Mitchell Library, State Library of New South Wales

John Clapham - diary of his voyage to Sydney, 1860-1861
MLMSS 6944

John Clapham 1860 Sailed October 15 on the Tiptree from the East India Docks, London. Agents, Devatt & Moore, 9 Billoter St.,

We left London first train to Blackwall and arrlved there at 1/2 past 10. found the Tiptree had left her moorings and had to go on board In a boat, Were in the river in 1/2 an hour and with two tugs, went, in 3 hours to Gravesend. We had nothing to eat till 7pm when we had tea bread & lots of beef. Had a smoke & went to our berths (after a good chat & laugh) at 11 p.m.

16th. Tuesday, Dreadfully wet. Tea & beefsteaks for breakfast, all vary good. Were told by the 1st Mate not to venture on shore for
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fear of the ship sailing. The pigs on board are kicking up a row, just penned. All of us busy writing. Our youngest Ladys Aunt just left the Ship. Passed a very rough night & didn't sleep at all.

Wed. 17th Beautiful day all very happy. Ladies on board on deck for 1st time. We had a grand treat. The Queen passed us in her Steamer, the Osborne. We were all on Deck the crew in the rigging. Main Royal Cornered Pennant dipped and 3 cheers given. We had Saltmeat & provisions served to us for the 1st time, slept like tops.

Thursday 18th Weather very rough, anchored off Ramsgate, had a chat with the Captain, a very Jolly fellow who said he would make us as comfortable as he could. Miss Bayley sick, Assistant Steward died. Feel all right, our cabin
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swept up for the 1st time. 4 of our party down sick, 10pm sea quiet, calm, singing on board.

Friday 19th Very fine, cabin folks playing at quoits. 2 of our party down yet. Pea Soup for Dinner & very good & Salt Pork not very nice. Butcher promised us milk each day. Had a very rough night.

Saturday 20th. Very fine, decks dry for the first time. Roast beef with potatoes under for dinner. Made Plum Pudding & Oat cakes for tomorrow. Had a drop of groggy and a chat with the Steward & sea very calm, getting cable up ready for morning.

Sunday 21st Splendid Day. Anchor weighed at 4 a.m. & sailed as far as the South Ford and clost to Dover, anchored at 2 O'clock. No prayers on board yet but hope by next Sunday to have them on board. Wrote last night, a love letter for one of the Sailors to his Lizzy, he is
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poor fellow, anxious to tell me all about her & his courtship, he is engaged to be married to her on his return, showed me her portrait, rather a fierce looking girl of 17. Had a splendid sunset & saw one or two of the channel fleet, boatmen wanted 1/- each, to take letters to land but didn't see paying so much. Tonight, Sailors busy spinning yarns, sea like glass & not a breath of wind.

Monday 22nd Finer than ever, weighed anchor at 1/2 of 5 am. and have been tacking all day in vain, the wind being against us hard. Had a pull or two at the ropes, our ship too large to do any good with a light wind. Can see Dover Castle very plain, have been near France several times to-day. Watch appointed and ship selling all night, Ship put about every hour, all slept very well &
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found in the morning we had made 40 knots.

Tuesday 23rd. Dull day wind right ahead & we are making but little way. Had our stairs turned round and our Ladles berths altered, as the wet came in upon them - expect to make Dungerness this evening. I wish I could be at home for just five minutes, shall be glad to be at Plymouth so as to write home.

Wednesday 24th very fine, not much wind till evening, which died away early in the morning.

Thursday 25 Fine day & splendid breeze all day, expect to make Plymouth tomorrow.

Friday 26 Plymouth anchored at 11 O'clock a.m. Splendid day & this is a magnificent harbour, the scenery very delightful, We are close to several Men of War,
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the Flagship next to us. Went on shore at 12 O'clock , splendid boats, queer old town, streets many of them narrow & steep; a great place for fish. Saw Helen & family, returned at 5pm.

Saturday 27. Splendid day. Went on shore at 12-O'clock, Went through the Market, splendid women both young & old - Saw the old church, Blind School etc. etc., Called for letters at P.O., none there. Took back crabs, fish, bread etc., & had a glorious tea. Our two new passengers came on board, one very little other an immense fellow.

Sunday 28. Fair but cloudy. No prayers yet. Miss B. changing her Quarters. I am very glad for the little girl, as she will be under much better influence. The wind has served us well to-day. Weighed anchor at 6 a.m., tug left at 10,
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we are somewhere near the Lizard & had a very good view of Eddistone Lighthouse this morning, Wrote home for last time till I reach Sydney I'm afraid. A poor widdow's son and only support fell out of the rigging yesterday & is not expected to live, we are all truly sorry. He did not belong to our ship; our first mate did everything man could do for him.

Monday Oct 29 Fine day & very calm. Ship making no way. On deck all day.

Tuesday 30 Very foggy & wet, very little wind, sea like a sheet of glass. Caught a young shark, cooked him & very good he was, make cakes for the first time & had them hot for tea. Mr. S & Miss R. both unwell. Have several sharks alongside, 6 large
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whales by the shipside early this morning.

Wednesday Oct 31 . Very wet, all sails set & good wind going 8 knots an hour, cable stored below and sternsails all set. A great many birds on deck, 2 larks, 2 linnets, 6 starlings & several others; had a touch of stomach ache.

Thursday Nov 1. Very heavy rain all morning, ship doing 7 knots an hour. Afternoon very fine. The Cook smothered with smoke. Evening very fine & moonlight, ship doing 9 per hour, sea very beautiful, had a very rough night ship going 12 per hour. Our cabin very wet, Friday Nov 2nd, fine day, wind moderated, ship rolling very much, breeze freshened. This evening bright moonlight with phosphorescent light, saw the moon rise out
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of the Sea, a most splendid sight. Sat with Totty till after ten, looking at the moonlight. Saturday Nov 3rd. Stiff breeze doing eights knots an hour. Ship dashing the sea from her bows in style. Main Royal Stay Sail just blown away with a noise like thunder. Mr. Graves frying fritters in the galley. I scraped the floor and stairs, ladies washing stockings, We saw a whale blowing yesterday, a fine sight. A very heavy sea to-night, our butter, salt, sugar, pots, etc., all broken & mixed-up together. Weather very rough & squally, expect a miserable night

Thursday 4 Had a fearful night - ship rolling fearfully. One of the booms swept away, one of
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the stanchions of the yacht gave way & caused great alarm. Four pigs died & two are dead since; poor cow washed out of her place & much hurt, Mrs Purdays room side burst in, she had to sit up all night. We did not sleep a wink. We have had a tremendous sea all day & meals are a difficulty. Expect another bad night. Mr. Grove poorly for the 1st time, all very much concerned about him, he is the most important & best of our lot. Poor little Harry very ill, the wind has Just got up and we are, thank God, not rolling so much

Monday Nov. 5th Very wet and windy. Slept like a top last night.. Harry still ill, Mr. Groves
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better. We had a glorious ducking to-night we were sitting in the Gangway when a very heavy sea struck us. The water came in upon us and swept us to the other side; we had a good laugh & went in and changed our clothes. At 3.a.m. a fearful sea struck us and completely covered the decks. All our folks alarmed.

Tuesday Nov. 6th Splendid day, Saunders washing, just [indecipherable] ship but going but slowly. Sailors were all startled at the sea last night, had some very bright lightning tonight, ship going along very steadily, had each a glass of port wine from Mr. Coker to drink his health it being his birthday, may his next find him
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better in health.

Wed, Nov. 7 Splendid day, we are now off the Azores, the Captain says we are very much out of our course & have made the worst commencement of a voyage he ever remembers. Got a fine crack on the head today by the falling of the door leading to the hold. A very large whale alongside this morning, went very cloudy at 5.p.m., storm of wind & rain, ship rolling fearfully; had a dreadful night, seas dashing right over the ship.

Thursday 8. Fine day all glad to see daylight. Mr. Coker fell down on deck & fainted. Captain & Mate came down & told us we could go In the Poop whenever we liked, a great boon, very fine night
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with (as last night) plenty of lightning, we are now going our right course. Friday Nov. 9th Fine day, had a very good sleep last night and feel much refreshed. Had a nice concert to-night by the sailors, they have 2 acordians, concertina & a drum. We had much vivid lightning but sea very calm.

Saturday Nov. 106h Swept, scoured & washed out all our cabins & dining room, a dreadfully dirty job but now feel very thankful as the place is sweet and clean. Had pickles & lime juice served out for 1st time, all our sails set & doing 8 knots, the wind having, after many squalls, changed to our right course. Saw a glorious double Rainbow this afternoon, a very imposing sight just
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after a smart squall. 8 p.m. we are going 10 1/2 knots, ship very steady. Saw several Albatross yesterday, very splendid birds; two ships in sight to-day.

