Robert Lemuel Campbell - 1858-1936 #2

Robert Lemuel Campbell #2

We passed Dover and into the English Channel and when we got to Penzanto off Cornwall, signals were sent aloft and then steered toward the Bay of Bisque. Next we sailed Gibraltar and stayed there several days. The back of the town which is close to the seashore and then the fort raised quite steep back of the town and a signal mast right on top. We could see the land, which belongs to Spain, which was quite low and flat, about 21 miles across the entrance. From there we went to the Isle of Malta, the town of Malta or Villeta is on the Island. The people do some farm work on a small scale, no farms over four acres. There is lots of lace made there which the Maltese sell to travelers and what shipping stops there the people are able to live.

The English government has an underground place where they keep 7 years provisions for the soldiers and natives. From there we went towards Suez, did some deep water surveying for about three weeks, then went through the Suez Canal. The banks were nothing but sand. It was run by the French people, pilots, dredges, and other employees were French people.

At certain places we had to stop when other vessels had to pass. Passed several ships when we got to the Bitter Lakes. We stopped there several days for the dredges to take out sand from the bottom of the canal which all told about 58 miles. We steamed that distance in 21 hours not counting the layover at Bitter Lakes and arrived at Suez which is located on the shores of the Red Sea. From there they surveyed every day except Sunday to find the depth of the water and to find out the soil, a great variety, but mostly Red coral which the sea is named for. We came to two small islands and around them there was lots of fish. Captain Arthur had boats lowered and sceans were brought from below and some of the boats were manned and some of the men were allowed to land while others rowed around with the scean being allowed to drop over-board and when it was all lowered out, a rope was attached to the end of the scean and taken ashore, then the men on shore began pulling it in towards the shore. [Editor's note: The 'scean' is probably a seine which is a large net with sinkers on one edge and floats on the other that hangs vertically in the water and is used to enclose fish when its ends are pulled together or are drawn ashore.]

Oh what a sight, fish of all colors and sizes even to porpoises. It sure tried the net. Men had to swim out around beating the fish back towards the shore, I never saw so many fish caught at one time, when near the shore the porpoises leaped over the top of the net and got away, but say did we not have a time cleaning fish. Everyone had a hand in that job, officers and men. Fish for breakfast, dinner and supper and three times on Sunday for a change. No one was allowed to talk fish after that. The first meal or two was all right, but after that pea soup was a great luxury.

The work we had to do was very tedious and wet. It kept one guessing to make the report from the line men giving the soundings. On the left side of the ship we could see Mount Sinai, when the children saw so much done while traveling the Arabian desert which look as far as you could was sand and more sand. We took quite awhile at that work which was done during the day. Well, after awhile we arrived Aden which was located four miles inland, but the condences were on the shore, condensing the salt sea water and then piped to the city. The natives are called Parsees. They all wear long black coats and tall hats with sandals on their feet and they walk along as if they had all day to get there, the same way at their work. They move as if they would lose something. Before leaving there we took some of that water on the ship, brought aboard in barrels. The barrels were not put in the boats but towed along in the water, lashed together and when along side of the ship they were hoisted aboard, and when emptied were returned to the shore in like manner.

The weather was past being hot. We had to have awnings all over the upper deck and keep the deck well watered to keep the pitch from boiling out of the seams of the deck. That was the time you could see the cook and his mate nearly naked, getting the meals ready and the sweat rolling down his body into his shoes. He used to say it was no hatter down below and if it was he did not want to go down there. We were all glad to leave there and get out on the Indian Ocean where we could fee the sea breeze and likewise get a good rain.

In speaking of water, the water that we received at Aden, was brackish and had an oily taste, while on the Indian Ocean we received a down pour for it came down in sheets and every person there did not mind getting soaked. Canvas was spread to catch all we could, both for drinking, cooking and washing of clothes. We surely enjoyed it and another thing, it cooled the weather. We had plenty of water for once, and it lasted until we arrived at Columbo on the Isle of Ceylon. It looked good to us. Trees as far as one could see inland. Natives came in thir boats with different kinds of fruit and some with small stones that in the dark looked like a cat's eye. When they were mounted as studs for a shirt front or wrist band, you could see them quite a way off. After a few days we left Columbo and went to the north of the Islands to Poisetagal where the English had a Naval Station for the vessels of the English Navy.

Captain went ashore there for a week, stopped with the Admiral of the Island at this place they have large turtle ponds where they raise turtles. They were ugly to look at, but they made good soup what they call Turtle Soup. The meat is good to eat. I don't know what they do with the shell. To see them bask in the sun, laying on top of the water. They will live a long while just be keeping a swab good and wet under their head. To lay one on his back on the deck it is helpless. When we started again, we left for Singapore. When going through the straits of Malakka [Malacca], we passed many ships, some going east and some west. Singapore is on the end of the Siam or Malay Peninsula which divides the Indian Ocean and South China Sea. Singapore has lots of business one way and anther especially in coaling vessels. Their method of coaling a vessel, they have a half bushel basket filled with coal and about 50 coolies follow one after another and it is surprising the amount that is placed in the coal bunkers in so short a time. From there we left Hong Kong, China which is another island belonging to the English government where all nations of the globe assemble some time or another and Chinese San pan by galore. Women doing most of the hard work. They meet every vessel that comes into the harbor with different articles of workmanship, such as silks, silverware, sunshades made of silk and bamboo, also paper and bamboo and other various articles. Most of their money is something like copper made flat and oblong with a square hole in the center which they run a stout string or wire through and then worn around the neck. If you give them an American dollar, they generally put it away from their own money or in hiding, because it is of more value than their own money. Lots of the men do nothing but gamble, they will settle down anywhere when they meet a person that is ready to gamble with them. The location of Hong Kong is something like Gibraltar; high mountains in the background; along the shore is the buildings for dwelling; also a barracks for soldiers and there is a large three deck vessel for sailors. It is called Victor Emmanuel sometimes. I suppose it had been a frigate during Lord Nelson's time. The officers of the different nations invite other officers to dinners and dances on board of their ships as every large ship has a band and you can hear the band playing every night. When a person is called to be the Admiral's or Captain's boat crew they have to row them to the different ships on these occasions, when they come into harbour, or when leaving. They visit a little while to get acquainted.

