GRAVESEND October 12th 1839
Weighed anchor and was towed down the Thames by a steam tug, into the Downs,
where we dropped anchor for the night.

October 13th
We got under way this morning, passing over the flats and leaving the Goodwin
Sands to seaward.

October 18th
Arrived at Plymouth to take in the remainder of the emigrants.

October 21st
All of our party got permission to go on shore today, we enjoyed ourselves very
much in looking over the two towns of Plymouth and Devonport. Plymouth lies
low between hills and is subject to rain, (I have been told by some of the sailors
that it rained 13 months in the year) there are a few good streets, but the greater
proportion are very narrow ill-arranged, and generally speaking the town is very dirty.

October 24th
The remainder of the emigrants are all come onboard today, and there has already
been some terrible rows amongst them which looks rather bad for a beginning.

October 28th
Hurrah! This morning the Blue Peter is hoisted at the masthead, which is the signal
for sailing, the sailors call it the Salt Horse Flag. More disturbances among us, I
begin to have a very bad opinion of our Plymouth emigrants, the greater part of them
are Cornish people, and many of them are miners, they are a very uncouth and
dissatisfied lot of people. At 5 o’clock we are once more underway with a fine
breeze, passed the Eddystone light and are standing well out to sea.

October 31st
Strong and heavy swell on the skirts of the Bay of Biscay the ship rolling about very
much, tin and crockery are rolling about in all directions belonging to those who
embarked at Plymouth, the emigrants who came from London are more fortunate
having some experience in coming down Channel.

November 8th
This morning I was much surprised in having a letter put into my hands with an
apology from the Captain that it had been mislaid. It proved to be a letter from the
Commissioners about the mattresses which you re-directed for me in London.
n the afternoon a heavy squall struck us from the North West while off the Western
Islands, the effect of the wind upon the sea was wonderful, the waves seeming to
rise in size as if by magic. Our fore topmast stunsail was blown from the boltrope
and the boom came tumbling about our ears broken in two.

November 9th
Still bad weather, it blew almost a gale in the night and today we are under close
reefed topsails A laughable scene occurred on deck this morning, a man whose
wife had been sick during the night came on deck to empty the tin chamber into
which she had cast up her accompts, and instead of going to leeward with it he
brought it to one of the ports to windward, the wind blowing very stiff at the time
blew the whole of the contents back into his face making him spit and splutter all
over the place, every time the man makes his appearance on deck he has shown
the wry faces he made at his breakfast. I saw some beautiful little fish floating by
the side of the ship called Portuguese man of war, they appear to resemble the
nautilus fish very much.

November 12th
The Cornish people are as bad as ever, they are continually quarrelling, are
dissatisfied with everything and are constantly making the most frivolous complaints
to our Captain and Doctor, we also begin to find that our ships company are no
better than they should be, two have already been put in irons for insubordination
and I am afraid more will follow.

November 18th
Nothing of interest has occurred, till this morning, since the last date. We have had
some fine weather but the trade winds are very light, sometimes failing us altogether.
I am generally on deck of a morning between five and six and this morning I saw
the most beautiful sight you can conceive, that of seeing the sun rise with a clear sky
in the tropics, the mornings have been thick and cloudy ever since we left England
this being the first clear morning we have had, but that was not the only sight. On
our bow we saw high land considered to be ninety miles ahead, it proved to be the
Island of San Antonio one of the Cape de Verde Islands, by five in the afternoon
we were abreast of it eighteen miles from shore having run at the rate of eight to nine
knots an hour all day.

November 24th Sunday
Dead calm, five degrees North of the line, rain falling incessantly, buckets, tubs etc
are in constant use for catching water, the ships butcher has filled seven casks of two
hundred gallons each for the use of the livestock. This will be a great help towards
making the water last out as our Captain does not intend putting into any port if he
can possibly avoid it, being so near the line the men on board are beginning to prepare
for Neptune coming on board.

November 25th
There are great quantities of flying fish constantly about the vessel today, sometimes
they rise singly from the water and at other times in large flocks, looking in the distance
like flocks of birds, they look about the size and form of a mackerel. We have a fine
working breeze South East and by East and are in hopes we have fallen in with the
other trades although still North of the line.

November 27th
The wind continues in the same quarter but rather squally, this evening Neptune hailed
the ship sending his messenger on board with a letter proposing to be on board at nine
o’clock tomorrow morning in person, as we have arrived in his dominions. In the
shaving that is to take place the sailors are strictly prohibited from shaving any of the
emigrants who object to it, only such as choose of their own accord, I intend being
shaved myself and they have got my name in their books.

