‘The Meiklejohn Saga’

THE MEIKLEJOHN SAGA or Ballad

Written by Errol Jones

(great, great grand daughter of Captain James and Catherine Meiklejohn) who married Ross Darroch Jones (a great, great grandson) in 1946.

This ballad was read by Humphrey Beale on Radio Pacific in 1988.

In 1820 a young Leith lad left the pier at Peterhead

A ship’s carpenter he aimed to be (or so he firmly said)

So, for many years he sailed the seas and studied hard and long

To the tune of sailors singing a lusty shanty song

He sailed the oceans shore to shore. He loved the life he said

A heaving ocean for his floor, a hammock for his bed.

He battled with fierce pirates along the Malay Coast

And with his mates he routed them (or so his diary boasts)

He saw rough life in foreign ports. In torrid sun or freeze

He met Zulus, Kaffirs, Arabs, Burmese and Singalese

He met Turks and Greeks and Spaniards, too. The French and Danes and Boers.

The Dutch and Neopolitans, and Jews and Croats and Moors.

One trip he crossed from Europe towards the far off west

Captain Mustard was his skipper and a daughter as his guest

When Jamie’s eyes alighted on the sweet but saucy Kate

He knew at once that Catherine would be his lifetime mate

Sweet Kate was smitten too, it seems, for by the voyage end

A pledge was made between the two. Their marriage to attend.

He said his sailing life was o’er. He would settle down for good

At Pictou or the Bras D’or. In the spruce and maple wood

So they sailed to Nova Scotia where the Jocks and Sandys dwelt

At home among the rolling R’R’R’R’s and familiar Celtic lilt

At home among the keening pipes and plump haggis in a cloth

With pancakes, sops, and oatmeal brose, and pungent codfish broth.

In ’32 James G was born! In two more years came John!

In ’36 was Sandy’s time! William followed on!

Before a further year had passed young Robert did appear

Then came a space of seven years but why …. It is not clear

Perhaps the trial of five small boys who’d arrived within six years

Is not noted for its constant joys but mostly fraught with tears ….

But …. In the year of ’45 yet another son was here!

And …. After Lemuel, did come Sept’, the seventh to appear!

The saucy Kate then said ‘Enough! I’ve quite run out of names.

I’ve a dozen baby girl names here!’ she crossly told James.

The boys soon grew to handsome lads and helped Dad in his store

And also in his shipyard and turned out craft galore.

They didn’t have much schooling ….(some never went at all)

But, try to put one over them and you were riding for a fall

They were all canny Scotsmen – a race noted for its nous

There’s not much beyond a Scotsman’s ken. It’s a pride in every house

And Scotsmen are a proud race – this family no exception,

Among their peers at Montague, a natural conception.

It was a home away from home, this land called Nova Scotia

But, instead of soft grey highland mists, Atlantic fog hung closer.

They still felt the stinging Arctic breeze (the one they knew so well).

When cold and hungry as they were, the winters were just hell ….

And after several recent winters when the weather was so cruel

And all families were sore – distressed, their fixed ideas were pooled.

So .… there came a general exodus, along ensuing years

And ships were built with utmost speed for James and his compeers

Together with his adult sons Jamie built his own

The ‘Union’ it was duly named. Great industry was shown

Except by tall and virile John, who strangely was uneasy

Though he worked as well as any one, his heart felt very queasy

John had been absent times of late, and this was made good use on

The family stocked the ship with goods and every known provision

All this was not disclosed to John. He was truly unaware.

His thoughts were with a certain lass whose life he wished to share

But, Jamie wanted all his sons for this far and risky journey

He had no thought of leaving one! Not for love or money.

He had not enquired where John had been …. He was too busy scheming …

And soon there came a day just right! The sun and wind abeaming

The crafty man called to his son ‘Just look at those growing waves!’

Well take her for a trial run and see how she behaves!’

Of course the family was onboard …. Their lips were sealed tight …..

They took their places as the crew and John was keen and bright

They were passing through the heads when Jamie told his son

‘We are leaving now for all time, John! We sail to seek the sun!’

John didn’t wait to think again …. he jumped overboard!

And into the flows and flakes of ice he swam without a word.

The family watched him .… all aghast …. He would freeze to death for sure ….

But, as they watched in agitation John made it to the shore!

With stern and stubborn Scottish mien Jamie’s coal-black eyes grew grim ….

His breath came even, deep and strong, his spirit hard and firm

“We shall sail right on! Our plans won’t change! We shall continue on!’ he said.

And not one son said a single word, but Catherine’s heart raw bled.

For two full years they traded there, to and from the east,

The Atlantic crossed many times ‘til hopes for John all ceased.

He had a baby daughter now, and another on the way!

So Jamie steered his ship down south, straight from Fundy Bay.

They anchored off Sydney Docks, and there was plied a princely sum.

It was a sad and tearful day when the deal for Union was done.

Because they were all seafaring men, they roamed the docks frequently

And there they heard of virgin land, far out o’er the Tasman Sea!

