I left Brighton about 8.55 am on Wednesday November the 7th 1883. I felt the parting very much. I shall never forget mother and father as they was standing by the bridge at the top of the drove. Mother was standing on the left hand side of father. We had a very good to ride to Plymouth, we fell in with Mr & Mrs Mugridge at Havant. We arrived at the depot about 6 O’clock. Found it rather rough, made us rather down-hearted.

Thursday the 8th [Nov, 1883]
Rather low spirited but got a little better as the day passed. Had to see to having our boxes examined so it kept me rather busy. We passed the doctor and had our ship kit issued out to us. Made some very good friends at the depot; we had at our table Mr & Mrs Berry, Mr & Mrs Simmonds, Mr & Mrs Mugridge. We spent a very pleasant evening singing Sankey’s hymns. We get up at six, clean and have our breakfast at eight, dinner at 1 O’clock and tea at six, bed about ten.

Friday the 9th [Nov, 1883]
Weather rather fair, had rather a pleasant day, felt rather low at times. Went out into the town for about two hours in the morning, thought it rather a dirty place. Back to dinner at 1 O’clock. Me and a few friends went out into the town in the afternoon. Spent a very pleasant evening; we had a minister here to address us. He spoke very well. We formed a community to organise services on board. Bed about half-past nine.

Saturday the 10th [Nov, 1883]
Got up at six, weather middling fine. Went out into the town for a few hours. Nothing particular occurred worth note.

Sunday Nov 11th [1883]
Rose as usual, went to chapel in the morning. Weather very wet and rough, stayed in the rest of the day. Had an enjoyable afternoon. Had a very nice meeting for about an hour in the afternoon. Ship not arrived yet.

Monday Nov 12 [1883]
Weather rather fine, nothing unusual happened.

Tuesday Nov 13 [1883]
Weather fine. All excitement here today. The ship is embarked today at 2 O’clock, set sail for Queensland at eight O’clock pm. Glorious evening for starting, fine moon all night & fair wind until four O’clock am. Then the wind dropped. We found the ship middling comfortable, plenty to eat & drink.

Wednesday Nov 14 [1883]
A fine day but not much wind, not making much headway. Today Eliza altered 3 aprons for the cook this morning. All on board are getting on very well. Today we are in sight of Lands End. Today a pilot came on board today to see the captain, he stayed about ten minutes. A fine moon tonight.

Thursday Nov 15 [1883]
Weather middling fine but rather a heavy sea running. We were still in sight of the Lands End this morning but the wind freshened about midday and we soon left the land behind. I feel very sick today but Eliza and Horatio are still all right. Most of the people on board are sick today. We saw several ships pass by at a distance today.

Friday Nov 16 [1883]
It is very wet and rough today. I feel very bad today. The boy is sick today but Eliza is still all right. We sight several ships again today, one passed us close. Two pigs died today, they were thrown over board into the sea. We are travelling very fast.

Saturday Nov 17 [1883]
It is still rather misty weather and there is still very heavy swells in the water which makes the ship rock about very much. It is a curious sensation when the ship heaves over. Sometimes she heaves over so far that the bulwarks on one side are half under water. When she is like that it makes the faint hearted think she is going right over. We have got to get our food out today for tomorrow, the captain of each mess has to fetch it. I am captain of our mess; there is ten of us in our mess. It is all a bit of fun getting the food. We have to go in numbers, our mess is No 20. First I have got to fetch our meat for tomorrows dinner, we are to have potted beef, and then I have to fetch our flour and fruit and raisins to make a pudding.

Sunday Nov 18 [1883]
This morning I got up at six O’clock, washed and then got our breakfast. It has been a nice day today. We had a meeting this morning, it was very short but it was very well, and we have another very nice meeting this evening. We had the one this morning on deck but we had to go below in the evening because it was too dark so that we could not see on deck. I must tell you that Eliza made two raisin puddings today for our mess. We all had to make our own. I put two sticks in ours, with a cut on them, but when I went to the Cookhouse to fetch them I found that someone had taken one of mine and I went all over the ship to find it, but I could not. We have to keep our eyes open or else we get something stolen. I stayed up until 12 O’clock talking to some of the sailors, because I did not feel as if I could sleep if I went to bed because the ship is rocking so much tonight.

Monday Nov 19 [1883]
Weather fine. All on board doing well today. Nothing unusual occurred today. I went through the same duties of getting out the meal.