Sunday 11th Nov. Splendid day. Prayers on board In the Cabin at lla.m. owner Dr. read prayers & the owner the lessons; a full attendance, 230 knots from 12 yesterday to 12 today. On the poop most part of the day. The clouds very splendid this evg, Prayers at 8.p.m., Owner read lessons Dr., Prayers (& a beautiful sermon). Groves & I lead the singing, Mrs Morgan played the piano. We're going 11 1/2 knots per hour when we went to bed.

Monday Nov 12th First really fine Summer day, Brought my bed up on deck deck to dry, It being wet through. & through. Sun very hot. Expect to see Madiera to-day.
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Tuesday Nov. 13th, Splendid day, did 210 knots up to 12 ,0'clock. A vessel In sight on the Starboard yesterday afternoon, to-day two ships right ahead; think the nearest the "Cora" bound to the Indies from New York. We are now rapidly gaining upon the other one. Have just caught the Trade Winds being in Latitude 30° are going 8 knots. The ship steady as a church. Did not sight Madiera Yesterday being 50 miles to leaward of it. (G. told us a funny story of an old Lady who crossed the Line with him 2 years ago. She was most anxious to see it & when there the mate put a hair on the end of the glass He then rushed to her and told her to look as they were just on it. She, of course saw it & then the hair being removed, no one else could
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see it, to the old Lady's great delight. Went 155 knots up to 12, Fine night, very warm, had music on board

Wednesday Nov. 14th Fine day, had a quiet night. Ship going 9 1/2 knots when we went to bed. Folks In Cabin collating contributions for a newspaper. Saw the owner of the vessel drill 10 of the 1st class passengers & very amusing it was. Have done 212 knots to 12 to-day) Had our preserved meat dressed to-day by the 1st class cook & found it very tasty, much to our delight as we had previously given it back to the mate, not being able to eat it at all. Intend trying it again in a pie. We are now going 8 & 3/4 knots an hour. The weather is very warm. Threw over board what the sailors call "dead horse".
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& They dress up an empty tar barrell with skins etc., put head & tall to it, march with it singing round the deck then set it on fire & throw it in into the sea. The meaning of it is we have been a month at sea & they have months pay in advance, so that now they are earning money again.

Thursday Nov. 15th. Splendid day, went 215 knots up to 12 O'clock. Saw a ship on our Starboard aide but too far off to speak. We are going 9 knots an hour, sailors very busy in the rigging. We have 31 sails set & they contain upwards of 25000 sq. yds, of canvas. Had some curry to-day as a treat from the cook & have a little soft bread each day from him which, is a very great treat; a piece as large
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as one's hand does two meals. We have lime Juice served out to us once a week, which is a treat. We had a birth on board at 12 last nigh; a little girl, both her & her mother are doing well. The lady is an immense coarse & hideous woman with such a tiny man for a husband but they say she is a good kind creature, she is a native of Sydney. Several of our Sailors are (& have been from the first) ill much to our Captains disgust, as they must have known they were not fit for sea

Friday Nov 16th. Splendid day but very warm. We did 245 knots again, I have seen many shoals of flying fish; they are just like a flight of swallows only dont fly high out of the water. Did some washing this morning for
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the 1st time. They have put the awning up across the the poop to protect the 1st. class passengers from the Sun. We are in Lat 17.51 & are now bearing down towards a large ship which we intend, if possible, running up alongside of. She has altered her course & left us to Larboard.

Saturday Nov 17. Splendid day, washed & scrubbed our cabin out thoroughly, a tough job it being now very warm. The sea seems quite alive with flying fish. We are now abreast of St. Jago, one of the Cape De Vird Islands. Had singing on the Poop in the Evening. Sunday Nov.18 Church on the Poop & under an awning a good attendance & a very good sermon read by the Dr. The text
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28 Chap of Genesis & the 12 Verse. The sailors in white trousers, vests, patent leather boots etc. etc & our singing interrupted by the howling of one of our dogs. We are now in Lat. 13 & going along with (for the Tropics) a stiff breeze, we are doing 7 1/2 knots per hour, all our sails have been changed for lighter ones & every stick of canvass set. I am writing below, very much in the shade & the thermometer is at 100 which is cool to what it will be, as yet we do not feel the heat much & hope not to be becalmed on the line (as some ships are, for days) which is anything but a Joke. I find my light clothes a very great comfort In fact I should else have to have gone without, it being quite
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impossible even now to endure warm clothing. I pity our Lady who was lately confined. She is not by any means doing wall. They have to be up with her night & day. Service In the evening, very hot in the cabin. Sang the whole service & staid up till 11 p.m. Went 145 knots.

Monday Nov 19th. Splendid day but very hot, Sailors getting ready for the Neptune business, we have given them ribbons as a grand bonnet & then we shall have to give them plenty of grog, though I quite expect some of us will be shaved. The wind had now almost died away, we did 136 knots today. They have been at the sails all day trying to catch the wind but all
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in vain The sailors are busy singing & very nicely too, The heat is terrific , we are in Lat. 11, Teaxthough a comfort, is indeed a melting one. We have got a new lot of biscuits at last. Oh! be Joyful; Up to now we have thrown it into the sea, not being able to eat it at all, it being shipped 12 months ago to the Cape, talk of it being hard, my oh! and the flavours more like linseed made up with bad oil, but thank goodness that's over now. We have now our shower bath that is — having buckets of water thrown over us by the sailors on deck, which i is just refreshing, though sea water does not cleanse as soft water does.
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Tuesday Nov. 20th. Splendid day, had dancing on the Poop last night. Sailors very busy getting ready for the Line. Have Just seen the Programme for this evg. on the Poop. "Dancing at 1/4 to 8. Quadrille Polka, Schottishe, Polka & Sir Roger, with songs during the intervals. We are not expected to dance but are all meant to be on the Poop & watch them, One of the sheep died yesterday & had to be thrown overboard. We did 60 knots to-day & are in Lat 9.57. It Is rather cooler today, the sky being a little clouded. Seen lots of Dolphins & bonieto playing round the Ship. There is to be a childrens party on board on
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Thursday. We have a great many small fry on board. The cockroaches, hang 'em, I now fly about & fall on one at night Just as one is going to sleep, I We are deluged with them, our water keeps very good yet & we have plenty of it, but we dont throw it about as they do on shore & it is measured out to us with the greatest of exactness. Wednesday Nov 21 Very cloudy though cooler than yesterday. We had a great deal of vivid lightning last night & after going to bed a very rough squall. The sails had all to be taken in, the sailors had two hours very hard work. Poor fellows their life is indeed a very hard one &
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it unfits them for any other. We are now in the midst of a tropical thunder storm, our batches are down & very hot it is & as to rain, my Oh's ! you folks in England would be drowned out with it, the water is pooring in upon us on all sides, the lightning is very bright & at night most beautiful. I watched for hours last night the colour varies sometimes yellow, blue, & rose colour. The Sailors are now all wet through to their skin & will be so all day. Our Ladies are in their berths. The Tiptree Times was sent for us to read & I read it out for the benefit of us all, it was full of fun. Sporting, Commercial, Domestic,
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Police Report, etc. etc. They are anxious we should contribute & anything we send will be entered anonomously. We think of doing something towards it. Our Poor Ducks & Geese (the tops of whose pens are open) are having a great treat, the wind has died to nothing & what we had last night drove us out of our course. We have not been doing a knot an hour. I am sadly afraid of being becalmed on the line, some ships are so for weeks & our big ship takes a hurricane to move her and ships an awful lot of water, she is considered to be a wonderfully wet ship & not by any means a fast sailer & as to rolling (I would back her against all creation)
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& which is a movement disgusting in the extreme, you fly from side to side of your berth all night with no little force & all efforts at wedging yourself in are fruitless & & you sleep only when exhausted. We are now becalmed, the storm being over but the decks are very wet & the air is cooler.

Thursday Nov 22nd. Very dull & cloudy (almost like night) we are below & expecting a terrific storm. The sails are being fueled & the thunder is crashing & the rain just beginning, we are now battened down & I am writing by the light of our lamps, & not troubled with too much air, we are sure to have this sort of weather while here & as we are at present making no
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way at all it is rather a Jolly lookout. Our Ladies are busy making Mrs Neptune's frock. There was a waterspout this morning which I did not see. We are in Lat 7.50, the Steward & the Captain had a row to-day, the former was very independent & the Capt had to give in. Our Steward has 30/- a week, fees from the Passengers, and many perquisets, he has 3 understewards. We had a great deal of vivid lightning all evg. with heavy rain & my shirt was literally wringing wet when I took it off. with the great heat I was in hopes we should have had it cooler, but in vain.

