|
|
|
|
|
CONTENTS
Family Background / My father: the able man / My father: the lay preacher / School days / Dangerous Occupations / Going to Sea I / Going to Sea II / Going to Sea III / Passage to America / First Steps / The Great Lakes / Return to England / A Narrow Escape / Passage to New Zealand / Auckland / Finding a Mission / Fit for Mission Work? / A Suitable Helpmeet / A Bush Honeymoon / Our Worst Night / Missionary Heroes / Sydney to Samoa
Acknowledgments & Links
From Malta we shifted another regiment to Gibraltar, and then took on board the 26th Cameronians for North America. We had a good passage across, and landed all in safety at Quebec. On the day on which the troops landed there, an event took place which I believe altered the whole course of my life. We were breaking out the lower hold, to get some of the cargo which was to be landed with the troops. I was sent up from the Õtween decks to get a light ; and whilst I was away the ladder had been taken away from the chocks of the lower deck, and stood upon one of the hatches. The consequence was that as soon as I stepped on the ladder it slipped away at the bottom, fell down the hold, and carried me with it. I fortunately fell across the combings of the Õtween-deck hatch, and so escaped death ; but my leg was broken in two places, and I had to be taken ashore at once to the hospital. The vessel sailed without me, and poor Captain L-, I believe, was lost on his next voyage, with all hands. Had it not been for the accident at Quebec, I should in all probability have been amongst the number. I lay for many weeks in the hospital, and I shall always remember with gratitude the care and attention that I received there. I still remember making an impression upon one of the young medical students which I am sure he remembered for a long time. I had a machine fixed to my leg to draw and keep the bones apart, and occasionally one of the surgeons had to tighten this, which, of course, gave me very great pain. One day, however, the doctors came, examined the leg, and found everything satisfactory. But after they left one of the students decided to practise a little on his own account, and took hold of the key to tighten the machine up another cog. This I did not approve of, as the doctors had not themselves ordered it, and I manifested my disapproval by shooting out the leg that was well full into the young manÕs stomach with such force that he was nearly sent on to a bed on the opposite side of the room. He turned quite pale, and passed on after the staff ; and I noticed afterwards that he generally gave my bed a wide berth. He most certainly never again attempted to give me a taste of the rack!
Family Background / My father: the able man / My father: the lay preacher / School days / Dangerous Occupations / Going to Sea I / Going to Sea II / Going to Sea III / Passage to America / First Steps / The Great Lakes / Return to England / A Narrow Escape / Passage to New Zealand / Auckland / Finding a Mission / Fit for Mission Work? / A Suitable Helpmeet / A Bush Honeymoon / Our Worst Night / Missionary Heroes / Sydney to Samoa
Acknowledgments & Links