Tuesday Nov 20 [1883]
A beautiful day today, the sun shines very warm. The doctor has ordered us all to bring our beds up to air. It is a comical sight to see all the beds lying about, some in the boats and some hanging on the bars that go across the ship. Eliza and the boy has gone up on to the poop today, along with the single girls, and I have spent the most of my spare time today up on the bars where the boats are kept.

Wednesday Nov 21 [1883]
We are going along pretty well today, we are travelling about 6 knots an hour. It is nice and fine over head but there is rather a heavy swell in the sea which causes the ship to rock about very much. The people has woke up tonight, for we had some music and singing and enjoyed ourselves up on the main deck. I must say that the captain has formed a watch in case of fire. There is five men set apart to watch through the night. Each man has 2 hours, but they has to report themselves every half hour. It has not come to my turn yet, but I expect it soon will.

Thursday Nov 22 [1883]
I got up at 5 O’clock this morning and had a talk with the sailors until about 6 O’clock. Then I fetched our water. I was put into the office to mark off the numbers as the captains of the mess fetches their water. There was a bit of a disturbance this morning over the water: the captain of No 2 mess in the single men came to try and get a second allowance of water. I said that he had got his allowance, which caused a few words. The engine driver said that he saw them fetch their water, and then the man turned upon him, which soon turned to a fight, and the first mate had to come and part them. It is a fine day, but there is not much wind. We are not going along very fast. We are getting a little more used to the ship but I shall be glad to get back to work again. We are both pretty well but the boy has come over very poorly today, we do not care to eat anything. The sea is beautiful to look at today but we have not seen anything else but water and a few birds. Being captain takes up my time very much; I was not done until 3 O’clock this afternoon. I have to fetch our stores, fetch the dinner and wash up the mens utensils. We had some singing this evening, I stayed up until about 10 O’clock.

Friday Nov 23 [1883]
It has been a beautiful day, the sea has been almost a dead calm. We are almost standing still. Everything went on as usual. I spent a little time with the cook. The boy is a little better today but the measles has broke out in the ship today. There is 3 children close to our bunk, I hope it will not spread much further. Nothing happened today. I am just going up on deck to smoke my pipe before going to bed. It is now just gone 8 bells.

Saturday Nov 24 [1883]
Fine weather today and there is a nice breeze, it is taking us through the water middling fast. I went on to the focslehead today. It is a pleasant place to watch the water, you can see the ship cutting through the water. Nothing unusual occurred today, I went through my usual duties. We had to holystone the decks today. I have got to go on duty tonight as a watchman of the main deck in case of fire. I shall have to serve 2 hours a night for 5 nights.

Sunday Nov 25 [1883]
It is fine as usual this morning. There is no work to do this morning, only to fetch the water and bread for our mess. We all had to muster at 10 am this morning to answer our names and pass the doctor. We are just going up on to the focslehead to read. There is 2 ships in sight, one is middling close. They are both outward/homeward bound. It is beautiful on the water today. It is time for me to fetch our pudding from the galley or else I shall lose it. We had a meeting on the poop this afternoon. After that I went and had a look at the logline. It is a curious affair: it is a small clock face with one hand, then there is a short brass tube with a long line attached to it with a small brass fan or screw on the end which always keeps turning around, which lets the captain know how fast we are going. We had another meeting this evening in the young mens quarters which went off very well. The captain seems a very nice man, he went about giving the children nuts and sweets this afternoon. I have to go on duty at 10 tonight until 12.

Monday Nov 26 [1883]
I got up about halfpast 6 this morning. We have had a beautiful day, the sun was as hot as an English midsummer, but there was not much wind. We had to scrape and holystone the baths out this morning, and the starboard side had to air their beds and blankets. A barque has kept close to us all day bound for the West Indies, and there has been 4 more ships in sight. We are in sight of Madeira today but we can only see 2 or 3 points of the mountains. I have to go on duty from 12 till 2 tonight.

Tuesday Nov 27 [1883]
A breeze sprung up at about 10 O’clock am and it freshened as the day advanced. We are travelling at a good rate, something like 9 or 10 knots an hour. The sea is rather heavy, there is a good many sick again today. The boy is worse today than he was at first. We passed some more mountains today but I do not know the name of them.

Wednesday Nov 28 [1883]
Weather fine. Nothing unusual happened today, everything passed as usual. I have to go on duty for the last time for a while tonight.

