The "Hamlet's Ghost." B Y CAPTAIN W . C. THOMSON.

{Read at a Meeting of the Historical Society of Queensland,, on November 11th, 1916.

Captain Thomson said :— The following appeared in the Courier of February

16th, 1866:— Yesterday afternoon a little schooner yacht was.

launched from the building yard of Mr. E. Monk at South. Brisbane, for the Hon. G. Harris. The vessel in question. is an old friend of ours, known as Hamlefs Ghost, aud she has undergone such a metamorphosis that no one-acquainted with her original form would recognise her-as the same craft. Her history has not been an uneventful one. The original " Ghost," as she is familiarly called, was built on a coral reef off the north-east coast by the-castaway crew of a whaling schooner belonging to Sydney, called the Prince of Denmark.* The reef had been occupied by the master of the whaler, Capt. Bennett, as a depot for stores, etc., and it was in approaching it that the vessel was wrecked. The crew reached the depot in safety by means of the boats, and to escape from this dreary solitude, they built a boat out of the remains of the schooner and some planks which Captain Bennett had in store.

In her, Capt. Bennett and his crew, after suffering considerable hardships, succeeded in reaching Brisbane. Subsequently, she was purchased by her present owner-for £100. He laid out a considerable sum upon her to fit her for the lightering trade, and had her altered from a schooner to a ketch. As a lighter she was not a profitable vessel, owing to her small capacity for cargo, and ultimately she was laid up. More recently she was placed in the hands of Mr. Monk to convert her into a pleasure yacht, and the result may be seen in the smart little schooner now moored off the yard at the South side.

The following appears in an old nautical register:— "Prince of Denmark, built in Kirkcudbright in 1789j sailed out of Sydney as a whaler, wrecked when belonging to Capt. Bennett on the N.E. Coast of Australia in the early sixties."

*See Note a.

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The extract fram the Courier was re-published in. February last in the same paper, under the heading, " Fifty Years Ago," and a copy was sent to Mr. William Williamson, late Pilot at Mackaj^ The following is his letter of acknowledgment:—

Mackay, February 26th, 1916.

Dear Capt. Thomson,— Your interesting cutting came duly to hand, and it

dpes seem strange that after all these years I should be able to relate what that scoundrel " Count von Attems " did in Brisbane. I t is a little long-winded, but I have to keep on the chain from the start, and I did thank God and my Avisdom that the Count's gold did not trap me, or I would have been stranded on a foreign shore like all the others. Should you think of .getting any of it printed, you might send me a paper to see how it looks and reads.

There are a good many in Brisbane yet who would remember the Count.

" B o b " Philp was then a lad in Bright Brothers' office.

I Avill try and come off next trip and have a yarn. •Yours most respectfully,

W. WILLIAMSON. (Enclosure).

FIFTY YEARS AGO.

AN OLD STORY RE-TOLD.

I have just received from Capt. Thomson, of the s.s. Wyandra, a cutting from the Courier, which gives the history and all particulars about the little schooner yacht, Hamlet's Ghost, which was altered and re-fitted by Mr. Monk, ship builder. South Brisbane, for Mr. G. Harris* and which vessel had a most remarkable career. I would like to state what I know about the little yacht, and what became of her.

She was about six or eight tons register, fore aud aft rigged, with two flying gaff topsails, a cock-billed yard to carry a square sail, but no main topmast stay sail. She had a very large skylight with swinging tray, which took up the main part of the deck space. She was fitted with six little brass cannons, three on each side of the rail, and fitted in swivels, and altogether a most comfortable

•See Note b.

2&2

pleasure yacht for the Brisbante River'and the Bay, but she Avas never intended to go oht into deep Avater*.

I think that it was in the e&rly part of 1868 that I met in Queen Street Capt. Hamlin, whom I had sailed under for some time in the s.s. Queensland, -ile said :— •• What are you doing ? " I replied that I had come from Sydney by the s.s. Lady Young on her maiden voyage under the N.S.W. Company, and that we had just taken the Yarra - Yarra passengers to Sydney, after running for six months to Maryborough with Gympie passengers and cargo.

Captain Hamlin invited me to go and see his ship. We Avent to the old Queen's Wharf, and the Hamlet's Ghost was there.

