A Far Distant Land: A saga of British survival in an unforgiving new world (The Australian Historical Saga Series Book 1) by David Field

Author:David Field [Field, David]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Sapere Books
Published: 2021-05-10T22:00:00+00:00

A week later, Richard Mayhew, master of the Batavia, was surprised to be advised by his boatswain that two ladies had come aboard the vessel where she lay at anchor in Sydney Cove and were anxious to speak with him. He rose from behind his desk in the captain’s cabin as the ladies were ushered in, one of them a very attractive young lady with masses of black hair demurely tied under a black bonnet and the other a more matronly looking companion whose face was covered by a dark veil until she lifted it to reveal a solemn face and dark, penetrating eyes. Both women were dressed all in black and it was the older looking of them who spoke first.

‘Permit me to introduce my sister-in-law Matilda Mason, widow of my late brother Isaac Mason. She has a business proposition for you.’

Martha sniffed and wiped her eyes with her glove, which was smeared with dark pepper to make more tears flow freely. ‘Please forgive my intrusion into your rest while at anchor, but I have need of your vessel if I am to retain my fortune — or, rather, that of my late husband.’

‘It’s no hardship to be entertaining two such attractive ladies in my cabin,’ Mayhew replied, already intrigued. ‘How may I be of service to you?’

Martha wiped her eyes again to ensure a ready flow of tears, while Rachel placed a consoling arm around her as the pretence proceeded.

‘My husband and I came out here last year,’ Martha explained. ‘Isaac is — sorry, was — a leading dealer in spirits in London, where we had several warehouses in Rotherhithe. He was hoping to establish a branch of his office out here in this promising new land and to that end brought out with him a considerable sum of money with which to purchase rum from India. He already had it promised to several prominent persons here in Sydney and his business would suffer great loss of prestige and commercial respect were he to fail to deliver. He had intended to charter a suitable vessel over here to honour the many contracts he had made, but sadly he died of a fever he contracted on board during our passage out here. Pardon me,’ she added for effect, as she appeared to break down with the emotional strain and Rachel placed a consoling hand on her arm before looking back at Mayhew.

‘We require your vessel in order to honour the contract. It is, I am informed, a relatively short crossing and an easy one in calm weather. We would require you to source, pay for and bring back a consignment of rum from Calcutta. We would obviously provide you with the money for the purchase and could offer you a further five hundred pounds — to be divided between you and your crew — for a voyage that would take you two months at the most, if the advice I have received is correct. There might be other such ladings in the future, but I am led to believe that you are required to return to Portsmouth.

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