Friday Nov 23rd Splendid day. We were aroused at 12 last night by a first-class tropical storm, it does not rain, but
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& the water comes down In sheets & the lightning is fine. We had our hatches down but had to get up and bail the water out of our place. The poor sailors in the rigging taking in sail for fear of fire! We had two good hours of it & then the air was a little cooler. We are still crawling along 2 knots an hour, & the Sun is fearfully hot. I find that no one on board perspires as I do & its not for want of taking cooling things as our Surgeon is very kind & attentive, after all these things are all a Joke & my health & spirits are fine. I am considerably stouter than I was & when we get into cold weather, (which we shall have
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after passing the line) I shall pick up again. The children had their party last night & very prettily they were

Saturday Nov. 24. Fine day, after an awful night, such rain, thunder & lightning by which we were awoken at 12 O'clock. We got up to bail out the the water & the ship seemed on fire. We scrubbed as usual, Music on the Poop & singing on the Forecastle, a most magnificent Evening. Sat up till 11 looking at the moon. We were going 8 knots In the morning but at night only four. Sunday Nov. 25. Very hot. Church on the Poop, a good attendance all very
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gaily dressed, & sang the whole service. Text - 3rd Verse of 1st Chap. Genesis "And God said let there be light & there was light". A very fine sermon. We expect to be on the line tomorrow. We are changing sail to try to catch the wind, the man at the helm is not able to steer for want of a breeze to steady the ship. Several of the crew & passengers suffering from headache caused by the extreme heat. Church in the 1st cabin this evg & very hot it was, Text 55 chap Isiah & 6th Verse a most splendid Sermon. Sat up till 11 O'clock enjoying the breeze & such a beautiful moon. We had a lovely
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sunset such as you never see on land, one side of the horizon ablaze of gold, changing to the deepest red & then purple & one large mass of clouds standing clear away from the back ground with the edges tinged with gold & the mass of a light lavender colour, in 1/2 an hour after sunset it would be dark if the moon did not at once appear on the other side & shortly afterwards it is as light as day, we do so reluctantly go to bed as after the heat of the day it takes hours to get cool, but the sailors are sleeping all over the deck & they grumble at being disturbed. We spoke to a vessel to-day from the Mauritious, bound to
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Cork. She had been 4 weeks out & expected being home in 6 weeks. They will report us at Lloyds.

Monday Nov. 26th Splendid day, we are In the Trade Winds again & are in Lat 2.40, that is over 55 degrees from Manchester. We have a wind sail set, one end of which comes down into our place & ventilates us famously; it is a long sack about 12 yards in length & at the top (which is in the rigging) is a sail, facing the wind which rushes down to us, not being able to escape any other way. I wish we had been favoured with it earlier. Yesterday the Sailors showed each other the photographs of their sweethearts
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& of course, what one does, all must do. One of them is a queer fellow, he is A rich man's son, a native of Sydney. He ran away when 11 years old & has been all over the world. He has moved in the best society but has invariably disgraced himself. He has ruined very many women & though but 22, is grey. The sailors all dislike him & call him the Lady Killer. He is the greatest liar I ever met. Our butchers mate, a lad who cleans out the pigs, sheep etc., & goes about with with bare feet and is sworn at and abused from morning till night, is a Gentleman born & very refined. His mother keeps her carriage & he will be compelled to return with our ship to England, and as
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she will go from Sydney to Bombay & then China, she will very likely be near 3 years away, poor fellow, I am sorry for him & the sailors often take his part against his brute of a master who is one of the lowest of the low. There is one dreadful thing about the sea- once go a two or three year voyage & however you may wish to settle again, you cannot, lots of our men would give the world to feel settled again & have tried to give it up, but all in vain, it has a strange fascination with it and indeed there is something very fine in looking over the ship side & seeing her rushing through the water & the air around you as balmy
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& soft as the gentlest breeze on land. Our first mate Mr. Davis, comes from Cheetham Hill and is a fine specimen of a sailor. We heard his voice ringing out during the storm the other night. He seemed entirely enveloped in lightning,which played about the rigging where he was & threatened every minute to strike him & he as calm & self-possessed as if nothing was the matter. One of the sailors got a vary severe shock through taking hold (by accident) of the wire ropes. It is frightful to see them go to the masthead in a storm (in the night) those below keep asking if all is right & one feels thankful when we hear them shout as they leap on the
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deck again. Our Captain, who is somewhere about 60, said he never saw such rain as we had the other night.

Tuesday Nov. 27 Splendid day, we are in Lat That is 91 miles from the Line. We expect Neptune on board to-night to be ready for tomorrow. We spoke a ship bound from Glasgow to Singapore. There are several ships in sight, we are several points out of our course & though in the Trades, we are doing but 1 mile in four to the good, many of our folks & sailors fish every day but never catch, anything. Our poor cow is very ill & not likely to recover. They have changed her place to try to
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give her more air. Our young bulls seem very Jolly & are beautiful creatures. We sat on deck till 12 last night, enjoying the moonlight. The Tiptree Times, 1st number, was sold at auction yesterday & fetched 7/6. We saw some large pale green clouds in the midst of dull slate coloured ones yesterday afternoon & were very much surprised & delighted. There is no end to the beauty of the clouds.

Wednesday Nov. 28. Splendid day, Neptune came on board last night all hands want to one side expecting to see him in his boat & while all were looking over, a bengal light was lit on the other side & Neptune
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& his Secretary were seen coming out of the water. They went up on the Poop & delivered their letters to the passengers, had a chat with the Captain & then a tar barrell, lighted, was set afloat, some rockets went up, & we watched the barrel float for miles To-day the craw were up early, a large sail was filled with water, Neptune, with his Sec, Barber, Doctor, Wife & son, & Officers, went on the poop & summoned all before him. Ladies & Gentlemen, Crew & Passengers. All of our set were shaved & ducted. We were kept in prison until our turn came, I went up & saw several shaved (on the
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sly), when called I went forward. They blindfolded me, set me on a seat. The Dr. gave me some mustard, water & a pill, which I spat out then put some flour & water on my face & with a razor, shaved it off twice. They tried to make me open my mouth, but I did not fancy having a nasty brush put in it. They then slipped the bandage off & shoved me into the water. Three great rough, fellows caught hold of me and souced me in the water & I got out of course, as soon as possible, someone shoved me back again but I caught a rope & scrambled out, I must say I quite enjoyed the fun, though, my face was scratched with the ? iron. The sailors
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are all half drunk, one of them is now in the surgeons hands, he & another fought and he, being drunk, got hurt. Not content with that & trying to stab one or two, he got his razor & cut his big toe nearly off. He has lost a great deal of blood & they have not as yet succeeded in stopp1ng it. The ceremony on the line is a disgrace to the age & beyond the more, seeing people looking absurd has nothing in it to redeem it at all. One of the 1st class passengers was shaved at tils own request & he caught it finely, They used one or two very roughly and in fact, God help anyone left to the mercy
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of sailors. This sailor who has cut himself, will, be says, stab the man he was fighting with, he is a dreadful brute. We shall have the pleasure of paying for a lot of rum, at least a bottle each or we shall never be safe from them.

Thursday Nov 29th. Splendid day, we are sadly out of our course & have been off the coast of the Brazils. We are now going towards the Cape Horn being compelled to keep in this course or else loose the wind. The sailors played many very funny games amongst themselves (the 1st class passengers looking on) They did some very good dancing. The fellow who cut his toe is (& will we expect continue) an invalid the rest of the voyage.
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We continue to have a splendid breeze & all regret we are not in our right course.

Friday Nov. 30th Splendid day, a flying fish fell on deck, such a pretty little thing with very large eyes, the Dr. is going to preserve it. Three of our party make themselves so disagreeable that we are determined to divide our mess.The big fellow, Mrs Purdy & her imp of a lad, Mr. Coker & young Perkins, who are the grumblers, we Intend to let them mess by themselves. Mrs P. is a farmer's daughter who has lived in town & is such a wretch as Mrs Winter was only much worse, always talking of her gentle bringing up, etc, & grumbling at everything & fancying others were getting more than
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she. It must be very annoying to our Mr. Grove, who does all the carving & managing & who always is willing to go short himself sooner than anyone should feel themselves neglected, but such trash as our Mrs P. would upset a village and the more they get the more dissatisfied they seem, well there is an end to most things & we shall trust, go on better in future. Fancy this being the end of November, here we are with the windsail blowing a current through the place all night with our bedroom door open with one thin sheet over us & our hatches wide open to wind or rain.