The Captain asked me what I thought of her. I replied : " A fine little vessel." He then asked me if I would join her. I asked where she was going, and who Avere her oAvners, and was told that she belonged to the^ Count von Attems| who was then in Brisbane with plenty of money ; that he was going on a pleasure trip North, and waiting for a man-of-war to call for him to take him home, and that it Avas more than likely Ave should get the craft to ourselves. So I agreed to go, turned to, washed her

• down, and got about her gear. The- same day, John McQuade was engaged as mate, and James Blair as A.B. A Frenchman was taken on as, cook and steward.

Next morning—a Tuesday—^the Count came on board Avith his A-alet and all their gear, and we started down the Bay to try the AJ-essel. The Avind was light, but Capt. Coleman, Avith the Government steamer Kate (see Note/) , came along and gave us a line, and towed us to the Bay. On casting us off, the Count called out that he had a message, and asked Capt. Coleman to send a boat. The boat came, and the Count sent the Captain two bottles of champagne and a dozen bottles of beer for the crew, saying :—"" Don't you keep the champagne and give the beer to the Captain."

The Count began to fire off the small cannonj at the beacons in Francis Channel, and he did not stop the vent when re-loading, so all the powder and flame went up into his face. So it was—" Return to Brisbane at once." All the doctors in town were in attendance at the Queen's Hotel, but the burns were not serious.

In the meantime we put the vessel*on the slip at Kangaroo Point to sight and clean her bottom. The Count

•See note c fSee Note d. JSee Note e.

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gave Capt. Hamlin £30 to defray all expenses in connectioa with stores coming by the ferry, and our expenses going and coming. Capt. Hamlin arranged with the ferry people to keep an account, and to send the bill to him. One day the Count came over, seated on a large chestnut horse.* He was bailed up for the fare, and Avas very indignant. This incident led to Capt. Hamlin getting the sack, but I think that the Count had found out that Capt. Hamlin was not a deep-sea navigator.

The liext day Mr. George Harris and the Count came on board. Mr. McQuade was sent for, and asked if he would go as master, for he had good papers, having come out in

' the Black Ball liner, Bayswater. He accepted, and theiv was told to engage a mate. He recommeaded me, and I was called aft.

However, I declined, because no one kneAv anything about the vessel's movements or her destination. Mr. McQuade then wrote to Capt. Howes, who was not employed at that time.

We then took the vessel to the wharf, where a great dinner Avas given. All the big men of Brisbane were inA'ited, and all the waiters from the Queen's Hotel and the Count's valet were in attendance. The vessel hauled away from the wharf, the crew being all in uniform made by Stewart and Hemmant. I told them to make mine big.

The Count had come up from Sydney in the s.s. Florence Irvine, Capt. Milman. One afternoon he brought Capt. Milman to see his ship. Now, Capt. Milman was a fine, old gentleman, with a square main-sail coat, top hat, and umbrella. When he put his foot on the rail the Ghost went down two streaks. The Count said, " What do you think of my ship ? " " Fine ship, fine, ship," said Capt. Milman, " but don't go to sea in her." He Avas the only man who had the same opinion, as myself.

The first we saw of Capt.. Howes was when, he came on board and informed us that he was master, and gav^e orders to sight the cables, and see what we had and what Avas-wanted. McQuade said to me, " What do you think of that ? I would punch the Count's nose, but my house is mortgaged, and I am hard up, so I wiU have to put up with it."

Everj^ night at midnight the Count came off to the vessel. Finding only the watchman on board, he fired up, aud said that he, paid the men to be on board and not on shore, for Ave did not know the hour we would haA e to sail. After that, we always stayed until he had come and gone,, and then, we went home.

*See Note / .

291

On the folloAving Friday night, Capt. Howes and I were keeping watch. We had been told to sign on next day, and to sail at night. I asked Capt. Howes if he knew where the vessel was going, or what was her destina­tion. He said that a Prussian man-of-war was expected "to pick up the Count, and take him home, but he was not sure Avhen or where. His agreement was to go along the Queensland coast, and, perhaps, to the Fiji Islands, or Japan.

