaki arriving next morning. We heard here that the P & O Steamer Bokara was wrecked off the Pescadores (Formosa Channel) in a typhoon; several passengers were drowned. One of our men had a brother drowned in her. Some of the Hong Kong Cricket Club were in her at least their team had been to Shanghai to play and some of the gentry went as well, there was I think only one of the team saved. I visited the Lodge Nagasaki No 710 S.C. and was cordially received.

Our dog Dick had a snakebite here whilst out with some of the officers and we were in a dreadful way about him. His head was swollen and we bathed it for him both doctors were in attendance and never did human being have more attention than our favourite dog, everyone wanted to help rub the lotion in. He got allright again in about a week.
. . . . .

1893
Thursday April 27th one of our petty officers while employed placing our launch had his right hand squashed and had to have it amputated above the wrist. The Admiral left in the Alacrity on Saturday 29th April. We left on Monday May 1st for Amoy where we arrived on Wednesday 3rd. We had a short stay here this time leaving on Friday 5th May for Port Hamilton where we anchored on Monday 8th May. We did our quarterly firing here on Wednesday 10th and left in the evening for Nagasaki arriving there on Thursday morning 11th May. We gave general leave here and I paid another visit to the tea gardens.

There was an old Japanese woman at the Universal [Saloon] who used to watch for our ship coming in and then go and tell her mistress &lsquolthe steamer with two chimneys and one stick’ was coming in. I used then to be sure of having a nice fresh fish sent off already cooked for my dinner or tea, by the mistress. Both her and her husband were very nice people and when I was leaving gave me an old plate of Hebiaki-ware, he had it 30 years before and said it was formerly in the Emperor’s palace.

I used to plague the old Japanese servant about her niece Ochewa by name. Of course it pleased the niece to be so much taken notice of as she was far from being nice looking. I don’t think an uglier face could have been found in Nagasaki and I’m afraid I made her vain enough to think she was handsome.
. . . . .

We had news of the loss of the Victoria here [Yokohama] on Saturday 23rd June. We could scarcely believe it and cabled home at once for full particulars; it proved only too true. We raised a pretty good sum, nearly everyone giving a days pay. We also raised £100 for Ferguson, the man who lost his hand. He left us here and went to hospital to be invalided home and out of the service.

We arrived at Ando Bay on the evening of the 24th July. We received a telegram here to proceed at once to Hong Kong as there was an expectation of war with France on account of some disturbance about Siam. Our men were jubilant about it and many were the jokes passed about paying off the score at Vladivostok. All seemed eager to be off at once. The Severn left at once also Leander and Caroline. We left next morning and arrived at Hakodate in the afternoon; we then gave the Peacock provisions and sent her to recall the Mercury and Porpoise who had gone to the Bering Sea fisheries. We left on Thursday 27th, leaving the Firebrand behind to bury the Captain’s clerk who died the night before.

We arrived at Yokohama Saturday at daylight and our coal being ready for us we started at once. The Severn had finished and gone and the Leander and Caroline were in the midst of coaling. We got all in by noon and left at once with Leander and Caroline to follow as soon as possible. The Leander broke down just through the Van Diemen Straits and had to put into Nagasaki to dock. We steamed as fast as possible; it was burning and the decks, we could not bear our feet on, without shoes. We sent a party of seamen down to help in the stokeholds.

We arrived at Hong Kong on Wednesday 2nd August at 4pm having run 1560 miles in 4 days and 4 hours, we were full of coal dust and as hot as an oven. The Severn was here ready to leave and we had our coal waiting for us, also a lighter with powder and shell; we started at once to get it in. While we were in the middle of it we had a telegram to say all was settled for the time being and we were to go back on the cruise but keep within telegraphic communication.

We left here on August 9th for Yokohama, our men inwardly cursing the French and grumbling because we did not have a chance to give them a dressing down. I believe some of them would have gone in our copper punt if they were sure of having a shot at them.

We left here on Tuesday in the forenoon and had steam tactics in the afternoon. We had one man desert in Hakodate; it was supposed he went away in a whaling schooner.

