Australian Tales - Setis

* * * * *
Some of my readers may impatiently ask, “What is the use of making a
long story about a common-place event, which took place years ago?” In
anticipation of such an inquiry I explain, that a sense of duty impels me
to help, as far as I can, to remedy a systematic abuse, which I believe is,
alas, too common all over the world; and I have written this sketch to
illustrate the discomforts and dangers which passengers are frequently
subjected to, in these present times, and on our iron coast. I have no facts
to warrant me in stating, that the causes of the late melancholy disasters
were other than the act of God; but I can state as a fact, that the last
steamer I voyaged in, not long ago, had not less than from twenty to
twenty-five tons of butter and coal on her deck. And I can state, as
another fact, that the last sailing vessel I voyaged in, the registered
tonnage of which was only 198, had 304 tons of coal on board. By whose
authority it was put on board I know not, but certainly it was not the
captain's. He took his ship to sea, though he admitted to me that she had
at least forty tons more cargo than she could carry with safety. He hoped
to have had a smooth passage to Melbourne, but had a very rough one,
lengthened to twelve days; and during most of that time the sea broke on
board in such a dangerous manner, that to take the hatches off to attempt
to lighten her, would have been to sink her in five minutes; and it is
firmly impressed on my mind, that if she had not been a remarkably
strong vessel, and well found, and withal very skilfully managed, that she
would have foundered with all hands.
Those are two facts which I can vouch for. I could give many more
from personal experience, equally striking, but those are sufficient, and I
would respectfully commend them to the consideration of our legislators.
It might be thought invidious to appeal to them through the strongest law
of nature, and remind them that they themselves sometimes travel in our
fine coasting steamers, and that their families, and their friends,
sometimes travel in them, too; a sense of their duty, as guardians of the
public safety, will surely be sufficient to stimulate their zeal in this
important matter, especially as we have lately had so many mournful
reminders of the perils which beset “them that go down to the sea in
ships.”
If any person should say, “there is a law regulating the deck lading of
steamers,” I would reply, that stringent measures are necessary to insure
its being obeyed; for that it is very frequently evaded is a glaring fact,
which I challenge anyone to confute. *
I believe that such a measure would be hailed with gladness by the
agents and officers of steamships in general; for, from causes which I
have glanced at, those gentlemen are not always able to control the
eagerness of persons to ship goods, in certain states of our markets; and