I asked him if he thought the vessel was fit to go into those waters. He replied that there was always a risk in going to sea, and that he was leaving a wife and family, and intended to go. " Well, I said, such a bandbox don't take me into such waters."

Next day all hands went to sign on except myself. There were fifty ready to take my place, so I Avas told to make out my bill, and I was paid handsomely for my time •on board.

My place was taken by a man named Bill Henry, and all signed for six months, Avith Brisbane as the final port of discharge. This was the only good feature of the business, but it all went to the winds.

The Ghost sailed that night* because the Count was in a great hurry to get away. The water supply was carried in six new eight-gallon kegs, made by Mr. Hume, the cooper. There was 3-cwt. of coal on deck.

When they got out into the Bay on Sunday morning it came on to blow from the south-west. Mr. McQuade was in charge of the watch. The Count came on deck very sea-sick, and asked, " How's the wind ? " Mr. McQuade told him it was south-westerly, with fine, smooth water down to Wide Bay.

The Count said, " Wide Bay be d d. How's the Avind for New Caledonia?" Mr. McQuade consulted the chart, and found it all right. The vessel was brought to "the eastward. She was made to carry every stitch of sail and to bury herself to frighten the Count. But not much. So McQuade and the cook put some of the coal overboard, and let the water out of the beakers. They then went and inform­ed the Count that it was not feasible to reach New Caledonia,' as the beakers were new and the water had leaked out'

The Count sounded the beakers. McQuade suggested that they should put back to Moreton Bay, but the Count said that according to the chart, there was wood and water on Frazer's Island, and we would go there. As soon as they had reached Wide Bay, McQuade told the Count

*See Note g. •

295

-that unless the vessel Avas taken to Maryborough and stays put in her, and a false keel and a neAv whale boat jsupphed, he would call a survey to see if she Avas seaAvorthy for a voyage to New Caledonia.

To tlufi, the Count went nearly mad. He said McQuade had friends in Maryborough to whom he wished to give work.

The s.s. Diamentina was coming in, and the Count .•said to McQuade, " You coward, come up to Maryborough with me, and if I can get a mate, I Avill let you go."

They went up to Maryborough, where they saAv Mr. Edmonds Brown*, a brother of the late Hon. W. Villiers Brown, who was in the Customs. He was a Brisbane yachtsman, and knew the Ghost well. He agreed to go as mate, and McQuade returned to Brisbane by the Diamentina. I met him on his arrival on the Wednesday morning. He was smihng all over his face, as he told me all. He had -an order in his pocket on Armand Ranniger, the Prussian Consul, for six months' pay, but when we went to him he would not listen, and was very abusive, so Ave went to Mr. •Garrickf, solicitor, in Queen Street. He Avrote to Mr. Ranniger, saying that McQuade could claim ai^other six months' pay, because he was not discharged before a shipping master. So the money was paid, and McQuade was the only man who made anjHihing out of the Count.

The Count and the Ghost got away, and in due time reached Thursday Island, Avhere Mr. Brown left and joined iihe Water Police.

In those days there Avas only one English mail a month, and all the Count's money was to go to Mr. Ranniger, from whom he had already draAvn £2,000.

Mr. George Harris would not accept bills, so he got £600 cash for the Ghost. When the mail arrived in Brisbane there was no money for the Count.

Just about this time Governor Blackall arriA'-edJ, and all the society people of Brisbane were pleased to be able to tell him that they had had a visit from his great friend, von Attems. They showed him the Count's photo-.graph, when the Governor said that von Attems was dead, and that he had attended his funeral in Sierra Leone. The photograph was that of the real von Attem's valet.

After leaving Thursday Island, the Ghost sailed for Kopang, in Java. By this time the six months were nearly up, and the Count went to Batavia, and made a big draw under the name of Captain Stove. Had he reached the

•See Note h. fSee Note j . {See Note L

296

vessel all hands would have been paid off, and their passages?. paid back to Brisbane. But by this time he Avas found out and sentenced to fifteen years' imprisonment. The vessel was sold, and the crew cut adrift.

James Blair shipped in a vessel for London, and-, ultimately reached Brisbane.

