CHAPTER XIX 



TWO SEA INXIDENTS 



In the South Seas — Recruiting Kanakas — Missed their Islands — The 

 Coveted Winchester — Curing a fleeced Gambler — A SUght Gain 

 makes Cheerful 



A TRIP to the South Seas in a labour schooner from 

 Queensland was a wonderful experience. It was the 

 system in those da^^s to recruit Kanakas from the 

 islands to work the sugar plantations in Central 

 Queensland. A lot of restrictive legislation has since 

 been put on this, but though there were strict regula- 

 tions which were supposed to be followed as regards 

 " recruiting " the islanders, and a " Government 

 agent " was put on board each labour schooner to see 

 fair play, this was frequently a terrible farce on account 

 of the curious choice made in some of those represent- 

 ing the benevolent Government. As a rule, the skipper 

 had only to be agreeable for a day or two, and let the 

 Government man have a free supply of whisky, to 

 ensure a free hand in whatever he did. There was 

 an interpreter, also, who was supposed to be able to 

 translate all the lingoes of the various islands, but 

 things went on in a pretty haphazard way on the 

 outward journey. There would always be a certain 

 number of returned labourers — that is, those who 

 had worked their three years. They were well fed and 

 housed during that time, and as far as I recollect had 

 thirty pounds to receive at the end of their term. 

 It was not plain sailing returning thirty or forty 

 Kanakas to their homes. It was easy in the cases 



ii8 