People soon get used to heat as the blood gets thin and you are careful not to do or take anything to heat
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you & the nights are very cooling. I could manage with a greater heat than we are having now, though (of course) you can't stand in the Sun, even for five minutes without feeling it severely. But the most glorious thing is that anyone, however bad previously in their chest, at once threw it, off. Our Mr. Coker (who left England to die) has lost his awful cough, is quite frisky, can get wet with impunity, eat & drink anything at anytime, sleeps like a ton & though his lungs are gone, feels quite young again. You must see the change before you can believe or imagine it & the improvement is permanent. Mr. C. actually danced the Polka the other evg. & enjoyed it.
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Saturday December 1st. Glorious day, Ship going 8 knots, had our usual cleaning, boards now looking white & clean, but certainly a tough Job this weather, the perspiration dripping from me and wetting almost as fast as I dried the place, but it is worth all the trouble, tonight we have seen such a sunset. First there was a dense mass of clouds beneath which was the Sun, all else was blue, below the clouds was a blaze of gold & above them, was small clouds of pink & yellow changing to pale green & below, crimson, on the horizon opp, deep red, then a compleate change, a cave opened
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& the Sun went under in deep crimson, after that streaks of the very brightest gold, changing to faint yellow and ending in the very deep red. This is a horrid attempt to just state the simple facts, but as to description, it beggars that altogether. Our Folks are just having a grand Roach hunt and great has been the slaughter. I am now going on deck to wait for the moon to have another treat.

Sunday Dec. 2nd Glorious day, spoke Bark from Antwerp, bound to the East Indies, 33 days out, wished us to lay by her (as we suppose) on consequence of her being in distress, but we
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are going too fast & can't spare the time. Church on the Poop. Sermon, 46 Psalm, 1st & 2nd verses. They sang the Te Deum in the wrong place & sang a Psalm to long instead of short metre. We bed a Squall at 9 last night, the clouds came over quite dense. The wind thundered in the night & it rained. Five minutes after all was fair & the moon shone brightly. Ladles all in muslin dresses to-day, the gentlemen In white linen & silk coats & white trousers, our middies in their uniforms & well they look, poor little fellows. We saw several Nautilus yesterday & most beautiful they were. They hoist a light pink sail the size of this book & go along on the
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water splendidly. You can see them some distance off, their colour is so bright, we saw them all sizes, some very small. They are indeed very lovely to look at. We have, for some days, passed any vessel we have seen, but alas we are not In our right course & only one in every 3 miles we go is to the good.

Monday Dec. 3rd. Glorious day. We were in Lat 10.10 yesterday, that is to say 610 miles over the line. We hope to be about the Cape in 14 days. Service in the Cabin last night - 3rd chap of genesis & 6th. Verse, the singing went better, we saw the Magellan Cloud last night, they are two very large clusters of Stars, also the Belt of Orion.
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The Stars were unusually bright & numerous last night & we saw the moon rise out of the water looking very large & red. It is winter in the Tropics which accounts for our not feeling the heat more. We expect to go far enough South, to see the Icebergs & then it will be very cold, after that the weather will get gradually warmer till we reach Sydney, where it will be summer & uncomfortably hot. How I long to see Bob & often feel very anxious as to the future. God grant I may be fortunate there. I long to be employed again as this is a dreadfully lazy life to be leading. The Cook prepared our preserved meat for us yesterday with macarone & capers & very
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fine it was, with plum pudding afterwards & at tea a large seedcake, which, you would have enjoyed much. The Cook makes 90 gallons of drinking water every day, the Mids pump the water out of the sea & he has a patent condensing boiler which converts it into steam which as it condenses, becomes pure drinking water, Only a very small quantity of water is converted & the waste runs away all day along an elastic pipe into the Sea & being very hot, is useful for washing etc.

Tuesday Dec 4th. Splendid day. Had a chat with Mr. Jacobs, of Sydney. He gives a very good account of the town, but not of the climate which is hot & sandy
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and the mosquitoes are dreadful, so he says, Most of our Passengers are natives of Sydney and most disagreable people. Our Mr. Grove has lived there for years & says they are proud, ignorant, hate strangers, and are many of them convicts We are now in Lat 14.45 and are going along splendidly (night & day) we pass every ship we sight, the wind being strong. We shipped some very heavy seas yesterday which did us no harm.

Wednesday Dec. 5th Splendid day, went 9 knots an hour last night. The Captain & Officers up half the night watching two ships ahead of us which they were anxious to pass (which they say we did). The Lady who was confined, came on deck for the first time yesterday) she is looking very
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ill. People make a great mistake in thinking that Shipboard is the place for reading, you certainly have the rips of time but take a book and the variety of noises around & first one & then another talking by & to you, so that after reading a sentence 6 or 8 times over you give it up, seeing and meeting vulgar people is one thing but living in the midst of them is no joke, as escape from them (on board ship) is impossible, but according it all accounts, we want such a preparation to be able at all to endure the people of Sydney. We are now in Lat. 17.50 & are going 9 knots an hour & quite in our right course. It is a splendid sight to see the Ship dashing the water
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high into the air from her bows & she herself as steady as if at anchor. We have just had dinner off curried Beef & very good was with plenty of fine boiled rice. The 1st class Cook prepares our preserved meat for us & certainly makes it wonderfully good, it being of itself, the nastiest stinking rubbish. you could imagine - so much, for cookery.

Thursday Dec 6th. Splendid day. We passed a homeward bound vessel in the dark last night. We showed a light & they answered us, they were close by us & came from South. America. The Sailors had a Judge & jury last night, on the main deck & tried several cases, calling several of the Cabin Passengers
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as witnesses. One of the sailors was dressed as a woman, another as a drunken Irishman. It was amusing as is nearly anything novel on shipboard. We did a splendid day sailing yesterday, 225 knots. We are in Lat 22 & are in our direct course and doing much better than we ever at all expected to do. The only thing we have, to break the weary monotony of sea & sky, is the sunset. No fish, birds or even wet to make a variety. Some of our Cabin Passengers are very much depressed & no amount of cheering or attention can get them out of the dumps. I've felt quite jolly as yet and do all sorts of things any way of a change. Mr. Grave & Coker
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were washed from one side of the deck to the other, they were sitting in the gangway (which is an opening or doorway, in the side of the ship, so that when in dock, a plank resting there, you can walk on board) when a great sea struck us & the water came over for a minute or two, like an immense waterfall & with great force. They were (you may be sure) wet through & through but as no amount of wetting from salt water has the slightest bad effect, they did not care a pin. I very often try to picture to myself 5 Gere St., I have it perfectly in my mind's eye. It is now 2 O'clock here & about 1/2 past 5 with you & expect tea is just over & you are perhaps by the
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kitchen fire warming your feet & complaining bitterly of the cold, though not, I hope, suffering from your horrid chest affection. I do so long to see your dear face again & often have a good look at your picture God grant that we may soon meet again, never to part in this World.

Friday Dec. 7th Splendid day, We have now quite lost the wind & the sails are now flapping about much to our disgust. A dutch ship passed us last evg. we spoke her as she went by us not more than a mile distant (which, for the sea) is very near; she looked splendid going by us in full sail and as she was homeward bound
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she was looked by many longing ayes. Many of the folks on board have been suffering from prickly Heat which covers them over with little red pimples which itch dreadfully, thank goodness I have escaped. We had a shower of rain last night which was quite a treat, (though it lost us the wind). The Choir practised the Church Music in our place last night, but they make sad mistakes in the tunes not having the least ear for singing & it is amusing to hear one singing one part of the words & the others quite in a different place & tune, yet it (that is the service) reminds
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one of home. I certainly never admired our Church Service as I do now, nothing can be more beautiful or touching. Our Mr.Grove who has great colonial experience, says so many that go to Australia tell lies about the place, in fact such is the custom, and the truth never reaches England, as no one seemes to have the courage to tell of things as they are. I am determined to write the whole truth during the voyage & when there, as it is cruel to deceive people. He says Prostitution there is frightful, thousands of pretty young girls brought over there by the lies from their friends. One of our
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young Ladies goes out knowing no one & not understanding any business of any sort. She (poor girl) left her Aunt believing there was lots of employment (& women scarce) with great salaries and no ability required. There are rather more than five women to one man there at present so I think the look-out not very bright.