Bill Henry, who took my place, stowed away in a Hobart Town barque for Sydney, but Sad to sit for three hours on the bobstay before he could venture over the bows when the vessel got under way. Eventually,. he reached. his Avife and family in Brisbane nearly naked and penniless.. He told me all this on his return. I never saw him again.

Some time after this I was appointed Junior Pilot at-Keppel Bay. I never heard of what became of Capt. Howes. He was a fine man, and deserved better treatment..

So that was the last of the Ghost and the great Count-A-on Attems.

WILLIAM WILLIAMSON,

Late Pilot, Mackay.

P.S.—^I had three cuttings sent to me from the Brisbane-Courier about the Count and the Hamlet's Ghost, but they were very wide of the truth. One writer said that he was in the Settler, and picked up the Count in the Ghost to tow her to the Bay, but collided with a vessel at Eagle^ Farm, and tore her mast out of her.

That must have been when she Avas lightering. Had she been dismasted in the Count's time, the English.mail would liaA'e arrived and the Count put in gaoL before she could have been re-fitted.

Another writer said that a Dutch man-of-war chased him to Java, and handed hiin over to the authorities-but that is not right. It was the fraud in Batavia that he-was punished for. So many different reports were^ circulated, but what I have told you is correct, because I Avas there all the time the Count Avas in Brisbane.

WILLIAM WILLIAMSON.

Captain Thomson then referred to Henniker Heaton's Australian Dictionary of Dates and Men of the Time, Part II., p. 264, in which it is stated that von Attems j)urchased the Hamlet's Ghost in Sydney, and sailed in her for Melbourne, and that he left his valet, Auguste Stelzer, behind him^inaccuracies which made the account there given quite valueless.

297

Mr. J. C. HoAves, Avho Avas present at the meeting, Tias kindly supplied the following notes :—

Capt. HoAA'-es was my father, and was in the Channel Trade before he came to Australia, sailing from Plymouth to French Ports, and had come to Australia in the early fifties. Officers and crew left the ship for Ballarat Diggings.

He returned to Melbourne and was engaged in lighter­ing between Melbourne and Geelong. He left for Brisbane in 1866, and took charge of the schooner Rhonda OAvned by Capt. Manson, shipping master of the Port of Brisbane, and engaged in lightering between Brisbane and Moreton Bay, until condemned. When she was moored about where the naval store is now, she broke adrift in a flood and sank opposite the Port Office. The wreck M as lifted from the river-bed a few years ago.

He was afterwards engaged on H.M. Surveying Schooner Pearl on the Queensland coast, and it was on his return from one of these trips that he arrived just too late for the' Hamlet's Ghost, Capt. Hamlin being appointed. He, how-

-ever, had a short and merry life on board.

I remember seeing the Ghost on Monk's Slip, at the bottom of Tribune Street, South Brisbane, being overhauled and fitted for a pleasure yacht.

Capt. Hamlin took charge, and all went well until the trial trip down the river. Returning in the evening all very merry, they fouled a vessel moored in the town reach,, brought down some of the top gear ; not much damage, but the Count got in a terrible rage, and wanted to know what sort of seamen they were, and discharged Capt. Hamlin that night.

On arriving at the Wharf, he sent his valet to the shipping master to get another Captain. My father was sent for that night by Capt. Manson (and not by Mr. McQuade, as stated by Pilot Williamson).

Capt. Manson and my father were old friends from boyhood days in England.

So my father was appointed and took charge next day, and got ready for sea. They left Brisbane that same week for a cruise along the Queensland Coast, intending to return to Brisbane, as the Count gave out that he expected to be picked up by a man-of-war and return home. But as soon as they got clear of Moreton Bay, it was get away anywhere. So the wind being southeast, they squared away and ran north. Their first port of call was Mackay, from which

298

place my mother received a letter reporting, all well, and a. £10 cheque which I was sent to the bank to change. I t was returned marked "No Funds."

As Mr. Ranniger was doing all the business for the Count while he was in Brisbane, my mother interviewed him, but he said he could do nothing, so mother sent a letter to-Mackay to let father know the state of affairs, the aASwer-being a £10 cheque from Townsville. A letter to that place-only brought a further £10 cheque from Cardwell. Some time after my mother's lette]?s were returned to her from^ the Dead Letter Office.