November 28th
The breeze still continues from the same quarter, the ship making seven to eight knots
an hour. About nine o’clock I began to prepare for the shaving keeping on only my
trousers and shirt Soon after nine Neptune hailed the ship and then a sail (which had
been stretched across the waist of the ship so as to form a dressing room) was drawn
on one side, Neptune and his attendants made their appearance. The first in the
procession was His Majesty’s Master of the Household, leading by a chain a large
white bear which was admirably got up, the dress of the bear being made of sheepskins,
then followed twelve constables two by two in all kinds of dresses with their faces
ornamented with pitch and tar, next followed the grand barber and his mate exposing
to view three tremendous razors numbers one, two and three. Number one for those
who volunteered, number two (having large gaps in it) for those who were rackety and
did not like to come, number three (being set like a saw) for those who were obliged
to be brought. Then followed the barber’s attendants with buckets of tar, pitch, oil,
grease, bilge water, sheep dung etc, after them came the car of Neptune containing
himself and wife, drawn by six lascars, blankets being thrown over them to represent
sea horses. Then followed the secretary and surgeon, and then the doctors mate carrying
a large box under each arm, one containing bottles of medicine and the other being full
of pills as large as walnuts. The procession proceeded to the poop cabin where Neptune
was welcomed on board and grog distributed, as soon as they had all got their grog
Neptune sung out “heave” and on the instant buckets of water were being poured upon
us from all parts of the rigging, we looked as though we had been ducked overboard.
Neptune then took his seat by the side of a large frame with a sail stretched over it and
filled with water, it was just like the frames used in the hop gardens, I was shaved
directly after the passengers sitting on the edge of the frame while they put a little tar
on my face and shaved me with No1 razor. I was then tipped over into the bath, seized
by the bear and well ducked. I thought myself very fortunate in escaping so easily for
many had their faces tarred all over, doses of physik given them, obliged to swallow pills,
blood taken from them, and every endeavour made to get them to speak that they may
pop a brush dipped in tar into their mouths. The shaving went off very well, with the
exception of two Frenchmen, intermediate passengers they did not like to be shaved in
such a scientific manner, went and locked themselves in their cabin declaring they would
shoot anyone who attempted to force them on deck, but soon their threats were of no
use the Constable went below and soon brought them up. They found one of them in
his bed, brought him up on deck and shaved him with nothing but his shirt on, the sport
lasted nearly four hours and I enjoyed it very much.

November 29th
This evening we crossed the line in 23 (West Longitude), with a fine trade wind from
the South East, I now understand the reason why vessels are obliged to run so much
to the West as to make Rio Janiero, for when the ships cross the line they almost
invariably find the trade wind blowing from the South East as in our case, which is
what is called a head wind for rounding the cape, and consequently they are obliged
to run in a South Westerly direction thereby making the South American coast, but as
we get farther South the trade wind becomes more favourable shifting round to the East.

December 4th
Saw a homeward bound Dutch ship, still a fine strong wind not quite so much ahead of us.
At twelve o’clock today we are in 10 (51’ South Latitude), 32 (45’ West Longitude).

December 5th
Off the port of Bahia or San Salvador 13 (22’ South Latitude), 32 (40’ West Longitude).

December 6th
Today we are 16 (15’ South Latitude), 32 (45’ West Longitude).

December 7th
A fish called a Bonita was harpooned this morning and cooked for the Captains table.
18 (32’ South Latitude), 32 (40’ West Longitude).

December 8th Sunday
Divine service was performed this morning on the quarter deck but very thinly attended,
nearly all those who came on board at Plymouth are Ranters so they have their own
prayer meetings. The prayers have always been read on each Sunday when the weather
would permit 21 (5’ South Latitude), 32 (41’ West Longitude), Isle of Trinidad bearing
North East a quarter North 139 miles.

December 9th
Passed the tropic of Capricorn this morning, steered South, South, East with a fine
wind all day. 24 (11’ South Latitude), 30 (2’ West Longitude).

December 10th
About five o’clock this morning saw the spout of a sperm whale several times.

December 11th
Today at twelve we are 30 (37’ South Latitude), 27 (45’ West Longitude).

December 14th
Early this morning there were several sperm whales within a half a mile of us.

December 17th
33 (15’ South Latitude), 8 (15’ West Longitude).

December 22nd Sunday
This morning I received a note of invitation for me and for Mary Anna to dine
with our intermediate passengers on Christmas Day. I have declined accepting
it, having promised to dine with Aunt and Uncle.