Saturday Dec, 8th. Splendid day wth moderate wind. We are going 5 knots per hour. We saw a Barque ahead of us & set sail to catch her which we did at 1 O'clock. She was close alongside of us, such a pretty little ship of 400 tons, the Ellensland from London & bound to Melbourne. She is 60 days
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out from London, she has been 7 days longer out than we have. Our Captain spoke to them through a speaking-trumpet & at the end of their chat they wished each other a safe voyage; all hands (well & ill) crowded the ships side to have a sight of her, We soon left her astern. Our ship has commenced rolling and I'm afraid we are loosing the wind. The Carpenter is busy making a very handsome staircase to fasten to the Ships side when we reach Sydney & we shall be painted & our decks scrubbed & made as smart as a new pin. Just before we arrive the carpet will be laid down again in the Saloon & the glasses, pictures etc., exhibited to the
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green folks on shore. Passenger ships, like everything else/ are humbugs, all show in dock & plain enough out. You would laugh, to see our place, it is close to the Forecastle (under which the sailors' place is) a common ladder (such as you see in a stable) leads you down into our hold. Our berths are divided into four compartments, the women on one side under the ladder, we on the other, facing it, to the left is our table with bench on each side. The entire place is as large as our front room. The sides are just rough boards to keep the cargo out. Our ladder being very steep, makes it most indecent for the Ladies & at first distressed them much,
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but use is everything. Any clothes they wear on ship will never do to wear again anywhere. We can always hear the conversation going on above us & the filth, they hear in a week is dreadful as sailors have no respect for steerage passengers & all the light & air we get is from the opening at the top of our ladder. I wish I could have a Photograph of the place, It would surprise you folks on land. The sea must indeed be a healthy place or we should soon be dead in such a hole, it was pitiable to see our women folks the first few days. I could have cried for them, SO cold, decks sopping wet, our place
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ditto & half- full of wet shavings the water coming in everywhere, & the stink dreadful. This part of the ship having been used (last voyage) as a hospital for the 450 Soldiers on board, I am surprised but I did not feel it at all & often wonder how we stood it. Fancy your clothes & boots quite wet, to come down into this place, all a puddle, & to get into a wet bed, from off a dripping floor, & the most horrible thumping & shouting overhead with the sea banging against the ship's side, & she rolling about like a cork. I made up my mind before going on board, to expect all sorts of miseries & when amongst them, did not feel them a
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bit and felt as happy as a sandboy.

Sunday Dec. 9th. Glorious day & very warm. Ship rolling very much, had very great difficulty in keeping on our legs during the Service on the Poop. Sermon from 15th Chap, Genesis & 1st Verse. Had Preserved Beef curried for Dinner with Plum Pudding, very good. Saw such a sunset in the evg. as I scarcely ever hope to see again. All on board were astounded at the splendour & beauty of it & all agreed that it was beyond all description, grand. As for myself, I sat an hour & a half speechless with, wonder & delight. The whole heavens
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were covered with evry brilliant shade & colour & constantly changing, but the brilliancy & intensity of the colours can certainly not be imagined by those that have not seen a Tropical Sunset. At Evg. service several mishaps took place through chairs, with their occupants, turning right over as the ship rolled suddenly from side to side. There was a performance on the Poop last night, by the gentlemen, (in character) very amusing & well got up.

Monday Dec 10th Glorious day. Two ships ahead which we are trying to overtake. Washed my coloured shirt & hung it to dry, when it was stolen by
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some of the crew. This is not the first or second thing I or others have lost & they are continually breaking into the Cook's place at night. I had several buckets of water thrown over me & of course you have not the slightest redress to what they do. A beautiful little Dutch Ship passed close by us, near enough for us to read her name & sea all on board etc., they promised to report us. The Captain spoke to us & we answered by flags (we & they) for two hours. We also spoke a large outward bound ship going to Melbourne, which we left far behind us.

Tuesday Dec llth Splendid day, going 8 knots. We were aroused early this morning
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to look at a ship alongside. She was from Hamburg & was crowded with passengers though but a (pretty) small thing, had & board & where they were stowed at night was a mystery to us all. She is bound for Adelaide, they cheered us famously but we soon left them for behind, no doubt to their regret & ours, as it was a great treat to see them alongside and they poor things (for they seemed like working people) were glad to see a few christian faces again. We are In Lat.30.

Wednesday Dec. 12th. Very wet, wind changed, all sails altered. We were going 10 knots last night when we went to
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bed and during the night we were doing 12 knots. We are now going but four. The Sun when it comes out, will soon dry the decks (if the rain only ceases). Our Sailors are busy catching the water to wash, their clothes with. The Cabin folks are getting up a play for Xmas & there is to be great fun on board - running in sacs, swarming poles etc.

Thursday Dec 13th Very wet & rough, could not sit down in our place last night as the water was coming in on evry side; had to sit on our boxes. Our place very hot & steamy and the smell most oppressive. To-day is just the same. We have just taken up the
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water as well as we could, the heat down below is very great from the heating of the cargo, where we are to dine I dont know, somewhere down here of course, Some of the sails blew away last night & the sea keeps dashing over the now & keeps us wet, It is also very cloudy & dark. I got some stuff from the Dr. to put upon the floor but it does not make any difference, It is impossible to remain here an hour together and as there is no shelter on deck, we get very wet up there. I quite expect some of our folks to be taken ill as all have bad headaches.
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I sang & did all I could to keep us jolly last night but they would get low - spirited and no wonder, it is Summer in this Lat and Winter here must be very fine!! Our Sailors speak of it with a shudder. We are not in our right course unfortunately and fear being detained in this pleasant neighbourhood, but we must just take the things as they come & be thankful.

Friday Dec 14th Dreadfully wet It has rained the whole day. We passed a wretched night, the sea dashing right over the Ship & pouring down into our place in waves, and immense sea struck us between two & three this morning & woke
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us all, the water poured over the Forecastle in one great stream & kept us on our side and it was some time before she righted (as you have heard the saying) she staggered like a drunken man. My berth was wet when I went to it & the water dropped on my face & body all night & ran down the sides of my bed in streams catch me having an upper berth again. its a great mistake. That is a good old saying "live & learn". Nearly all of our sailors will run away from the ship when we get to Sydney, We get sadly bitten by mosquitoes which are remarkably plentiful on board. They
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raise a nasty blister which itches all day. The weather is getting very cold & we expect ere long to see some Icebergs, Our sugar is mixed up with dirty water, our biscuit is damp & fusty. Benches & table sopping wet, everywhere else ditto ditto. So I think we may consider ourselves well In, but I get get lowspirited, do what I will, and cant help laughing at the plight we are in. It quite annoys our folks to see me so Jolly & rather suprises me.

Saturday Dec 15th. Still very wet, not quite so rough a night last night though my bed was sopping wet. I feel rather stiff to-day
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in consequence. We had a tough job washing our place out. Mrs P has laid in bed all day these three days, only getting up in the evg (when all work was done) & of course, using her room for all purposes (and in as frightfully close a place as ours) this has been dreadful. She is a beastly woman and lazy to a wonderful degree, fancy having to carry up half a dozen nasty slop pails ALL day). I spoke seriously to the Carpenter about the great leakage in my berth & he said "Oh, yes. it always did leak there, you better lay on the floor till finer weather comes & so it is, we are tired of complaining, & have no
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chance of speaking to the Captain as he is always below. God help steerage folks in this ship. I told our 1st mate of having water thrown over me & the loss of my shirt. He thought nothing of it as coming from the Steerage. I would sooner see you buried than let you be subject to a little of what we have to undergo. Our crew are the very scum of the Earth & most of them get but 1/- a month. They working their passage out.

Sunday Dec 16th Fine day for which we are all very thankful. Service in Cabin, it being too cold for the Poop, sermon from Genesis, a very poor attendance. Our decks are not yet dry & it is very
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foggy. We are going 10 1/2 knots & the Ship is very steady. We hope to be in Sydney 6 weeks from now, we are 1500 miles to the west of the Cape & are now doing only Longitude as we have done enough of Lat. The Sailors were busy all morning putting up the Sternsails. Our Cook & under Steward had a fight yesterday but are now good friends again, the former, poor fellow, works every day from 4 In the morning to 1/2 past 9 at night and in a place so hot that to remain there five minutes is a great punishment. He has baked us a nice loaf for our tea which we shall all much enjoy. We had a better attendance at Service this eng. Ship going splendidly.
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Monday Dec 17th. Wet day, Ship going 12 knots & the Sea is flying right over her & the decks are swimming with water. We saw a wonderful flight of Cape Pigeons. There were hundreds of them & very pretty they looked. We hope, by & by, to be able to catch some of them. Three of our Sails have been split with the force of the wind and the sea is running very high & will be much more so tomorrow.