We then lost all trace of the Ghost and her crew, untiL one fine d&y my father arrived home, to our surprise and., delight at seeing him again.

My father's story was :— After leaving Brisbane the Count was very anxious to-

leave the Australian Coast. The wind being southeast,, we squared away and ran before it, arriving at Mackay, after a pleasant voyage. Here fresh provisions and water were obtained, and again put to sea. The Count was getting" very anxious, conversing in French with his valet, and enquiring how far it was to different ports. So I decided to keep to the coast and called at Townsville, Cardwell, and Somerset. On the run to the last mentioned port, the conversation between the Count and his valet was carried on^ mostly in French. So I listened and said nothing, until

• our arrival in Somerset. (There was no settlement at Thursday Island at that time). At Somerset I informed Mr. Jardine of my suspicions, and advised him to arrest the Count and his valet, but was very nearly arrested myself for suggesting such a thing. That same evening after dinner, I was sitting on the companion, smoking, when I heard the Count and his valet conversing in French, how they would shoot me, throw my body overboard, and clear out before daylight. I immediately confronted the villains, and refused to go any further on the voyage. The Count instantly produced a revolver, and threatened to shoot me, but I escaped from the room, seized a belaying-pin, and said I would break the head of the first man that came up the companion ladder. I then signalled the police, and Police Magistrate Jardine* came aboard, but refused to arrest Attems. I then left the ship, and the Count was allowed to proceed on his voyage, but was arrested in Sourabaya, in Java, and sentenced to 22 years' imprisonment.

*See Note I.

299

After being stranded in Somerset for about fourteen' months, H.M.S. Virago, Capt. Bingham, arrived. She had been surveying in Torres Straits. I went on board, told the Captain my troubles in the presence of Jardine, and asked for a passage south, which was readily granted. Capt. Bingham then said, I can tell you something about your friend. They had been to Sourabaya and Captain Bingham told us all about the Count and how he fared. I turned to Jardine and said, " What do you think about him now ? You had the same chance." Jardine was not pleased with that news, and did not forget to show it on another occasion to which I will refer later.

Some time after my father's return he was appointed ' coxswain of the water police at Somerset.

I believe they were the first police appointed by the Queensland Government, as they relieved the Royal Marines placed there by H.M.S. Salamander for the Imperial Government.

Somerset was established in place of Booby Island as a harbour of refuge for any shipwrecked crew that had the misfortune to be wrecked in that locality*,

H.M.S. Blanche was commissioned to go to Prince of Wales Island in Torres Straits, so the police boat crew were sent to Somerset with her, and on her return south she -brought the relieved marines with her, their families fol-lowing some time after on board the pearling schooner -bound for Sydney.

H. M. Chester was Police Magistrate at Somerset. A change of Government resulted in the re-appointment of Mr. Jardine to Somerset.

The Louisa Maria was chartered to proceed to Somer­set with fresh provisions and Mr. Jardine. On arrival, Mr Jardine got a great surprise at seeing my father. He said., " You here, Howes." My father answered, " Yes, I am here," and Mr. Jardine, perhaps not forgetting the Ghost affair, suspended him, telling him to return with this vessel, which he did. Sometime after his return to Brisbane he made a voyage to the South Sea Islands, in the schooner Harriet King. He then bought a small cutter and traded to. the Coomera River until his death in 1875.

About the same time a vessel, flour-laden, arrived off Cape Moreton, received a pilot (Howe)t and stood out to sea again, as the weather was threatening, and night coming on. She was never seen again.

•See Note m. fSee Note n.

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Two or three days later a steamer coming South passed a vessel, bottom up, supposed at the time to be her.

Some time late in the sixties, a vessel Avas wrecked on Prince of Wales Island, Torres Straits. The Captain and crew were killed and eaten by the blacks. The Captain's wife and young son were kept alive. H.M.S. Blanche was sent to look for them, but was unsuccessful. Firing a few shots into the villages, they left. I do not knoAv if they were found.

Captain Thomson mentioned a Mr. Brown being shipped at Maryborough and left at Thursday Island. Maryborough was in rather close communication with Bris­bane, as the Count was in a hurry to get away as far as possible.

