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                              NARRATIVE

                                OF A

                           VOYAGE TO INDIA;

                                OF A

                              SHIPWRECK

                    ON BOARD THE LADY CASTLEREAGH;

                                AND A

                  _DESCRIPTION OF NEW SOUTH WALES_.




                           BY W. B. CRAMP.




                               LONDON:

 PRINTED FOR SIR RICHARD PHILLIPS AND Co. BRIDE-COURT, BRIDGE-STREET.

                                1823.

       *       *       *       *       *




NARRATIVE

OF A

VOYAGE TO INDIA,

&c. &c. &c.

       *       *       *       *       *




SECTION I.

     THE AUTHOR'S DEPARTURE FROM ENGLAND--DESCRIPTION OF THE
     CEREMONY ON CROSSING THE EQUINOCTIAL LINE, AND HIS ARRIVAL
     AT MADRAS.


On the 8th or 9th of January, 1815, we proceeded, in the Princess
Charlotte, Indiaman, to North-fleet Hope, and received on board our
cargo. On February 28th, we sailed to Gravesend, in company with the
Company's ships Ceres, Lady Melville, Rose, and Medcalfe, and arrived
at the Downs on the 3d of March. Our dispatches not being expected for
some time, we moored ship. Our time passed on very pleasantly till the
27th inst., when the weather became rather boisterous, and accompanied
by a heavy swell. On the evening of the 28th, as the Hon. Company's
ship Tarva, from Bengal, was rounding the Foreland, she struck on the
Goodwin Sands, and was forced to cut away her masts to lighten her,
and get her clear off. The Ceres drifted almost on board us; we
slipped our cables, and with difficulty escaped the Goodwin Sands.

On the 1st of April the pursers joined their respective ships, and on
the 3d we made sail with a fair breeze, and soon cleared the English
channel. Nothing was now heard but confusion; the pilot having just
left the ship, the hoarse voice of the captain resounded through a
speaking trumpet, while the seamen were busy in making sail. We had a
fine steady breeze till we made the Bay of Biscay, when we had a
strong gale for three days.

After the hurry and bustle of the gale was over, we had a fine steady
breeze; I then began to feel an inward pleasure, and to rejoice in the
predilection I had imbibed from my earliest years.

We arrived on the equinoctial about eight o'clock in the evening of
the 19th of April, when one of the oldest seamen is deputed Neptune;
when he went into the head and hailed the ship in the usual form,
Ship, hoa! ship, hoa! what ship is that? The chief officer replied,
The Hon. Company's ship Princess Charlotte of Wales, and that he would
be glad of his company on the morrow. Gladly would I have dispensed
with it. On his quitting the vessel, as is supposed, a pitch cask was
thrown overboard on fire, which had the appearance of a boat till lost
to view.

The next morning, about nine A. M., Neptune hailed the ship again,
when he was invited on board (from the head). On the fore-part of the
gang-way and after-part of the long-boat, a boom was placed across,
and a tarpauling was hung in form of a curtain, so that when they were
in readiness they took it down, and the procession moved on towards
the cuddy, twelve of the officers walking in the front, two by two
with staves (broomsticks); next followed Neptune's car, (a grating
with a chair covered with sheep skins) with Neptune, and his wife and
child, (a recruit's child, as we had 250 on board, of his majesty's
46th regiment) Neptune bearing in his hand the granes with forks
uppermost, and the representation of a dolphin on the middle prong,
and Neptune's footman riding behind (barber) his carriage, dragged by
the constables. The captain and officers came out to meet him, and
presented him with a glass of gin, which was on this occasion termed
wine. After the captain's health was drank, he desired them to proceed
to business, and to make as much haste as possible; they then
proceeded to the starboard gang-way, and Neptune placed himself upon
his throne (on the boom, close to the long-boat and wash-deck tub) the
slush tub being filled with balls, and lather made of slush, and the
barber standing ready to begin his work with a razor made of a long
piece of iron hoop well notched; the engine was brought on the quarter
deck, and began to play, to force those below that had not crossed the
line. I had not been long below before an officer from Neptune came to
me, and demanded me, in his name to appear before him at the starboard
gang-way, whose summons must not be disobeyed. On my arrival at the
gang-way, the usual questions were asked me, whether I had been that
way before? Without waiting for an answer they placed me on the
wash-deck tub, and the barber rubbed me with the back of his razor and
then let me go, upon my previously having given an order upon my
bottle.

I had hardly got upon the poop, when one of the men was brought upon
deck who was neither beloved by the men nor officers; they then placed
him upon the tub, and asked him several questions, and while he was in
the act of answering them, they thrust some black balls into his
mouth, and then rubbed