Thursday Nov 29 [1883]
It is very wet and the sea is rough today. It has been so rough today that the front part of the focslehead often went under water. We have all been told to stop down of the focslehead because there was 4 persons nearly washed off just after 4 O’clock this afternoon. It is amusing to see us when it is so rough, we are just like drunken people or else we fall about. If we stand still we have to take hold of something.

Friday Nov 30 [1883]
It is fine overhead today but the sea is still very rough. I opened some tins of potted mutton and some tins of onions today which helped to pass a little time away. A steamer passed us last night but we could only see her lights as it was so dark; she seemed to be homeward bound. A storm came on this evening which carried away our jib sail, and the sea got so rough and broke over the side every now and then, and it tossed the ship about so that it was a trouble to keep about. The storm got worse towards midnight but it passed off by morning. I stayed up on deck until 12 O’clock talking to one of the sailors.

Saturday December 1 / 83 [1883]
Weather rather showery. The boy is very poorly today, the doctor has given us some codliver oil and stul [?] for him to take. Nothing else today except to fetch our stores for tomorrow.

Sunday Dec 2 [1883]
It is beautiful weather today, we have a fair wind and the sea is nice and smooth. We had to pass the doctor this morning. The rest of the day was to ourselves. We had a meeting on the poop this afternoon. The day passed very well until this evening when it came on wet and made us all keep down below.

Monday Dec 3 [1883]
A very heavy squall came on about 8 O’clock, which sent the ship over on her side, and the rain came down in torrents. It lasted about half an hour. We went through the water at the rate of 15 knots an hour while it lasted. The weather turned out nice and fine toward dinner time, so me and Eliza set to and done our washing this afternoon. It is amusing to see the ship on washing days, you see the men helping their wives wash. They stand about the decks in groups and then you see the clothes hanging in the rigging like a lot of flags. The day changed toward evening and it came on damp.

Tuesday Dec 4 [1883]
It is very warm today and there is not much wind, we are almost at a standstill. There is not much going on today. The boy is down with the measles, it is spreading all through the ship.

Wednesday Dec 5 [1883]
The weather is fine again today. We are not making much headway. We seem to be in the same place as we was yesterday. The boy is full out with the measles today. I went up on the focslehead this evening for a little while; the single men was singing a few songs, I enjoyed myself. While I was there, there was a vessel passed by us very close. She was within shouting distance but it was too late, it was about 10 O’clock this evening.

Thursday Dec 6 [1883]
It is almost a dead calm today and the heat is up to 75 degrees: what they call summer weather. There is not much doing today, I went through the usual duties and this afternoon I set to and cleared our locker out. The boy is a little better today. I went up on deck to smoke my pipe and get a little fresh air as it is so close down below. I stayed from 9 until about half past ten, it is a beautiful moonlight night.

Friday Dec 7 [1883]
It is a dead calm today and the sails lay idle against the masts. Nothing much happened today, I went through the usual duties of getting out stores. It came on wet after tea but it did not bring wind with it.

Saturday Dec 8 [1883]
It has been very wet all the morning which made the time weigh rather heavy, but it changed towards the after part of the day into a nice evening.

Sunday Dec 9 [1883]
We are into the north east trade winds today, we entered them about 12 O’clock last night. The weather is very warm but the wind makes it pleasant. We have travelled 85 miles from 12 last night until 12 noon today. We have had another death this morning, a child about 6 months died about 7 O’clock am. We had to pass the doctor this morning. Most of us was in our white clothes as the day was so warm. We had a meeting this afternoon for about half an hour and then the married people was allowed to stay on the poop for about 2 hours. We have not seen anything upon the water this last day or two. There was a beautiful bird flying around the ship for a while this morning. I went onto the focslehead this morning and spent a little time in reading and then I sat watching the water, it seemed to fly by the ship.

Monday Dec 10 [1883]
The weather is still bright and the wind has increased. We have got the wind in our favour at last. We have travelled 155 miles from 12 on Sunday until 12 am today. The dead body of that child was lowered over the side into the sea about 4 am this morning. That is the second death and we expect some more, for there is some little children that is very bad. A young man fell down into the hold a few days ago and cut his head open and put his collar bone out of place. There was a flying fish come on board today, they are a small fish something like a herring with long wings. We had a concert this evening which lasted about 2 hours. It went off very well, it consisted of singing and reciting. We spent a pleasant evening.

Tuesday Dec 11 [1883]
The weather has been fine today but it was a little cloudy this morning. There was another flying fish caught this morning, it was cooked for one of the young girls. One of the young girls has been in hospital ever since she has been on the ship but I am glad to say that she is getting better. She has been ill with consumption: the doctor told her before she started that it would be either kill or cure.