Tuesday Dec 18th. Very wet rough, decks very wet. Rained all day till Evg. when it cleared up & we have Just seen a splendid sunset to out surprise
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as we thought it had gone down, it is light now till a after 8 O'clock.

Wed. Dec. 19th. Fine day, going 5 knots. Sailors are hanging up the sails to dry while they have a chance. Some busy washing. Have Just been weighed, my weight is 138 Ibs or 9 stone 12. Our place is nearly dry which is a great comfort. We find all our sheets & blankets very comfortable at night as it is very cold. We are thinking of Xmas Day & shall drink your very good health as we expect some wine coining from the capt. & shall try to make a very jolly day of it. I have carefully preserved a bit of green to make a bush.
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Thursday Dec 20th Wet & cold, suffering much from faceache, the wind being very keen & my great coat comes in very useful. We find the time hang very heavy on our hands and we are very glad when bed time comes. We are going 11 knots an hour.

Friday Dec. 21st, Midsummer day here. Very wet & cold. Sea dashing over us all day & falling over into our place in torrents. It Is sometime waist deep on deck. Our beds & room floors are sopping wet & not the slightest chance of drying them till warmer weather comes. We are in Lat. 45 South & going our right course. We went 250
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knots yesterday. The heavy sea we gave today prevents our getting along & though we appear to be dashing through the water, we are only doing 5 knots. The water, the other evening drowned nearly all our ducks & the Cabin Folks have had lots of them to dinner every day. They also had the pleasure of eating all the pigs that died. Our Butcher is busy cramming Turkeys for Xmas. Poor things, they don't seem to like it. He killed 3 turkeys, 4 geese, 4 ducks & 6 fowls for Sunday dinner. Poor things they are all very thin & hard and death must be a great relief to the poor things as they are certainly not over-fed.
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Saturday Dec 22nd. Dreadfully wet & cold, our place quite swimming with water. It rained & blew bard all day but thank goodness we are going famously through the water to Sydney. One of our splendid young bulls died yesterday, poor thing, he was taken out of his own snug place some week ago to make way for the Captain's old and very much desceased cow & put in its place, he took the infection & died. The Captain was in a sad funk & the Butchers said to him that it caught its death from the Cow which put him in an awful rage. He said "if you repeat that I will have
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you put in Irons & whipped". It cost £70 & they pay £50 cash for their passage, of course the loss falls upon the person to whom they are shipped. It seems that some of the Cabin passengers intended asking us to dinner on Xmas day but the Capt. said "No, he would provide us with as good a dinner as the ship could afford". But we, as yet, can hear nothing of the good cheer & don't expect anything. Sunday Dec 23rd Fine day but piercing cold, Had Service in the Cabin & sat in a draught & was nearly frozen. The text was "And Joseph opened the store-houses" A good hint, our Capt. looked dreadfully grim and has
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been swearing at & abusing every one he dare. We went 9 knots yesterday than ever - 258 - a great day & night's performance. I very much want a large clothes bag, my dirty clothes are in a corner of our bedroom & there is no other place, except my box, I could put them in, & that would not do. its a great mistake for folks to think they can do their own washing as the sailors expect to do that for you & to provide them with money when they go on shore (they, receiving none from the ship until they get home.) They charge 6d. shirt, 3d. stockings, 1/- Trousers, & all very badly done. If you
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try to wash yourself they will grumble at you, slily throw pails of water over you & steal the things when you hang them to dry. Cabin passengers must bring immense quantities of linnen etc., as they have no chance of washing & have to appear very spicy & dress for dinner each day. The bell rings 1/2 an hour before dinner each day for that purpose. They never have less than 30 hot dishes each day & have glorious deserts & as much Port, Sherry, Claret, Champaigne, Beer, Port & Spirits as they like to drink. There are 13 of one family, Mr & Mrs Morgan & child, their mother & 8 children & the Great-grandmother, who is nearly 90. I helped the Old
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Lady on board and very sticky she was. She has a walk on deck sometimes when the weather is calm & seems quite hearty. Our Ladies are going to their berths to try to get warm as there is no fire to go to In this ship & the weather is colder (just here) than in England. Tea we find a great comfort & don't I just value the tea you put in a bottle. I have some separately each Sunday & grand it is ss the Ship's tea is old black Congo & vile stuff, & we never get coffee. Mine in the canaster is grand. The flavour goes out of and the damp gets into everything that is not in airtight glass or tin, and as to the flavour, it goes away
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entirely. Preserves & Pickles and no treat except just at first. I swop mine for a bit of bread or a potatoe, which are far greater luxuries. Crusts which would be thrown away at home, are a treasure here. I always had a dislike to dry, hard biscuits - bread, as they call it here. We have 3 Ibs 2 Oz of butter a week amongst 9 of us & some get a lion's share. I have not eaten anything like a 1/4 of a 1lb since being on board, not caring about it as we always have meat to every meal.

Monday Dec. 24th Fine day & much warmer. Passed the day on deck walking, Jumping, etc., etc., The mate & Dr. had a boxing match
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the Dr. being a pupil of the famous Tom Savers) They were a capital match and we much enjoyed the fun. The sailors had large quantities of grog given them which made them drunk & mad. We were annoyed by them all evg. We all Had a long Job stoning the raisins for tomorrow's pudding. We have lots of fruit, spices, etc.

Tuesday Dec. 25th Fine day. We have a leg of mutton, potatoes, plum pudding & a bottle of beer each for to-day's dinner & expect to be invited into the Cabin this evg to see a Play. We have been fishing for birds to-day, there being lots of Albatross, Stormy Petrel & Cape Pidgeon
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alongside, but as yet with no success. The Petrel is a beautiful little bird & is very tame, in fact the Sea Robin. Wednesday Dec. 26. Dull & cold, went into the Cabin & saw a Charade acted. Were put to sit in a draught & though there was lots of wine &c., we got none & in fact were treated as paupers, and fancy by such trash.. The Jew is a convict, one of the others a shoemaker, another a sadler & there is a draper & an ex-steward.)- Mrs Morgen played most splendidly from several Operas which was a real treat. Our two cooks have been very drunk the last three days & we get our meat as we can.
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To-day was the Capt's Sons Birthday, evry one on board, except us, had wine to drink his health. The sailors were very noisy afterwards.

Thursday Dec 27 Fine but Intensely cold, sea very rough. Ship going 10 knots, Thermometer down to 40° which, is much colder in the Southern than Northern Lat. I made our Kissing Bush of a bit of green twig & made coloured roses & with hoop—iron covered with the paper, made a grand crown. It looks very well & has been much admired. We sat up till after 1 O'clock Xmas night, singing &c. & were very happy. Our plum pudding was salt as brine
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through being made with salt suet & boiled in salt water, all our cook's fault. We gave him Rum for which he promised us a cake which we didn't get.

Friday Dec 28. bitter cold, snowed & hailed all day, sea very rough our place swimming with water and no going on deck, too rough & wet, Thermometer down to 37.

Saturday Dec. 29 Very rough & cold. We are in a gale of wind. The sea is running mountains high., it seems to increase every hour & we expect a storm tonight. They have taken in all but five small sails which are left up to keep us from rolling the masts
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out of the Ship. We are going, with that bit of canvass, 12 knots.

Tuesday Dec. 30 We passed an awful night, 3 of the sails were blown away. The sea broke over the ship every minute & the wind roared. The very large & solid place built for the Bulls (& fastened to the decks) was washed away to pieces, also the sheep pens, which were smashed to pieces. 30 of the fowls & ducks were drowned & no wonder, as the sea came bodily over us. The butcher was carried away right over the midshipman's cabin & luckely got entangled in some ropes or be would have been swept overboard. It is
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a very grand sight to look at the sea during a storm or after, as the sea takes many hours to go down. We have not had any water for 2 days & the mate has orders not to give any out yet. I feel very dirty & my eyes are very painful through want of sleep, not having had a wink for two days, through the stunning noises on deck. The Watch on deck, keep stamping & jumping all night to try to keep their feet warm & that close to ones head, while to roaring & banging aloft is fine.

