WHITE — A Sketch of the Life of Samuel White. 153 



«r three baracoota were caught during the day — the pace 

 of the craft being too slow. Often when these large fish 

 were hauled in sea birds chased them, screaming frantically. 

 For the next two days (19th and 20th) the wind was exceed- 

 ingly light, variable, and baffling. We were off Wilson's 

 Promontory at 2 p.m. on the 20th. Very rough weather, with 

 strong head winds and high seas were experienced on the 

 22nd "and 23rd, and on the 24th we beat past Gabo Island. 

 The wind went down, but the seas were very high, and the 

 sails and gear were very much chafed with the rolling of the 

 vessel. On the 25th it was very wet, heavy rain falling all 

 day and night. Next day was the best run we had since 

 being out, and we did over 90 miles, but when 25 miles 

 off Sydney Heads the wind died away. Several other craft 

 were in company with us. On the 27th we entered Port Jack- 

 son. We first dropped anchor in Elizabeth Bay, to send all 

 the powder and some of the arms up to the magazine. Next 

 day we beat up to Lavender Bay, where we lay several days 

 while Samuel White secured a house for his wife and family, 

 and having selected one at Double Bay the yacht was shifted 

 around there, where she lay at anchor until the 15th of May. 



My father's first troubles with the master and crew 

 started here, for they became mixed up in a drunken brawl 

 on shore, which hurried the departure. Having shipped a 

 quantity of stores and re-shipped the powder and arms, at 

 8 a.m. on the 16th of May, 1880, the "Elsea" sailed out of 

 Sydney Harbour, with a light wind from the S.W. The wind 

 continued very light and baffling till the night of the 18th, 

 when a run of 90 miles was made, then light, variable winds 

 and very strong currents were met with. On Monday, 24th, 

 the end of McPherson Range was passed. The country looked 

 exceedingly rugged and broken, Mount Warning looking like 

 a pointed cone above the rest. Later on in the day the end 

 of ' Strasbrook Island came in sight. The vessel was close 

 enough to the coast for us to see that it was well wooded, 

 and that there was a lighthouse on the rising ground at Point 

 Danger. On the 25th the wind kept steady till daylight, when 

 it fell to a dead calm, and at 2 p.m. the yacht was abreast 

 of Moreton Island. At sunset the sky became overcast, and 

 a series of squalls broke over the craft from the N. by W. 

 About midnight a tremendous squall came up from the W., 

 which lasted several hours, with heavy rain, thunder and 

 lightning. For a time everything was lowered on deck, but 