There were tAvo carpenters at Somerset when we arrived there, named BroAvn and Hutchenson. Both had their wives and families there and belonged to Portland, Victoria.

The police boat crew consisted of :—W. Howes, Cox­swain ; G. Horn, W. Henry (one of the crew of the Ghost), W. Green, boat builder, at one time in partnership with J. Edwards, late of Kangaroo Point.

When my father was telling his story, he was asked why he did not return to Townsville. He told them he could do nothing with her (the Ghost) on a wind ; as he tried to do so several times. The only thing to do was to keep before it.

NOTES.

(a) According to a note in the " Register of Shipping," at Brisbane, the Hamlet's Ghost was built in 1863 at the Chesterfield Group by the crew of the schooner Prince of Denmark, Avrecked 19th March, 1863. The Chesterfield Group lie in Lat.': 19° 59' south; Long. : 158° 30' east, between Rockhampton and New Caledonia.

The Prince of Denmark Avas brought out to Sydney by Captain William Stewart, of the whale trade, after whom Stewart Island, New Zealand, is named. He arrived in Sydney on 2nd March, 1825, in the employ of T. and D. Asquith, of London, who were interested in a scheme for cultivating flax and procuring timber from Stewart Island. The venture was unsuccessful, and the Sydney Gazette, of September 7th, 1827, contains an advertisement of the sale of the Prince of Denmark, schooner, " Avith her tackle, apparel and furniture, as she now lies in Sydney Cove, burden 127 tons."

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After the sale the Prince of Denmark, un.ier the-command of Thomas Wright, ran between Sydney and Hobart Town. See R. McNab, " Murihiku, and the Southern Islands" (Smith, InvercargiJl, N.Z., 1907, pp. 240-246.) In 1830, she Avas trading to New Zealand. See R. McNab, " The Old ^Vhaling Days " (Whitcombe and Tombs Ltd., 1913, p. 11). An account of Captain William Stewart will' be found in " The Stewarts," the magazine of the StcAvart Society (Edinburgh, 1916), vol. iv., p. 107.

(6) Mr. Thomas Mathewson received a 'etter from Mr. Arthur Mort, of Franklynvale, some months ago, in which he mentioned that his brother came out in the same ship with von Attems, and that his father, the late Hon. Henry Mort, M.L.C, probably introduced von Attems to Mr. George Harris. The latter, with his brother John,, his sister and mother, arrived in Brisbane, about 1847, and carried on business first at South Brisbane, and afterwards at Short Street, on a site purchased from James Gibbon. (Bartley, Australian Pioneers and Reminiscences, p. 230). He married a daughter of George Thorn, of Ipswich. After • Capt. Wickham left the Colonj' , Mr. and Mrs. George Harris lived for many years at Newstead, Breakfast Creek, recently acquired by the Brisbane City Counci'.

(c) Under the Merchant Shipping Act, 1854 (17 and 18 Vict. C, 104), sec 19, ships not exceeding 15 tons burden-employed solely in navigation on the rivers and coasts of a British possession, in which the managing owner Avas resident, did not require to be registered. It Avas not until the Hamlet's Ghost was transformed into a sea-going yacht that her owner, Mr. George Harris, registered her. Her official number was 52,224, and her Port number 5 of 1866.

{d) She Avas sold to von Attems, described in the " Register of Shipping " a s " Graf von At hems, a native of the Empire of Austria "—on 29th June, 1868. The transfer AAas registered the same day at 3.30 p.m.

(e) On 29th February, 1868, after laying the foundation stone of the Brisbane Grammar School, H.R.H. the Duke of Edinburgh left Brisbane in the Government steamer Kate to embark on board H.M.S. Challenger in Moreton Bay. As the Kate passed the yacht Hamlet's Ghost, the little craft fired some small guns by way of salute, to which the Kate replied by dipping her ensign. See "The Cruise of H.M.S. Galatea". by the Rev. John Milner, B.A. and OsAvald W. Brierly-

802

[London, W. H. Allen and Co., 1869], at p. 395. The Kate was a paddle steamer of 104 tons register. Built

•at Hebbum, in the County of Durham, in 1864, she was brought out and placed on the Queensland 'Register in 1864, official number 48,678. She was the Government steamer until the Lucinda was brought out in 1883. She sank near the Pile Light, as the result of a collision, and formed a sandbank.

