I was born in 1852 in the parish of St. Heliers, Isle of Jersey, known as the Sun Queen of the British Isles. Le Lievre is one of these good old Anglo-Norman names, and the Le Lievres come of the old yeoman stock who have farmed and owned their lands for generations. The family motto is 'Loyal en Tout' (Loyal in All).

I was educated and a boarder at Eden House Academy, one of the best schools in the island at that time. I sometimes look back to those days in which I spent some of the happiest days of my life. The headmaster was a strict disciplinarian. He certainly believed in the proverb of the wise and great King Solomon, that to spare the rod was to spoil the child.

I Go To Sea.

My schooldays having been finished, although intended for a commercial life, neither that nor farming appealed to me. Wanting to see the world and foreign parts, of which I had heard and read much about, and being of a roving nature, I saw no way of gratifying my desire than by a seafaring life. I therefore bade good bye to my parents and others at the old home and proceeded to Liverpool. Upon arrival at that seaport, with its magnificent series of docks and basins, which extend along the Mersey for about eight miles, and makes it the chief seaport for the United Kingdom, it was a great eye opener to me.

Through influential friends I shipped as assistant storekeeper on board the Idaho, one of the Guion line of mail steamers, to New York. She was about 9,000 tons, and considered at that time a floating palace, and generally did the trip across the 'pond' in about seven days; but it is done in much shorter time now. We had hardly got to sea when I became seasick. A few days of this misery, and I was myself again, and before we had reached New York my troubles had ceased and been forgotten.

On my going, ashore and strolling down Broadway, with its activity, and its magnificent shops, stores, massive buildings, and cable cars, all were viewed with wonder and astonishment by me. In those days thousands of emigrants were carried by those steamers to America and all parts of Canada, a great percentage being Irish labourers, with their wives and children, whose worldly goods were mostly carried by them in bags or bundles, and who left 'dear old Ireland' to try and better themselves. The meeting between friends was a sight to see. What with handshaking, and kissing, and then the enquiries about the 'Pats' and 'Bridgets' who had been left behind.

One would hear a conversation between two old cronies as follows:— 'Well, Mick, sure Americy is a great country; is there a Government here?' 'Ah, begorra there is, Pat.' 'Well, well, Mick, I'm agan it,' and so they rattled on, and then adjourned to the first 'bucket shop,' as the liquor stores were called, and carried on their conversation with a drop of the cratur.

Life in Windjammers

After about 15 months in steamboats I signed aboard a ship in 1872 bound for Demarara. While there I was laid up with the 'yellow jack,' as the sailors call it, and taken to the hospital, which is situated in a charming position, surrounded by beautiful trees, shrubs, and flowers. At that time it was a common thing for half of the crews of the ships which were lying at their moorings to be laid up with fever. A number of the poor fellows lost the numbers of their mess, and never returned to their native homes.

I was surprised when at the hospital to see that the medical officers were Europeans and coloured gentlemen. They were most attentive and kind to their patients. The natives, also showed us great kindness by bringing us fruit, which were greatly appreciated. The word 'negro' is strongly resented by them. 'Coloured gentlemen,' if you please! We brought a cargo of rum and sugar back.

On the way home, our ship was a 'dirty' one in rough we-ther. She would ship seas half-way up the mizzenmast, flooding the deck. We had a pretty rough crew, most of them being Liverpool "Buck Oh's." The chief was a regular bully, who was in the second mate's watch, and was a source of great trouble, as he would constantly answer the latter back, until the second mate, unable to stand it any longer, told him to put his hands up, and to the bully's and every one's astonishment gave him an unmerciful hiding. The man was very penitent afterwards, and expressed regret for his conduct.

A few days later we encountered very heavy weather. Our second mate, and this bully were on the main deck, just at the break of the poop, when she shipped a heavy sea, and washed them both overboard. The bully was washed inboard again, but our second officer was never seen afterwards. This cast a gloom upon us all, for the second officer was a fine young athlete, and a thorough seaman, and was, as we were informed by the captain, the only support of a widowed mother. We all thought that had the other gone he would have not been of much loss, for he was of little good on land or sea. How true it is said, "One shall be taken, the other left."

I Sail For Calcutta.

My next voyage was to Calcutta. We had about half a dozen saloon passengers on board. Nothing of any particular note took place during the voyage beyond that Father Neptune paid us a visit with his retinue, and the usual formalities were gone through on his arrival on board. The mainbrace was, spliced and King Neptune left us, wishing us a fair wind and a good voyage.

Upon our arrival in the Bay of Bengal the pilot boarded us with all his native servants. Shortly after we were taken in tow, and proceeded up the famous river Hoogley. What sights were to be seen along its banks — elephants, jackals, and animals of every description.

Among our passengers were a lady and her maid, a fine strapping young woman from the Emerald Isle, who on her departure from the old country had been told, by her friends of the dreadful things to be met with in India, and of the mosquitoes with great big trunks, which sucked the blood of white people. On seeing the elephants she rushed in a great state of excitement, crying out to our chief, 'Mr. Mate, are those dreadful creatures mishketoos, with their trunks.' On the mate assuring her that they were elephants, and were tame and harmless, she cried out, 'Glory be to God; the saints be praised. I thought they were mishsketoes.'