Monday Dec. 31st Very wet & cold, going 11 1/2 knots & shipping great seas on each side which keeps
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the decks swimming in water. Thermometer at 45 down in our place. We had just scoured our floors to get all clean when down came the sailors & got out some wet mouldy hay which made us as untidy as ever, & of course, they never clean after themselves. The Captain says he had very little hope of saving the Ship (at one time) the other night as she would not steer at all & we were near some Islands with, a fearful sea around us.

Tuesday January 1st. 1861 Very cold & wet, sea running mountains high. We had a pound of pudding raisins given us to make a New Year's treat with. We had preserved
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mutton served to us, but, hungry as we were, we could not touch it, nasty, stinking stuff it was. The 1st Cabin had supper at 12 at night with wine & grog till 2 in the morning. The crew, mids, &c., had plenty of wine & grog, but not a drop for such wretches as us. We went to bed at 10 O'clock and at 12 all the bells were rung, plates, tins, pans & kettles were rung. The crew hurrayed & danced about the deck to our annoyance. We all felt miserable at spending such a New Year's Evg. This year has commenced in style. Our ship is gloriously wet, the Saloon is floating with water which can't be prevented.
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Wednesday January 2nd. Very wet & cold, going 11 1/2 knots an hour, thank goodness. There is a collect read each Sunday at Church, "Grant that we may return again to enjoy the blessings of the land". How fervently we all say "Amen" to that. Our place has to be open to the weather to let air in & in this intense cold, without anything like a fire to look at, the cold is terrific, even in bed. We put evry thing we can upon us at night, coats, vests, overcoats &c.,&c., In Cokers bedroom (which is the warmest) the thermometer stood at 37 when we went to bed last night. The place being heated with our lamps & breathing. The wind
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blows upon us fellows who have the top berths (bad luck to them) in style. We are all much thinner & lighter than we were. I am 12 lbs lighter, which is a good deal. A large shoal of Blackfish passed us yesterday, they are very large & go in a line, constantly leaping out of the water, they soon passed us.

Thursday Jan 3rd. Fine day & not quite so cold. Mr. Grove has just cut all our hair, & mine, which was very long, looks much better. He is a first rate hand at it & has had lots of practice. We went 252 knots yesterday. The wind has dropped to-day which makes it much warmer.
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We are abreast the Kings Islands to-day, though not in sight of it. We have not sighted land for more than two months and all of us loner for a sight of it again & no doubt, out hardships will fit us for roughing it when we arrive. People coming to sea ought to be very careful not to scratch or cut themselves as the least wound takes weeks to heal & festers till it soon becomes serious. Scent is a very valuable thing as you often require either that or a smelling bottle to make the various stenches endurable. Patience is a good thing to cultivate, as you will find a good stock of that most useful.
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Friday January 4th Wet & cold, going 8 knots. We caught an Albatross last night, he was, though quite a young one, an immense size. They are quite helpless out of the water & have no power to fly. The Dr. poisoned him with Cloryform after giving him, in vain, 4 drops of Prussic Acid. We have sailed in the last 7 days, 1600 miles & if this wind lasts, hope to be in Sydney under three weeks.

Saturday Jan 5th. Fine day, rather warmer, ship going 9 knotts part of the day, In the afternoon wind died away. We caught several large birds with down on their breasts like swans, poor things. Some of the Cabin passengers shot several of the poor things
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& they fell on the water & were devoured by the others. A whale passed close by our ship, a splendid large fellow, he spouted as he passed us. They are indeed monsters of the deep.. You can scarcely realise that you are so far on the Ocean, always the same prospect of sea & sky with the same appearance on deck for month after month. Our old cow died yesterday & was thrown overboard. She was waisted to a skeleton & smelt dreadfully. She died of consumption. I have been three times over been very much alarmed with hearing (or fancying I heard) you call me quite aloud. I started & turned round
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expecting to see you by my side (& that in broad daylight). I have prayed most fervently since, that God would take care of you & spare your dear life for us once to meet again in this world.

Sunday Jan 6. Very fine day, ship going 11 1/2. All on board in great spirits & thinking of land again as they all, sailors not excepted, are tired of the Sea & its dreadful monotony. Our Captain is ill & confined to bis berth, He Has a fearful temper & treats his wife & children with great harshness, He is a native of the Channel Islands.
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Monday Dec.7th Very wet & cold, but our ship is dashing through the water at a fearful rate, 11 knotts an hour & the sea running mountains high & causing her to ship very heavy seas so that it is dangerous to be on deck. We are trying a new course to Sydney & have come 6 degrees further south than is the custom In order to catch the wind we now have.

Tuesday Jan 8 Wet & cold, went 257 knotts yesterday & 240 to-day, two splendid runs. This is a splendid wind for sending a heavily laden ship like ours, along. We keep dry down in our place, (the wind being aft), but the Cabin folks have been quite drowned out, their bedrooms
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ankle deep in water & no chance of drying their things. Our women suffer very much from cold ,especially at night. We expect to be in Sydney under 3 weeks. We shall be there in the mid of their Summer which is fearfully hot & I expect we shall feel the heat very much after being so cold. But all of us will be truly thankful to see land once more.

Wed. Jan 9th. Wet & cold. Ship going 8 knotts. Did 230 knots. Sailors beginning to clean the fowl pens etc., carpenter also busy mending & replacing things that have been wanting the whole of the voyage. The Capt has forbidden us the priveledge of walking the
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Poop any longer, which is a nuisance, as our decks are so very wet & when a sea comes over you get a ducking. I am reading the Lectures my Father copied & find them very interesting. The Cabin folks know me by the name of "the Bank Director", a rumour to that effect having come on board with, me, why, I don't know. In speaking of a voyage out, they do not include the time it took us to get to Plymouth., but begin to count from there. We are now 74 days out & hope to make the voyage in 90 days, which is very good.

Thursday Jany 10th Fine & milder, wind fallen off, ship going 5 knotts all on board anxiously waiting
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for the wind to freshen. The children are playing on the decks this evg., as they are dry in some parts.

Friday Jan 11th Fine day, decks quite dry, air fine & bracing, on deck all day. Ship going 10 knots, all on board in good spirits & speculating on the day we shall arrive at Sydney. I look forward, with very great delight to meeting poor Bob & to be in a way of making money which will make up for any other want I may experience.

Saturday Jany 12th Very wet, in fact, a perfect Manchester day. A wonderful contrast to yesterday. We have had a thorough
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cleaning to-day, of all the holes & corners & hope it will be the last great cleaning we shall have on board. Ship went 284 knotts, a most wonderful run, considering how very deep she is in the water. The wind in the night was blowing furiously. One of the booms was snapped in two two & thrown on the deck. It was as thick as my body & fell with an awful crash & made our women folks scream out. I have not slept for mar many nights & can't account for it, my eyes & head ache for want of it. One thing, there is such a constant row on deck, the watch, walking,
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singing & stamping over my head & every four hours the watch is called & that is enough to waken the dead, but our folks sleep & snore like a lot of pigs. Mr. Grove who sleeps under me, shouts & talks in his sleep most nights & enjoys himself to his hearts content.

Sunday Jany 13 .Fine & dry. Long 17.38, Let. 44.48 Ship went 230 knots. Service in the Cabin, 1st Corinthians. Slept very well last night for which I am very thankful. The Capt. says he hopes no one will commence to pack up till we are round Cape Howe, 72 miles from Sydney or we shall have head winds & he is superstitious nearly
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all sailors are. Our Cook is determined to leave the ship at Sydney he being kept very short of everything. The Steward Intends to do the same.

Monday Jany 14th Splendid day ship only done 150 knotts & is now going but 4 an hour. The crew are aerating the masts & bowsprit prior to being varnished. The decks are nice & dry & the weather quite mild. We had a lot of Porpoises playing around the bows of our ship. They tried to harpoon them but did not succeed.

Tuesday Jan 15th. Fine & dry, ship going 5 knots. Capt's eldest son' s birthday, Crew had plenty of grog to drink his health. Mrs Purdys son met with a bad accident,
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he fell down and a wooden sword he was playing with, went through his cheek, he bled like a pig & alarmed his poor mother. The Dr. says he will be all right in a few days.

Wednesday Jany 16. Fine & dry. Ship going 5 knots. We caught a young Albatross, his wing measures 9 feet 7 in. across. I have some of the down off him. They are most noble birds. The sailors ate him. They are all very busy painting the masts & rigging. We had a grand boxing match on the main deck. The Dr. (a pupil of Tom Sayers) & Mr. Harris, the 2nd mate, there was great skill on both sides but the Dr. was the best. The sailors & Mids put the gloves on afterwards & we
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had lots of fun. Thursday Jany 17. Fine & dry. Ship going 10 knotts & nearly her right course. I exchanged my onions for a pan of potatoes & we anticipate a treat in our dinner to-day. its no joke being entirely without vegetables for three months & nothing but salt pork & beef & that as hard & tough, as leather. There is no doubt in my mind now where most of the old cows go to, as anything will do for the sea.