We had a race at Yokohama with our Admiral’s galley and the Lancaster’s (American) barge but were beaten on time in a mile and a half race. Our men did not know then that they had to allow time, so they challenged the Americans for $300 and, being taken up, pulled on Monday October 30th and beat them by 48 seconds in a 4 mile race. The people on shore all bet on the Americans 5 to 1. We got $1500 covered in no time and could have had treble that amount but being the end of the month we were short. Altogether $5000 were brought aboard our ship and the boat’s crew did well out of it.

We left here, after bidding all ashore farewell, on Tuesday 31st October for Kobe and arrived there Thursday November 2nd. Bentendori and all the curio streets in Yokohama were visited more this time than before as it was to be our last visit this commission; Kobe also was pretty well ransacked. I got a set of china and some cloisonné and rough porcelain here, also some very pretty fans and carved sticks.

We left Wednesday evening for Nagasaki where we arrived Thursday morning November 16th and started coaling. We had leave here and curio street was full of our men driving bargains for curiosities to take home, dozens of cases came on board every day and the Commander gave us a place to stow them away. I bid goodbye to Ochewa and Amma (her aunt) this time for good, also all the Nagasaki girls and tea gardens etc. We left here on Friday 24th November for Keelung where we arrived on Monday 27th. We had bad weather Saturday 25th November but fine after that had blown over. We left here on Tuesday morning 28th Novr for Titam Took and arrived after a pretty fair trip at 6am Thursday 30th November and did a few torpedo runs. We anchored at noon and after dinner got out net defence. Friday morning out net defence again and at noon got up anchor and went in to Hong Kong and made fast to the buoy at 1.30pm.

We spent our Christmas here as usual but none of the seamen dressed their messes up, only the PO’s doing it. This was because the Admiral stopped them from sending their clothes ashore to be washed, and they had to wash them themselves on board. The Admiral did not like this way of showing off their dislike of the order and he told the ship’s company so afterwards to let us see that he took notice of it although he said nothing at the time. He gave us this lecture just as he was about to leave the ship, as we were homeward bound.
. . . . .

1894
We left here on Wednesday April 4th for Singapore, homeward bound. We hoisted our pennant at 11.30am and hauled the Admiral’s flag down as he left us for the Alacrity and left at 1.30. The Pigmy and Mercury left before us, going north, and cheered us as they passed by.

The other ships cheered us as we left and our band played ‘Home Sweet Home’. We had a pleasant trip to Singapore, arriving there on Tuesday April 10th. Our relief HMS Centurion arrived next evening and as they came in their band played ‘Tommy Make Room for your Uncle’. We turned over our Captain and the men who were remaining out here, next day, and had our old Captain who had brought the Centurion out, to take us home. The Centurion left for Hong Kong on Sunday 15th April, steaming round us and cheering, which we returned lustily enough.

We left Malta on Saturday 19th May, taking several time expired men and invalids, also a lot of condemned stores. I saw the 1st Division of the Mediterranean Fleet leave Malta for their cruise; it was a grand sight and there were plenty of people ashore watching them out, and one or two bands to play them out. We got a lot of birds here; I got some canaries, one very nice one. The Maltese are pretty artful and sold lots that would not sing. They held up one that sang and if anyone bought it would turn round and pick up another cage and ask if they would buy that as well, but this was a dodge to change the bird; I and most of the others were sold this way.

We were called back for mobilising on 14th July. I did not have a ship so went on leave again early in August. I returned off leave the latter end of August and worked in the reserve until the end of October 1894 when I was sent to HMS Boscawen at Portland.

Louis spent just over three and a half years with the Boscawen and while he was there he was able to live at home with his mother and step-father in their boarding-house in Melcombe Regis. But then he spent 12 months working with the Fleet Reserve in Portsmouth until in April 1899 he received his final posting in the Royal Navy, to HMS Crescent which was bound for North America and the West Indies.

I was told off for the Crescent on Wednesday April 26th 1899 and commissioned her at Portsmouth May 2nd with Vice Admiral Sir F.D. Bedford in command to relieve the Renown on the North America and West Indian Station. The Renown came in and paid off, or at least sent her crew on leave, as she went to the Mediterranean with the same Admiral and staff with the crew filled up from the depot.

We were not long in settling down in the Crescent. The foremost fall of one of our cutters was accidentally slipped by the pin coming out of the slipping gear and threw one of three men who were in the boat out on a caisson alongside, shaking him rather badly. This happened about a week after commissioning.