We left Hong Kong after they had an enjoyable [visit] and the Captain got his orders from Admiral C.F.Shadwell who was the main officer of the English Fleet on the China Station, that included Japan and Korea. Our orders were to go to Nagasaki to survey the harbor and coast for the Japanese Government as they were going to build a large dockyard for larger vessels, that took quite awhile, from there we went to survey the Yellow Sea which lies between China and Korea. We surely had a time there, not only in the work, but also with the natives. That was where the natives treated the boat crews with Saka [Saki]. It is a wine or something like that.

The officers did not interfere as long as the men would do their work in a proper way but most of the work was done by manning the boats, and officer with each boat's crew. The man with the lead line would lose his footing and go overboard, then there would be a job to pull him aboard and then grapple for the headlines.

When that job was done we went back to Hong Kong to the Iron Duke which was the flagship of the station; while there the gunboat Sylvia and part of his crew was exchanged with some of the crew that did not want to go back to England, as the Admiral was going to be released on account of his age and also captain Arthur. So the Sylvia had a commander instead of a captain. While there the Admiral when not invited out used to survey the heavens at night.

One morning he gave the signal to all the ships in the harbor to clear out to sea as Hong Kong would be in the worst of a Lay from which would come in four days. A lot of the captains thought it a joke but those that knew the Admiral took the warning and steamed out. He had men make the old Victor Emmanuel safe by having a heavy hawser lashed to the one whip and more anchors dropped. When that was done we steamed away toward Yokohama but the deck was cleared of everything. After the harbor was cleared the Sea Captain thanked the old Admiral for his council.

Soon after we went to Shanghai. The ship could not go up the river so the Admiral took his boats crew and went to Nankin. After he had visited three English gunboats up there, he came back to the ship. As far as we went up the river there were boat houses so close to the bank that they nearly touched one another and nearly everyone had duck pens or chicken coops on the boat house.

After we left there we went to Yokohama, could not get very close to shore, so had to use the different boats crews for transportation back and forth which kept the boat crews very busy. The Boatswain was piping some crew night and day. On a high plateau the English had a Hospital built of brick. It looked strange to see a house built like that; as near as I could see the houses were made of Bamboo and paper or so they could be made into small apartments or one large room just as they desired according to the number in the family.

At meals the main dish that contained the food, the family would surround it on the mats on the floor and each one would have his or her bowl and chopsticks, dishing out of the main bowl into their own. They ate as if they were in a hurry to empty their dish and get another serving.

At night, the matting that is used for bedding was rolled out and spread on the floor and a wooden block for a pillow which was used underneath the neck. The streets were narrow, the main travel is walking or Jinarichaw which is a two wheel vehicle with shafts pulled by manpower. They all seemed to be able to get over the ground quite swiftly and they are able to run a long way. Their charges are very cheap and quite easy riding. As I mentioned the hospital I would like to relate that there was, soon after I saw this building an earthquake besides a typhoon which wrecked that building and destroyed other property doing a great deal of damage.

Soon after this the ship I was on was nearing the time to be released to return to England. All the other vessels were told that those having anyone that was afflicted in anyway were of serious way were to be sent home. In answer to this request about fifty from that station left. After many farewells and parties had been given and accepted we left Osaka for Kobe. That was our last place and when we left we were homeward bound. Some had filled their time of twelve years and those who wished to reenlist, some who desired to leave the service, some who were sick and afflicted and not fit for service, all were going back to see what the government was going to do for them. Of course, the ship's crew was in good health, about 500 all told.

We had pleasant weather until we arrived at the Suez Canal. We were detained quite awhile on account of the wind blowing and drifting the sand. When we arrived at the lake we had four die of dysentery. The doctor said it was caused from eating pineapple rinds. Those men had to be buried on the shore. As near as I can remember it was on good Friday of the year 1875. Nothing of very much concern happened until we arrived at Lisbon in Portugal early in the morning.

The Admiral had not seen anything of any submarines but there was one there in port that belonged to England. When the Admiral in a leisurely way went upon the bridge with his spyglasses to have a look at the place, the submarine had sunk just so the English ensign was above the surface of the water. The captain got so worked up that he had nearly all the men at work lowering and manning boats to see what could be done to save the crew of that vessel.

The Commander of the submarine knew it was a new thing to the old Admiral and through his periscope he could see what was going on, on the surface. He saw the excitement aboard the ship and when the boats were nearing his vessel he brought the sub to the surface. You should have seen the look on the Admiral's face and when he went aboard the sub he did nothing for awhile, then the Commander saluted him and bid him welcome. At last the old gentleman came to his natural senses and told the Commander to signal his men back to their ship.

He then examined the sub from bow to stern, above and below. He told the officer that was one on him, and they had a good laugh over it. He bid the officer good-bye and came back to his boat. When he got aboard his own vessel, his officer's told him that fellow surely got it on all of them and he had another good laugh. He told the Commander to prepare to put to sea and we arrived home at Southampton.

The sick were the first to be attended to and were sent to the Hospital. Those that wanted to have leave were to return in two weeks and report at the naval barracks at Sheerness and those that wished to remain in service were to stay on board as the vessel was to be overhauled and put in commission again in the Channel Fleet.

Some time after that I read of the account of her being rammed in a fog in the Irish Sea and sunk.