Wednesday Dec 12 [1883]
Weather very warm. We have travelled 236 miles today. I fetched out stores as usual today.

Thursday Dec 13 [1883]
Nice bright weather again today, the ship is sailing beautifully. Our position at noon today is Latitude 11° 00' Longitude 26° 14' W. S22E. 200 miles. There is a ship in sight today, she is right in front of us but she seems to be going the same way for we do not gain upon her much. I spent a short time on the focsle today. The rest of the day passed as usual.

Friday Dec 14 [1883]
Weather fine but there is a few clouds hanging about. There was a little child died about six O’clock this morning, it was taken with the cholera and then brain fever set in. There is 2 more children in hospital with the same complaint, one is not expected to get over it. I was on the focsle this morning and I saw that the ship was still in sight but we could only just see her. I saw a lot of flying fish they was flying about in droves. Our position at noon today is Lat 7° 58'N. Long 25° 48'W. S8E. 188 miles. I had a bit of a row with the ships cook this morning on account of my looking in his galley, there is some are favoured on this ship and some are not. A storm came on about 3 this afternoon which lasted until teatime and then it cleared up nice and fine. There was a few fish seen today but I do not know the name of them. The child that died this morning was lowered into the sea this evening.

Saturday Dec 15 [1883]
A storm came on this morning about breakfast time which carried away 3 of our sails. It drove us through the water about 15 knots an hour and the rain came down in torrents. Some of the women had got their washing hanging out today and the wind blowed some of them over board, and some of them was blown like ribbons. The rain lasted until evening then it cleared up nice and fine. I cannot put down our position because the captain has not put it out on the board.

Sunday Dec 16 [1883]
I got Mr Taylor to fetch the water this morning because I did not feel inclined to turn out quite so early, but I was obliged to turn out by seven because I had to fetch out our stores this morning because they go bad before morning if we get them out on Saturday as we are in hot weather. We had no inspection this morning because it was rather damp and cloudy but the weather cleared up by dinner time. It has been a dead calm all day, the sails has been lying idle against the masts all day. The captain came to me when I was on the poop this afternoon and he said that we was in a paddys hurricane up and down the masts. There has been a young shark going around the ship nearly all day. The captain put a line over astern and the shark bit hold but he got away again. Then one of the young men put a line over forward and the shark bit hold and they hauled it up level with the deck, but instead of them drawing it on board they kept it hanging there until they could get a knife to stick it but they lost it at last for it gave a twist and broke the line and carried the hook away with it. There was some excitement caused on board on account of some black fish passing by the ship. They are queer looking fish and they roll and tumble about in the water as they pass by. We had a beautiful evening, myself and Eliza went upon the poop from 9 pm until turned 11. There was a lot of people took their beds up on deck to sleep because it was so hot below. There is 4 ships in sight today they were about 8 miles off.

Monday Dec 17 [1883]
It is a dead calm today, but the weather has been rather showery at intervals until about 5 O’clock when it changed for the better. A nice breeze sprang up which lasted through the night and took us along nice and steady. The sailors are taking down the new sails and putting up some old ones. The sailors call them fine weather sails. There was a curious looking fish swimming around the ship today, the captain said it was a dolphin. Some of the young men tried to catch it but they could not. I was talking to the captain this morning about our position and he told me that the reason he had not put it on the board was because he was ashamed to do so as we had done so badly lately. He told me that the last 24 hours we had only done 30 miles. I have had all the afternoon to myself so I spent my time up in the boat. Eliza was on the poop and the boy was at school. When it is fine they have the school on one side of the poop because it is so hot down in the schoolroom.

Tuesday Dec 18 [1883]
It is a nice fine day and very hot. We are not far from the line now. The doctor has given orders that we are not to come on deck without our hats on because of sunstroke. Our position today is Lat 2° 51'N. Long 25° 35'W. S.1.W. 99 miles. The captain said that was a good days work considering where we are. I done a bit of repairing this morning; I put a tip on one of the young mens boots. I had to borrow a large hammer to use for a foot and a small one to drive with. I had them off the carpenter. We had another concert tonight which went off very well.

Wednesday Dec 19 [1883]
The weather is still fine. There is several vessels to be seen today, one is right in front of us. We have a nice wind which makes things seem pleasanter. The captain told me that this is the place where he expected calms because we are nearing the line. Our position today is Lat 0° 49'N. Long 27° 42'W. S44W. 183 miles. There is a ship close astern and she seems to keep up with us.