The Crescent is a First Class cruiser and a very nice looking craft. The Duke of York commissioned her the year before a few months. We went to Spithead to run a trial on Monday May 15th and did 19.4 knots. We came in again in the afternoon and made fast alongside the Boat House jetty. The Commander was very good giving leave; as far as possible he gave all that was asked for. We left Portsmouth at 8.10am Sunday 21st May going through the Needles. It was rather rough in the Channel and we began to kick a little. We were off Portland about noon and arrived at Plymouth Sound at 6pm. We took in supernumeraries here and left on Monday 22nd May at 6pm. The Tribune (also going to the West Indies) we left in Plymouth.

The weather was fine and we made good 73 miles by noon and 304 by Tuesday noon. We had some evolutions in the Dog watches every evening. We did not sight many ships as we were well out of the track of merchantmen. The Capt. gave us a make and mend clothes day on Wednesday being the Queen’s birthday. This was quite an unusual thing in a ship just commissioned. We picked up a bit of a swell Tuesday night and saw several whales or black fish spouting and tumbling about. Wednesday we had a reminder of the rolling Atlantic’s gentle rocking by having to hold on to our plates and basins at meal times.
. . . . .

We arrived at Halifax on Thursday morning at 7am having made a very good run. It began to feel a little bit cooler when we passed the Gulf stream limit and we were not sorry for the change.

Saturday July 1st being Dominion Day was a kind of holiday for the Canadians, and we had a landing party combining with two companies of the Leinster Regiment in a mimic attack on Halifax. We captured one fort but had to retire, the umpires deciding that our force would have been too much weakened to have held the advantage we had gained. We left Halifax on Thursday July 6th for Habitants Bay (Cape Breton) but as a heavy fog came on we did not reach there until Saturday noon and the Admiral decided to push on to Charlottetown (Prince Edward’s Island) and not anchor at the former place. Saturday evening we anchored in Northumberland Straits and proceeded to Charlottetown at 8am Sunday morning 9th July, arriving at noon. It was raining hard but we still had plenty of people on the wharves to watch us despite the inclemency of the weather.

We left Sydney, Cape Breton, on Friday evening 14th July for St John’s (Newfoundland) where we arrived on Sunday evening 16th July at 5pm. We passed a large iceberg on Sunday afternoon, like a valley nearly surrounded by hills.
. . . . .

1901
Thursday 3rd October I did not feel well and went to the doctor complaining of a cold in the loins which I had caught whilst coaling ship. The following day I was sent to the Royal Naval Sick Quarters from whence I was invalided home much to my disgust as I wished to finish the commission. I was sent on board the Diadem for passage to England on 19th October. We proceeded on our journey rolling (in good earnest) home to Merry England where we arrived on November 1st Friday. The Channel Fleet met us about 10 or 12 hours from the Scilly Islands and escorted us up to Portsmouth. We anchored Thursday night off Yarmouth, Isle of Wight, and Friday morning anchored at Spithead.

In the afternoon I was sent to Haslar Hospital where I remained for treatment until December 9th when I was invalided as unfit for further service. I had just completed 21 years and 9 months all together, 19 years of which was man’s time, the remainder boys.

Louis returned to his mother in Weymouth who, with her second husband, ran a guest house. He married and had one child but in June 1905, three and a half years after being invalided out of the navy, Louis Parsons died.

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You are free to make use of the information in these web pages in any way that you wish but please be aware that the author, Mike Parsons, is unable to accept respsonsibility for any errors or omissions.

Mike can be contacted at parsonspublic@gmail.com

The information in these web pages comes from a number of sources including: Hampshire County Records Office, Somerset Heritage Centre; Dorset County Records Office; Southampton City Archives; the General Register Office; several on-line newspaper archives; several on-line transcriptions of Parish Register Entries; and several on-line indexes of births, marriages and deaths. The research has also been guided at times by the published work of others, both on-line and in the form of printed books, and by information from personal correspondence with other researchers, for all of which thanks are given. However, all of the information in these web pages has been independently verified by the author from original sources, facimile copies, or, in the case of a few parish register entries, transcriptions published by on-line genealogy sites. The author is aware that some other researchers have in some cases drawn different conclusions and have published information which is at variance from that shown in these web pages.