Mobile Unit. Captain Jensen

Captain Martin Jensen recalls life at sea, starting from the 1860s. Includes his experiences in Indonesia and China, shipwrecks, conditions on board, New Zealand shipping, and salvage operations. In six parts. Actual recording date unknown.

Part 1. Tells how he first went to sea in 1868 at the age of 14, when he ran away from his home in Denmark to work as a cabin boy. He encountered his first accident in 1873 – in an old Danish brig loaded with coal, it struck ground near a spit off Denmark and he was left all night on his own in the leaking boat. He managed to caulk the hole, and was picked up in the morning. He then recalls his first deep voyage from Sunderland to Java. He was wrecked off Surabaya - lived on the beach, speaks about his fiddle and playing for a native wedding, where it didn’t matter what he played as long as he kept time for the dancing.

Part 2. Speaks about how he was the only man in the brig who could read or write, due to free schools in Denmark. Then speaks about the conditions on the ship he took to Java, it was well stocked though not all ships were of a good standard. Sailed from St Andrew's Castle to Singapore and once there, as per the ‘Sea rule’ (when a ship was bottomed all wages were stopped), they were in need of a place to live. They requested permission to live in a home for sailors, but on arrival they were denied. He was lucky to then get a ship to Bangkok, though again was given bad food and water. Complained to the Captain and was taken to a lockup, but was able to use money earned in Java from playing his fiddle to obtain better food. Once back on the ship, they travelled to Hong Kong where a typhoon hit - three masts cut away and eight or nine vessels lost.

Part 3. From the China Coast to London where he was paid off, he then he got a ship to Wellington. Some years later he was living in Lyttelton, where he ran into his old shipmates from the China coast days.
Talks of working on ships in New Zealand, including transporting oats and timber from Timaru to Melbourne – sometimes twenty something days going there, and as few as eight days coming back. Then the New Zealand coastal boats, all sailing ships, from Wellington to Lyttelton. Recalls a trip from Westport to Kaipara, where the skipper invited some men aboard to give them a place to sleep but then forgot about them belowdecks, and set sail. Didn’t realise they were still there until they were 30 miles to sea, so they had to stay on board and make their own way back from Westport. Describes New Zealand conditions and boats in those days, better conditions than in other areas he’d sailed. Speaks of his Stonemason brother in Kansas and his plans to join him there, but he never made it over. rescue of survivors from vessel ashore on Mana Island.

Part 4. Continues tale of salvaging the wrecked vessel on Mana Island to Porirua. Rescue of 13-14 survivors in 1884 (17 had drowned), took the survivors to Wellington on the ship Agnes. Speaks of living in Waitara where he is Harbour Master (his current home at the time of recording). Tells of steamer trade between Wellington and the West Coast. Recalls the types of cargo transported - including coal from the West Coast, cattle, and foodstuffs. Cargo was handled without steam winches. Speaks of vermin aboard ships, with particular trouble from rats. Speaks of lighting aboard ship – the ‘slush lamp’, and risk of fire.

Part 5. Tells of being aloft in bad weather. During the long trips they would mostly read, and they also had musical instruments for entertainment – he played the fiddle. In the 1870s the trip from London to New Zealand took around 72 days (on a fairly fast journey). Recalls trouble with pirates – a ship with tea for Boston had been fired and he was sent to investigate, encountered Chinese pirates. Twelve taken aboard and on to Canton for trial, six were beheaded. Otherwise he had little trouble with the Chinese, got along well.

Part 6. Tells of ‘Blue Noses’ - European officers on American ships, says they were hard men. Recalls a trip with a Blue Nose, Antwerp[?] to New York, before he came out to New Zealand. He and a shipmate jumped off ship in Holland, got soaked and had to dry their clothes. An old Dutch woman helped them out, they stayed the night had breakfast in the morning, and then carried on to England so the Blue Nose never caught up with them. Never sailed under a Blue Nose again.