Thursday Dec 20 [1883]
It was very wet this morning, it came on to rain about 4 O’clock this morning and lasted until about 8 O’clock. The doctor came down below when the storm came on and told us that we were crossing the line. The weather cleared up after breakfast so I thought I would do our washing because Eliza was not very well. I had a few words with the rest of our mess: I ask them to fetch the things from stores for me as I wanted to wash a few things, and they told me they would not. So I told them that I should not fetch them, if they did not they would have to go without. I turned up the captains place there and then. The ship that was close to us yesterday we have left right behind, so that we can only just see her. Our position today is Lat 0° 51'S. Long 29° 6'W. S44W. 131 miles. I had a box of matches stolen today, I took them out of my pocket to light my pipe and laid them down by the side of me and someone took them. Nothing more has occurred today.

Friday Dec 21 [1883]
Nice weather today and plenty of wind. We are going along about 9 or 10 knots an hour. I have to take my turn washing up the tins today. We are going to have a week each, so it will come to my turn every third week. Another child died this morning. I do not know what it died with but the doctor said that it first began with a cold. It is to be buried tonight at half past nine. There are 3 more not expected to live. Our position today is Lat 3° 38'S. Long 30° 50'W. S34W. 202 miles. I am told that we are between Brazil and Africa. I heard the paper read this afternoon and it said that most likely we should sight land tomorrow.

Saturday Dec 22 [1883]
It is a beautiful morning and a nice bracing wind. We are cutting through the water at a good speed. There is a full rig ship off our starboard side, we have been keeping well together all day. Our position today at noon is Lat 6° 31'S. Long 33° 16'W. S40W. 226 miles. There has been a competition for a halfguinea prize amongst the emigrants: the prize was to be given to the one that wrote the best Christmas story. One of the young girls won it. There was a large steamer passed us on our port side, she was homeward bound. I must tell you that the captain has brought out a paper called the Corona Times. He brings it out every Friday. It is very good, it gives us all the details of the week and how far we have travelled. I had a slight accident, I hit my head against the swing lamp and cut my forehead open.

Sunday Dec 23 [1883]
It is very hot this morning and the wind has gone down during the night so that it is almost a calm. We are closer to that ship that I spoke of yesterday and we have come up with a French vessel. They are both very close, the captain has been speaking them with flags. The ship that has been with us so long is the Dorothea from Liverpool, she is a Dutch vessel. We are in sight of land today, it is the Brazilian coast. We are near enough to see the houses along by the sea and there is a long stretch of mountains that reach for miles. I looked through an opera glass both at the ships and the land which showed them up nicely. The houses that I saw were white with red roofs. We had to pass the doctor this morning. I am very well myself and the boy is better, but he is still under the doctor; he is taking cod liver oil and still [?]. I had to fetch the doctor to Eliza this morning, she seems very bad. Our position today is Lat 8° 40'S. 34° 49'W. S35W. 159 miles. The captain ordered the ship to be turned about so as to steer off land because we were getting too close, but we are not making much headway.

Monday Dec 24 [1883]
It has been a very nice day but very hot, we are nearly under the sun. A fair wind blew from the land about 12 O’clock last night and lasted until about 10 this morning and then it went down a little, but still we are doing some good with what wind we have got. Our position at noon is Lat 9° 38'S. 34° 59'W. S10W. 59 miles. We have run quite clear of both ships and land during the night, they are neither of them in sight. Eliza is no better this morning but I hope she will soon be. We have not got much extra for Christmas, we have had about 4oz of flour extra and we are to have what we like to drink. We can choose from limejuice, port wine, brandy, whisky, porter, milk or gin. That is all we are allowed extra. There is a concert this evening which seemed to go off better than the others.

Tuesday Dec 25 Christmas day [1883]
It has been a beautiful day but not a very pleasant one for us. Eliza has had to keep in bed all day today, so I have had to make the pudding and tend to the other things as well. There was a few men and women collected on the poop about 12 O’clock last night and sung a few carols. It sounded very well. It has not been a very pleasant day; Eliza was too ill to get up this morning, she was in bed all day. There was nothing on board to make the day like Christmas. The girls seemed to enjoy themselves: they had a piece of holly and every man that went onto the poop they pulled them about to try and kiss them under this piece of holly. Our position at noon today is Lat 12° 13' South. Long 35° 16' West. S6W. 156 miles. The day passed off as pleasant as it could.