‘A land of temperate clime’ was said, by sailors, whalers, merchantmen ….

“The trees were of enormous size! Quite beyond a Scotsman’s ken!’

‘Trees to build the best seacraft! The timber of the highest class!’

‘If making a new life for all, this virgin land they could not pass!’

In Australia they were not content …. They had looked about them every day ….

The ‘Sybil’ was New Zealand bent! Block bookings bought without delay!

So …. in ’58, they landed here, and founded Unionville

Twenty-one vessels here, were built, by father, sons and grandsons still.

John came in ‘Sevilla’ in ’61, to join his family at their task ….

Cordelia came and two small girls …. What more could Scottish parents ask!

The clan again was whole it seemed, but fate stepped in and made her sign ….

Three sons were dead within six years and a fourth abroad for them to pine!

Robert was but twenty-three, and working with his Dad

When caught beneath a falling tee. Such a tragic end he had.

Girls were scarce in Omahaland and neighbours far and wide

Young William yearned for company, and a yen for a sweet bride

He returned again to P.E.I. to seek a needed mate ….

Once, a girl he knew had caught his eye, but he had never made a date,

He had thought nightly of this island lass, he had left at Montague

So he worked his way to P.E.I., this Scotian maid to view

He took one look and off he fled! She did not support his dream!

He signed on a ship to Europe! (A sad ending to his scheme).

He sailed the ocean many years before he thought of home

But, then, one day, he felt an urge, never more to roam!

Will’ looked after Granny Mucklejohn through her widowed years alone ….

He never married all her life but as a ‘Blue-water’ captain he’d come home.

Now, back in eighteen sixty four, (three years past Robert’s due)

Captain Sandy was the skipper on ‘Rapid’ and her crew.

She was freighting logs along the coast and Lemuel was eighteen ….

His blood was mixed with wet sea-salt and he was ever keen

But father James he did decline, and told his young son

‘No, I cannot let you go my lad! I’m afraid for you, you know!’

But Sandy, bristling up, remarked ‘Oh, Dad! He’ll meet no harm!

I’ll look after him myself!’ He said. ‘See! The weather’s fine and calm!’

So …. Lemuel went on board the scow, his eyes alight with joy,

And Captain Sandy cast the ropes …. and James waved limply to the boy ….

The blow did come! The waves rose high and overturned the scow!

Lemuel drowned in raging seas, but Sandy made the shore!

Three times he dragged his brother back, but Lemuel could not hold,

He lost his grip in tumultuous seas, his fingers numb and cold.

Alex. Returned at once to the Omaha home, his Dad to face in pain

He ignored his son for evermore. It was though he was not there!

Sandy never went to sea again, and his quiet guilt he could not bear ….

Within three years he’d passed away! Another son had gone.

He died of melancholia for a sorrow cruelly borne.

Three men had died within six years, and one was still abroad,

The parents of the seven sons felt riven with a sword.

The Canadian girls were growing fast. They were now five and seven

And more were born at Unionville (there were ten sent John from heaven)

James G had wed a local lass and to them four were born

And Sept’, the youngest son of all, was to find a bride called Jane.

The surviving sons built houses near and brought up families

To make their mark in many lands and live where e’er they pleased.

But, Anna wife of the eldest son, was adverse to the surname

So, then and there, she altered it! The name denoted shame!

The letters ‘muck’ she didn’t like (I can well believe the tale)

And, from that time, the Mucklejohns became Meiklejohns to all!

Goldsworthy was her maiden name with ever romance in the ‘Gold’.

And, now to sign her name was ‘Muck’, her pen she could not hold!

Their vessels numbered twenty-one (that was the enzed sum)

How many more there would have been if all four men were home

If Rob.’ and Lem.’ had not been killed …. And Alex. too had lived ….

If Will.’ had brought a bride back home to the clan at Unionville ….

What a wealth of Scot’s descendants would be living in this land

Where Jamie and his saucy Kate had brought their Celtic band.

But, still, three sons who had stayed had kept to the Scot’s manner

And twenty were the children born to ‘Delia, Jane and Anna.

They all have gone, those early ones, and many later, too

And Unionville has also gone ….It’s Big Omaha to you!

The ships have gone …. there is no trace …. Just shadowed memories remain ….

But among the kin born afterwards, there come glimpse of that man!

That hard, old salt, with coal-black eyes, and hair a flowing mane,

With manner dour as any Scot …. Will Jamie come again

I know he has in many guises, whether blond, or black or red ….

Some grandkin have his Calvin traits, if not the colour of his head.

That grand old scot! James Mucklejohn! And Katherine, his saucy wife!

May their memory flow on and on! The pair who gave us our life!

 

(They were married at Pictou, Nova Scotia on 27 September 1831. Jamie worked for Lemuel Cambridge in store and yard on the Grand River P.E.I. before, in 1848, purchasing land at Three Rivers (Trois Rivières) east P.E.I. and establishing a store and yard. They left on ‘Union’ June 1856 and sailed south to Sydney N.S.W. before arriving in Auckland in March 1858. They settled at Omaha in May 1858.)