Friday 16th. Fine day. Ship becalmed all of us on our beam ends & whistling for the wind. Caught a splendid Albatross & have him alive, 10 ft 8 across the wings. They are very majestic looking birds. We are now going 1/2 a knott an hour.
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Saturday Jany 19. Fine day, ship going 4 knotts & quite out of her course, all we do now we shall have to undo. Capt looking very grumpy, all on board in very bad spirits. We have got up the Anchor Chain & all ready for Sydney. Ship painted & scrubbed up & looking quite smart.

Sunday Jany 20th. Wet & dull, We are in our right course again & going 4 knotts an hour. We went backwards & forwards all day yesterday & made nothing. Our Jew (Mr. Jacobs) gives me a very good account of Sydney & thinks I am sure to do well there. He has made all his money there & had nothing to
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commence with. We caught a a Nautilus to-day & I have it. They look nothing out of the water, just like a piece of deep blue sponge with a small bladder attached. It is now in water & looks rather pretty. Jacobs says there is no winter at all in Sydney. Our Mr. Groves says the same, & that no little comfort.

Monday Jany 21. Wet & cold. Ship going 11 knots. We picked up an 8 knott breeze yesterday afternoon which increased to 10 in the night We expect to sight land tomorrow early & hope to be in Sydney by Thursday Evg. A ship has just hove in sight, the first one we have seen
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for a month. She is homeward bound we think. Saturday is the Anniversary day in Australia & is a great day there, & kept as a general holiday, there being a Regatta, Races, &c.,

Tuesday Jany 22nd Wet & cold. Ship going 9 knots. We are now in Basses Straits. -Last night was very rough & we had two sails blown away. The sea running mountains high. I had a good look at it by moonlight & very fine it was. The sailors are busy cleaning the Ship & the decks are in a sad mess. We passed a ship bound for Melbourne, last night, she was a Schooner. I am very sick & tired of shipboard & long to be on land again. Our folks were up at
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4 O'clock this morning to see the land, but only saw a dim line in the distance which they were told was it.

Wednesday Jany 23 Fine day. We are through Basses Straits & are off the coast of Australia. All half mad with excitement & joy & staring their eyes out at the land which is not yet visible except with a glass.

Thursday Jany 24 Fine day, are close to the land and very barren & ruggy it looks. Hope to be in Sydney heads to night. All sitting up.

Friday Morning 3am We almost went to the bottom, we missed sight of the Light House for 20 minutes & were just running on the rocks
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when we spied our danger. The Ship was suddenly put about & there being a fearful swell she was thrown violently on her side and we pitched pitched neck & crop out of our berths & everything on deck & below sent flying with an awful crash, which frightened our women nearly into fits. I scrambled on deck & there found all the sailors trembling with the fright they had been in. I remained on deck, at 5 a.m. we fired our Cannons for a Pilot & took in Sail as he (in little boat) hove in sight and now came a scene I hope never to see again & one that no one on board the Tiptree will ever forget the longest
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day they live. There was an enormous swell in fact a sort of long waves and quite mountains high, our ship being without sail swung around and came sideways to them & the consequence was she rolled till her decks were under water at each side, our cannons huge things flew from side to side of the decks like corks the boats, fcasks & everything else ditched. The Pilot shouted do this & that or to the bottom you must go But Captain Crew & Passengers were paralized with fright expecting to see her huge masts fly out of her any minute. 7 men at the wheel & could not steer her as the chain slipped & you had to
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hold on for your life, some lay flat on the deck and rolled with her, she being quite perpendicular when on her side. We had 1/4 of an hour of this and then the Pilot managed to swing on board in doing which he laimed his foot. He at once shouted for lots of things to be done but just as men, woman & Crew had siezed hold of ropes to try to save her, she went at it again, but luckily she righted soon and we all worked like Blacks & got some sail on her. We got on between the heads (which is like a gateway) & the mouth of the Harbour, Two steamtugs tried all day in vain to take us in and at night the Captain told us
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we all could return to Sydney in them free of charge, which nearly all did. I remained to keep company with the women & had a chat with the Pilot who by no means liked his job & said if in the night we had a Breeze or swell he would not give a fig for our ship as she was so big and unmanagable & lying close to the rocks. Thank God we had a heavenly night & went in to Sydney at 7 in the morning At that time I was walking on deck when who should I see come smiling up but Bob, looking much older & very thin but healthy as most folks are here. Of course you may fancy our delight. He came up on the
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only powerful steam-tug we have, "The Washington". We landed in Sydney, Saturday Jany 26th 1861, the Anniversary Day of the Colony being discovered by Capt Cook and a very great day here. I went home with Bob, saw and breakfasted with his Guvnor (who is a great big low disgusting looking fellow) and the first thing I felt was the very great heat. I slept at night on Shipboard for the first week or so till I got lodgings, the Captain giving us permission and grub bring us fresh meat etc, etc. We were all very loth to leave the Ship and part company after being so long together. Miss B got a berth at 12/- a week (& her grub) at once.
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Coker is in the Commiserait from 10 to 3 & gets £2.12.6 a week, and being a compositor earns £5.0.0. a week by working upon the Morning Herald. Saunders joined his father. Mrs Purday is doing sewing etc. & not doing so wall. Grme is in a good berth, Miss Bailey is with her Father. I am with a Draper & so ends the first lesson. I was in the country for a few weeks and find it agreed with, my health better than Sydney. Things are very very bad there & when I have a chance I will get into the country as there you nave a much better chance than here where everyone wishes to stop & where trade is by far more pushed than at home and Oh!!!!
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The People !!!!!! Language is far too weak to give anyone the faintest idea of them. The great men all ticket of leave men, the rest Jews & low Irish who here are enough to make the stones speak. Domestic comfort is a thing almost unknown here. Cottages in low streets in which workmen live, let for 10/- a week & you may fancy how they live together. The House I lodge in lets for £70 in a beastly neighbourhood all on the ground floor, just four rooms & the Kitchen (as they mostly are here) out in the garden. Cabbages now 1/- each, apples 3d. each. Bread as usual. Milk & Butter are dreadfully dear & bad in winter & in fact are very inferior at any time.
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Potatoes cheap & very good. Bread pretty much as at home, Fish dear. It has been very wet lately & rain here means a flood. Lettuces 3d. each Radishes 2d. a bunch, Celery poor & small 6d. a stick. Watercress very good a large bunch, for 1d. mustard & Cress and Salad not known here. Anyone fond of melons, pineapples Peaches Grapes, can always (in the season) get heaps for little money. Candles Moulds 8d. a lb & bad sperm which all burn here 2/-. Tea 1/11 & 2/-, coffee beastly stuff not worth thinking about. The country here is densely wooded and travelling awfully dear and the Roads quite absurd and one half their time quite impassable the
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Mail from here to Lambing Flat, 270 miles £6.10.0 & gets upset commonly several times on the Journey & it takes 20 or 30 Bullocks to draw it out of holes etc. The heavy rain & floods continually destroy the Roads. As regards the women (Ladies there are none) They are lazy, proud, dirty, fond of dress to an extreme you could never dream of, I would not marry a Colonial if every hair of her head was a Jewel, as to society, such a thing is quite unknown here, unless you call sitting at the doors and on the pavement outside pulling their neighbours to pieces, Society, as we have lots of that. Now on the other side, we have such
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views and scenery, as would drive you wild, and such lovely places by the waterside, and In the Country Glorious mornings & evenings & the autumn and Winter, I believe, are very fine here, only very hot in the middle of the day, and cold at night, altogether you would have to live here some time to feel at home, and never would or could forget Old England, everyone here hopes sometime to go home again and never seem settled. Health is also a great blessing & that you have have and no mistake, I have now (as I promised) given you the Pro and Con. and leave you to form your own Judgement
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and can only say that we shall never have a view or see a sight anything like so exciting, or delightful, as your dear face and God know's I feel the deprivations of your absence most keenly. (As you say) your coming is to you a matter for very serious consideration and be assured we shall not write for you till we see our way clear. But let us once get you here and then a fig for the world and all in it, as we shall be as happy the day is long and will do any thing and every thing to make the remainder of your life truly happy and comfortable & we hope return with you to Old England.