Wednesday Dec 26 [1883]
There was another child died this morning, about 8 O’clock. That makes the 6th one since we left England. Nothing else occurred today worth note. Eliza is no better, she has had to keep in bed all day. Our position today is Lat 15° 6'S. Long 34° 43'W. S11E. 176 miles. We have had nice weather and a fair wind, the ship is sailing beautifully.

Thursday Dec 27 [1883]
The weather is still bright and we have still a fair wind and sailing nicely. Eliza is no better today, but I have got her up on to the poop today because it is so close down below. I set to and done the washing today. While I was doing it I saw a large steamer pass by us on our starboard side, she was very soon out of sight. I had to get some brandy for Eliza to kill the pain because she was worse than she has been. I spent a short time on the focsle with the boy, it is much pleasanter up there than the main deck. Our position is Lat 18° 12'S. Long 34° 28'W. S4E. 187 miles. There is about 2 hours and a 1/4 difference between the time at England and our time. At 6 O’clock with us would be 1/4 past eight at home.

Friday Dec 28 [1883]
The weather still holds fine and we have had beautiful sailing until about 4 O’clock this afternoon when the wind dropped. Then we had a calm until about half past seven when the wind blew up nice and strong. We passed under the sun at noon today, it did not throw any shadow on either side. It has been very hot today. Eliza is a little better but she did not get up until after dinner. Our position today is Lat 20° 53'S. Long 34° 9'W. S7E. 162 miles. We had a little disturbance this morning, 2 of the men in No 21 mess got fighting over their stores. The sailors had to come and part them.

Saturday Dec 29 [1883]
Weather fine and fair wind still blowing, we are making good progress. Our position at noon today is Lat 23° 54'S. Long 34° 3'W. S2E. 182 miles. I done a job of repairing today, I borrowed a awl and threads off a woman in the forehatch to mend my own boots and then I had this pair brought to me to mend. I shall have my own tools out of the box next week. Eliza is much better, she has begun to eat a little now. I am in hopes she will soon be quite well. The boy is getting on pretty fair.

Sunday Dec 30 [1883]
It has been a beautiful day and we have still a fair wind. We have had all canvas out for this last few days. We had to pass the doctor this morning, Eliza could not because she was not well enough. There was a short service this afternoon. The day passed very pleasantly, part of my time I spent up in the lifeboat and all the afternoon I was on the poop. We are in Lat 26° 44' South. Long 33° 00'W. S19(E. 179 miles. There was a ship passed by us about 2 O’clock this afternoon she was going the opposite way to us.

Monday Dec 31 [1883]
It has been rather dull and misty today. I got up early this morning and done our washing as I thought I should like to get it done at the beginning of the week. Eliza is a little better today, I hope she has changed for the better. I cannot put down our position today because it has not been put on the board.

Tuesday January 1st 1884
We had the singers out again last night about 12 O’clock. When they had done they rang the bells and then some of the sailors and young men from the forehatch marched around the ship playing concertinas and windpipes and beating old tin cans, but it was all quiet before 2 O’clock. It has been very wet all day, and to make it worse, the wind fell after dinner and we had a dead calm the next part of the day. It did not seem much like New Years Day to us. Eliza is still improving, she has found her appetite again. I went into the focsle for a short time this evening because they was having a concert amongst the sailors.

Wednesday Jan 2 [1884]
The weather is a little brighter today and we have a fair wind. There was a full rig ship passed across our bows this morning, she was so close to us that we could see the sailors on her deck and we could see some of her ropes. It caused a little excitement on board of our ship because it was the first one that has been so close to us. Eliza is much better today, she is able to do a little needlework. There was another child died this morning. That is the eighth one since we left England, one a week on average. It is getting serious to think of so many dying, I cannot tell the cause of it.

Thursday Jan 3 [1884]
The weather is nice and fine today but is is getting rather cold. We had our boxes up today which took up best part of the day. Another child died this morning and was buried at 9 O’clock this evening.

Friday Jan 4 [1884]
Weather pretty fair today but we have not much wind. A person named Mrs Brooks died this morning just before dinner and her child died about 4 O’clock this morning, that makes 11 deaths since we left England and there is others not expected to live. It is nothing but the food that we have that is causing the illness. Our position today is Lat 32° 4'S. Long 29° 45'W. S47°E. 112 miles. I got my tools out of my box and started work today. I was at work best part of the day.