At Calcutta.

At last we arrived at Calcutta, and made fast to our mooring in midstream. At this time (1872) there were no wharfs for vessels to lay alongside of. All the water for the ship's use, such as cooking, and so on, was got by the cook from the river. It was a common sight then to see one or two native corpses athwart our hawsers. You can therefore understand that at first we did not relish drinking the water, but we soon got used to it. The Hindus consider, the water of the Ganges holy. Whoever dies on its banks and drinks of its waters before his death is thought to be exempted from the necessity of returning into this world again, and commencing a new life. Whenever one of their sick is thought to be dying, his relatives hasten to carry him to the banks of the Ganges, in order that he may drink of the holy water. If he can muster sufficient strength to crawl out of the water, he is given another chance to get well, but woebetide the poor wretch that cannot. He is left to drown, his body is carried down the stream, and in a short time becomes a mass of corruption. Although the casting of the dead in the river is prohibited, by the authorities, this, on account of its religious connection, is a difficult matter to stop. Native police were employed to sink the bodies.

Without, a doubt Calcutta is one of the most beautiful cities in the Oriental world. What appealed to us were the bumboats, loaded with all kinds of fruit, eggs, and so on, which were a treat after the salt junk and weevily biscuits we had been having. The beef and pork, before its being cooked by the 'doctor,' as the cook is called, was placed by him in a net and towed over the ship's side to freshen it, for I assure you at times it smelt pretty high. No doubt some of it was ship chandler's stores since the time, of' the Crimean war. But shipowners were also thoughtful and generous in those days. We were allowed plenty of mustard and vinegar as sauce, so that we could eat it with better relish.

Assassination of Lord Mayor.

The Earl of Mayo was then Governor General of India, and when I was there, while he was on a tour of inspection to the Andaman Islands, a Mohammedan fanatic at Port Blair rushed through the Governor's bodyguard and assassinated him on February 8, 1872. His body was brought back to Calcutta.

The funeral was one of the most wonderful pageant sights ever witnessed by Europeans. The coffin was drawn on a gun carriage, the bodyguard being Sikhs — an honour conferred upon them since the Indian Mutiny. The line of march extended for more than two miles, and was lined by Europeans and native troops. In the procession were to be seen Princes, Rajahs, and representatives of all the high castes of India. The strappings on the elephants which they rode were thickly inlaid by all kinds of precious stones, and would have been an immense fortune to any one. The shipping of all nations had their yards crossed. The sight was purely Oriental, and would never be effaced from the memory of those who witnessed it.

Homeward Bound.

Our cargo consisted of bales of jute and rice, the lot being stowed on board. No time was lost in getting up our anchor, the tug took us in tow and, after leaving us, wishing us good-bye, and a quick and safe voyage.

All sails were set for Old England, home, and beauty. Our bo'son was a Liverpool Irishman, a thorough sailor, and one who did not hesitate to use his fists, and boot on any of the slackers. We arrived in London after a quick passage, and all our troubles were over for a time.

Shipwrecked.

After a good holiday ashore, I strolled along the London docks, with a view to get a ship bound for Japan, that land of the rising sun and cherry blossom, of which I had heard go much about. I came across an old wooden ship, certainly not a beauty or a clipper, for she had bows, and a stern on her like a Dutch Galleon.

She was bound for Yokohama, and upon making enquiries, on board, I was informed that she wanted a third mate to complete her crew. I saw the captain, and was told by him, to go to the shipping office, where I signed on.

A few days after we had left port we encountered a moderate gale, which made our ship roll and plunge like an old tub, and she made heavy weather of it. To make matters worse she sprung a leak which the carpenter said had partly been caused by her cargo, which was composed mostly of briquettes, which formed gas. Her timbers were as rotten as an old pear, and this had caused them to open out. All his efforts were in vain to stay the inrush of water, not with standing all hands being at the pumps night and day in relays.

As good luck would have it the weather moderated, and as she was sinking fast, the chief mate gave the order to man the boats, which we readily did. Getting them over the ship's side we could only take a few things with us. The captain, who was drunk, and in capable of giving any orders, was forcibly taken from the ship, as he would not leave her. It was the general impression of those on board that the ship was never intended to reach her port of destination, but had been heavily insured, as such old tubs were at that time.

We were sighted and taken on board a pilot boat, after having been two days at sea in the boats, and we all thanked our stars and shook hands with each other that we had not gone down with the old tub to 'Davy Jones's locker.' We were taken into Car-diff where we were hospitably treated, and money given us to take us back to our various destinations. Thus, were my hopes frustrated of seeing the Great Nippon.

By this time I had had about enough of a seafaring life and had realized that, a life on the roaring main was not what it was cracked up to be by landlubbers who knew nothing about it.