Australian Tales - Setis

table, when I re-entered the saloon, and one of them exclaimed, “Halloa!
is there a shift of wind?”
“Yes, sir, there is indeed,” I replied, “and I think we shall have a very
rough night.”
“Dear, oh dear! I'm sorry for that,” said Mr. Bang, “I shall be awfully
sea-sick. Steward, bring me a couple of pillows.”
Before I had equipped myself in my waterproof overalls, for the deck,
nearly all the gentlemen had taken up positions on the sofas, and were
being supplied with pillows, et cetera. With much difficulty I regained
my post on the bridge, and the scene around me was terrifically grand,
with a dash of the ridiculous in it too. The sea was white with foam, the
lightning played about the masts in dazzling streams; the thunder and the
wind seemed to be arguing which could roar loudest, while the thick
glots of rain descending on the backs of the pigs, made them squeak loud
enough to be heard above the warring elements. The four steerage
passengers had discovered a leak in the roof of the travelling carriage,
and were hurrying out of it; at the same time the miller woke up from his
nap, in the Bath-chair, and ran below faster than any invalid could have
done. Poor Paddy Murphy saw his bags of corn covered up with a
tarpaulin, then took his little boy Teddy under his arm, and descended to
the fore-cabin, where, I imagine, the inmates were rather too closely
packed to be comfortable. The sailors, in their oilskin jackets, were
wheeling the chain-box about (their sick baby, as they called it), and
were deprecating the exercise in solemnly quaint ejaculations. The
steamer seemed to have merely steerage-way, still she was kept head to
the wind, and nobly she struggled against the contending elements. In
about an hour the worst of the storm was past, but a strong gale set in and
the sea rose very fast.
The captain stood and watched the curling waves with steady nerve;
and every now and then gave orders to ease the engines, when an
unusually heavy sea rose ahead of us. By that precaution the steamer
rode over the waves more easily, but her onward progress was
considerably retarded; in fact, at times she scarcely appeared to make any
headway. When the tea bell rang I again went below, and a moving scene
of noisy misery presented itself. Nearly all the late hearty diners were
hors-de-combat, and looked almost as despairing as a ward full of
patients in a blazing hospital. I pitied Mr. Bang least of all the prostrate
ones; and whenever I heard his “Yaawk” which smothered all the
whoops of his neighbours, I called to mind his bilious attack upon the
polite clerk on the wharf at Newcastle; and I mentally muttered, “Ah,
Mr. Bang! it is plain that you wanted a short sea voyage, sir. After this
day's extensive delivery you will perhaps be in a better temper for a
while. So yaawk away, sir; your wife and children will be gainers by
your present exertions; and nobody here has life enough to notice the