Saturday Jan 5 [1884]
Rather cold today but fine. I done a few hours work today. Mrs Brooks was buried this morning at 4 O’clock, there was a lot of people up to see her buried. Our position today is Lat 33° 27'S. Long 38° 4'W. S24°W. 73 miles. We had another concert this evening which went off pretty fair. There was a large drove of porpoises passed the ship today.

Sunday Jan 6 [1884]
The weather is fine today as usual. We have had fine weather every Sunday since we have been at sea. Nothing much occurred today. There was a large bird flying around the ship this afternoon, I should think it measured 6 feet from one tip of the wing to the other. Our position today is Lat 33° 42'S. Long 29° 25'W. S71°E. 51 miles.

Monday Jan 7 [1884]
The weather is pretty fair today and we have a little more wind. I got up and done our washing this morning before I started my other work. We made a run of 80 miles today.

Tuesday Jan 8 [1884]
It is a nice fine morning but rather cold. There is a beautiful wind blowing, we are going at the rate of 10 miles an hour. I have been at work all day at repairing some boots. Our position today is Lat 38° 50'S. Long 27° 32'W. S21°E. 235 miles.

Wednesday Jan 9 [1884]
It is rather dull and cloudy today. We had a nice wind this morning but it dropped toward the afternoon. It is getting colder every day. There is nothing worth note today. There was a few birds flying around the ship which showed us that we were near land.

Thursday Jan 10 [1884]
It has been very wet all day which makes most of us keep down below. A person named Mrs Evans was confined this morning with a female child, she is progressing favourably. We have not had much wind all day but the wind blew up about 9 O’clock this evening. We are rounding the cape now, tomorrow we expect to change our course from South to East. Another child died this afternoon from cholera.

Friday Jan 11 [1884]
It is very wet again today, but we have a fair wind. Our position today at noon is Lat 42° 9'S. Long 15° 00'W. Course S81E. 286 miles.

Saturday Jan 12 [1884]
It is a fine day and we have still a fair wind. We are running the eastern down as the sailors call it, that is we are going due east. We have several thousand miles to go in this course in a straight line until we get to New Zealand, and then we turn to the left for Townsville. Our position today is Lat 42° 19'S. Long 10° 2'W. Course S88E. 222 miles.

Sunday Jan 13 [1884]
The weather is fine today but it is very cold and the sea is running very high. Sometimes our ship will be on the top of a high wave and then it will go down into the trough and the sea will look to be coming down upon, but we have got a good ship she rides the waves well. Our position today is Lat 42° 19'S. Long 4° 30'W. Course east. Distance 245 miles. There is great fun caused by the sea coming over the side, the waves break over the side in several tons at a time. We had a narrow escape of losing our masts this afternoon. The young girls got teasing the man at the wheel and took his attention off his duties and he let the ship go away from the wind and it took 5 men to bring her up again as the wind is blowing very strong. It would soon have snapped the masts off. One of the young girls was hurt this afternoon, the rolling of the ship very nearly sent her over the side. She would have gone if someone had not caught her by the legs and pulled her back. But as she was being drawn back a hook caught her behind the ear and tore the flesh a little, but I think she is getting on all right.

Monday Jan 14 [1884]
Weather pretty fair today. Nothing occurred today worth note. Our position today is Lat 42° 20'S. Long 00° 52'E. Course East. 238 miles.

Tuesday Jan 15 [1884]
Weather fine but very cold. Our position today is Lat 42° 29'S. Long 6° 5'E. Course S88E. Distance 231 miles. I have to go on watch again tonight from 8 until 10.

Wednesday Jan 16 [1884]
It is very wet today which makes it very unpleasant, it makes us keep down below. My watch tonight is from 10 until 12.

Thursday Jan 17 [1884]
It is rather dull today and we are in Lat 42° 29'S. Long 14° 56'E. Course E. 214 miles. My watch tonight is from 12 until 2.

Friday Jan 18 [1884]
It is showery today. There is a few birds flying around the ship. Our position today is Lat 42° 59'S. Long 19° 24'E. Course S81E. 198 miles. I am to go on watch tonight from 2 until 4.

Saturday Jan 19 [1884]
It has been a beautiful day which passed very pleasantly. There was a whale seen this afternoon. Our position today is Lat 43° 11'S. Long 42° 42'E. Course S87E. 220 miles. I shall finish my watch tomorrow morning, I am on from 4 until 6.