December 23rd
I am already engaged to dine with our intermediates on New Year’s day and
they have made me promise to spend Christmas evening with them. We are
nearing the Cape very fast, the weather is much colder. Another man in irons
for insulting the third mate.

December 25th Christmas Day
We have had up to this day a continuation of fine breezes and are making rapid
progress towards rounding the Cape. The day (though much colder than it has
been) is so different from the weather we have been accustomed to at this time
of the year, I can hardly believe it is Christmas day. I spent the morning with
Aunt and Uncle and the afternoon and evening with the intermediates. An
unpleasant scene occurred just as we were going to sit down to tea, one of
the French passengers came and took a pie out of the mess chest to take to
his cabin. Mr Walters the president of the mess seeing him asked him what
he was going to do with it, he immediately threw the pie in his face and followed
it up by collaring him and forcing him down on the forms. I was the only one
near him so I plunged in caught the Frenchman by the arms and swung him
back against the cabins, I stood before Mr Walters till he had recovered his
feet but the Frenchman did not attempt again to touch him. We afterwards
spent a very pleasant evening and I enjoyed myself very much.

December 26th
Today we are 38 (13’ South Latitude), 8 (3’ East Longitude)

December 28th
We have been running from ten and a half to eleven knots all night, rather squally.
Passed the Cape this evening.

December 31st
I have been very unwell for several days but am now much better 38( 13’ South
Latitude, 27( 18’ East Longitude.
One of the men got very drunk this evening, went up on deck and insulted the
officer of the watch, he ordered him to go aft but the man refused to go. In the
meantime the ship carpenter went and told the Captain to arm himself, for the
ship was in a state of mutiny, the Captain who from all accounts was tipsy at the
time came on deck and began lashing away at the man with his sword. The man
then became very mutinous and there is no doubt it would have ended badly if
the chief mate had not intervened between the Captain and the man. Officers
afterwards secured the drunk man, but not without some hazard, for he drew his
knife upon them and stabbed the second mate in the leg. The others then dispersed
but were in a state of mutiny all night, refusing to work or do anything.

January 1st 1840
The man who was put in irons last night received three dozen lashes this morning,
the Captain standing by with a loaded pistol in each hand declared he would shoot
the first man that attempted to cut him down. Mary Anna and me dined with the
intermediates today, everything went off very pleasantly the Frenchmen were quite
sociable.

January 2nd
Rather squally today with a heavy swell, the ship rolling very much. We have some
large birds constantly flying about the ship called Albatross, one that was caught
with a hook and line measured nine feet eleven inches from the tip of each wing.
An outward bound ship in sight. 39 (10’ South Latitude), 37 ( East Longitude)

January 5th Sunday
Fine strong wind running ten knots an hour. 39 (12’South Latitude), 48 (35’ East
Longitude).
This evening one of the fore top sail braces and our main top gallant studding sail
were carried away.

January 9th
Today we are 39 (11’ South Latitude), 64 (5’ East Longitude).

January 12th Sunday
Another man in irons for stabbing a man with his knife. Today we are 39 (22’
South Latitude), 76 (45’ East Longitude), we made the island of St Pauls about
six o’clock this evening, it was distinctly seen from the masthead. It is fifteen
days since we passed the Cape having run nearly three thousand miles in that time.

January 17th
A South sea whaler in sight, 96 (East Longitude), scarcely any wind.

January 26th
For several days past the wind has been very light but favourable, this morning it
has shifted right round against us. 40 (35’ South Latitude), 125 (33’ East Longitude).

February 2nd
We have been beating about with a head wind since the last date. 35 (30’ South
Latitude), 134 (17’ East Longitude). Cape Border bearing East 112 miles.

February 3rd
This day we got the first sight of Western Australia, we passed several small islands,
and could just discern Cape Catastrophy but were obliged to tack and run to the
South owing to the headwind.

February 5th
We have been bearing away well to the South all night and now we have got a fair
wind to run into Investigators Strait abreast of Cape Border. Five o’clock after
running eight knots an hour, running a race with the ship “Rajasthan” who entered
the straits at the same time as ourselves, we spoke to her with signals she has been
out two days more than us.

February 6th
I was on deck all last night tracing the land (Kangaroo Island) as we ran up the strait,
at times we are running ten knots an hour. At daybreak the “Rajasthan” was four
miles astern, we had a beautiful view of the coast all the morning. It appears to be
just what it has been described to be, very much like parkland, in some places there
is scarce a tree to be seen for miles, but from the masthead I thought the interior very
thickly wooded.