(/) The chestnut horse which von Attems rode was Mrs. George Harris' hack.

{g) The Brisbane Courier, of Wednesday, Sth July, 1868, says :—"• Yesterday morning the schooner yacht Hamlet's Ghost put to sea on a cruise to the northern parts of this Colony. This vessel, which has quite a little history, has recently been purchased from the Hon. G. Harris by Count von Attem for the sum of £500. Her new owner, AAe understand, intends taking a pleasure cruise doAvn the coast as far as Cleveland Bay."

{h) Edmonds Lechmer Brown, son of William Anthony Brown—see p. 88—entered the Public Service of Queensland on 1st December, 1866. He Avas promoted Avhen Mr. William Connolly (now retired and living at East Brisbane), went to Rockhampton in December, 1867. On 1st February, 1868, he was promoted to Mary­borough, and was succeeded at Brisbane by the late Mr. J . C. Kent. He resigned at Maryborough on 19th August, 1868, Avhen he was succeeded by Mr. W. H. Itving, after-•AA ards Collector at Brisbane. Mr. Brown was for many years a resident of Thursday Island.

(j) James Francis Garrick, afterwards called to the Bar by the Middle Temple, 7th June, 1875, Q.C, Agent-

>General for Queensland in London. Brother of Francis -James Garrick, of Garrick, Cowlishaw and Fisher, Solicitors, «.Christchurch, New Zealand, and Alfred Garrick, of SteAvart, iGarrick and Co., Sydney, Director of the London Bank •of Australia, and of the New Zealand Loan and Finance €o., Ltd.

{k) Governor Blackall arrived in Brisbane on 14th August, 1868, Governor Bowen having left for New Zealand on 4th January of the same year,

{I) On 23rd February, 1864, Mr. John Jardine, then Police Magistrate at Rockhampton, was appointed Crown Lands Commissioner for the North Cook District, and Police Magistrate at Somerset. Qd. V. and P. 1865, p. 702. He was succeeded by Capt, H, G. Simpson, and on 28th January, 1868, Mr. Frank Lascelles Jardine became P.j\I.

803

F. L. Jardine and his brother Alexander W. Jardine, :M. Inst. C.E., F.R.G.S., in 1864-5 conducted an over­l and expedition from Rockhampton to Cape York.

Mr. H. M. Chester was P.M. from 1st July, 1869, to 1st August, 1870, Avhen Mr. F. L. Jardine again became

iPolice Magistrate. The Estimates for 1871 make pro­vision for an establishment at Somerset of one P.M., one •Sergeant and three Constables, one CoxsAvain, and four Water Police, and eight Troopers.

Mr. G. E. Dalrymple Avas P.M. in 1874, and Mr. H. M. 'Chester was appointed for a second time on 1st October, 1875, and he became the first P.M. at Thursday Island on 19th July, 1877. Copies of Reports and Correspondence referring to the removal of the Torres Strait Station from Somerset to Thursday Island, will be found in Qd. Votes and Proceedings, 1875, Vol. II., p. 1403.

(m) The Harbour of Refuge at Somerset, Albany 'Passage.

For the correspondence, etc., respecting the formation •of this station, see Qd. Votes and Proceedings, 1863, 2nd .Session, p. 679 ; ib. 1864, p. 417 ; and ib. 1865, p. 1337.

For the correspondence respecting the removal of "the Royal Marines, see Q'd. Legislative Council Journals, Vol. xi., pp. 7S1-786.

{n) James Howe appointed Sea Pilot at Moreton Bay, 17th December, 1863. The ship in which he was. lost Avas the St. Magnus, from South Australia to Moreton Bay Avith flour. She was never heard of after 17th March, 1875.

Captain Collin says, "" On the 17th March, whilst Ave were at BoAven Jetty, the night was one of the closest and muggiest I ever remember to have put in. We on board the Dawn, could scarcely breathe, though a gale was blowing 500 miles to the south of us, as Ave afterwards learned, and the barque St. Magnus, flour-laden, AVas •capsized off Cape Moreton. (See Life and Adventures of •Captain William Collin.—Brisbane, H. J. Diddams, 1914).