From Sunday Jan 20 to Saturday 26 [1884]
The weather has been pretty fair this week, it has been middling bright but very cold. A good deal of merriment has been caused through the waves coming over the side of the ship. On Friday I was in the washhouse washing my tins when several tons of water came over. I had to jump upon the sink for there was about 2 feet of water upon the decks. It knocked one man down and nearly stunned him, it come over with such force. We have had a fair wind all the week which enabled us to run 1414 miles which is a good run. We are now in Lat 43° 2'S. Long 52° 17'E. and we expect to be abreast Tasmania in about 3 weeks. On Thursday a person named Mrs Sharp delivered a male child. They are doing very well, but on Friday night a child of Mr Deacon died. It has been ill ever since it came on board. We have not sighted anything for some weeks, now we see one or two whales and a few birds. Nothing else to be seen but sky and water, we seem to be alone on the mighty deep.

From Sunday Jan 27 to Saturday Feb 2 [1884]
It has been middling fine for the first part of the week and we had a fair wind until Wednesday when we had it calm for one day. There were four birds caught on Wednesday morning, one was a large albatross and 3 boobys. The albatross was 11 feet from tip to tip of its wings and the boobys were about 7 feet. There would have been more caught only it came on wet after dinner. The wind sprang up toward evening and it has been wet ever since. Some excitement has been caused by the waves coming over the side, it came over so much that they had to fasten down one of the hatches. On Friday night the sea was so rough that it broke away part of our starboard bulwarks but no further damage was done. Our position today is Lat 42° 07'S. Long 87° 15'E. and the distance we have run this week is 1274 miles.

Sunday Feb 3 to 9 [1884]
We have had a nice fine day as we usually have had of a Sunday since we left England. But the wind had dropped in the night and we had a calm for a few hours in the morning, then there was a light breeze sprang up which lasted the rest of the day. The second mate caught another albatross this morning, it measured 9 feet from tip to tip of its wing. The weather has been pretty fair during the week but occasionally dull. We have had a fair wind all the week and we have made a run of 1378 miles. Our position is Lat 45° 22'S. Long 118° 43'E. There has been nothing seen but a few birds and one or two whales. It is getting to be monotonous, nothing but water to be seen and nothing to do on board to pass away the time.

From Sunday 10 to Saturday 16 [Feb, 1884]
We have had pretty fair weather this week. The first part was a little dull but it set in nice and bright toward the latter part. There has been nothing sighted this week, all that has been seen has been a few birds. On Friday there was 2 albatrosses caught and again today there was 2 more caught. They are fine looking creatures, one of them measured 10 and a half from tip to tip of its wings. Our position for this week is Lat 42° 51'S. Long 151° 51'E. and we have made a run of 1393 miles. I must say that we have rounded Tasmania and we are running north toward Townsville. We expect to be there within a fortnight.

Sunday 17 to Saturday 23 [Feb, 1884]
We have had beautiful weather all this week, but I am sorry to say that the wind has not been much. We have had it calm for a day or two and then there was 7 birds caught. I had the tail and one of the feet of the last one that was caught. It was a beautiful bird, the best one that has been caught during the voyage. It measured 10 feet across its wings. There was a ship sighted on Thursday but it was soon out of sight, and on Thursday morning we see a drove of porpoises. There was about a hundred of them. The weather has been nice and fine both yeasterday and today. Nothing transpired for me to take down, it is the same with me every day: after I have done cleaning up I have the rest of the time to myself. Our position today is Lat 42° 51'S. Long 151° 56'E. Course N51E and the distance we have done this week is .... we are now going up the coast very near abreast of Sydney.

Sunday Feb 24 [1884]
It is a nice day and we are traveling well. There was some little excitement caused by a steamer passing us, she came very near to us. After she had gone two sailing ships came in sight. We saw a great number of porpoises, it is a comical sight to see them jumping about in the water. Our position for today is Lat 28° 50'S. Long 154° 25'E. Course N18E. Distance 205 miles.

Monday Feb 25 [1884]
It is fine overhead but the wind has died down a little. There has been nothing sighted today. We are now in Lat 26° 26'S. Long 154° 40'E. Course N14W. Distance 142 miles. Today is Eliza’s birthday.

Tuesday Feb 26 [1884]
Beautiful weather today but we have got it calm. We can see land on our port side but not very clear. Our position at noon today is Lat 25° 13'S. Long 153° 43'E. Course N1E. 73 miles.

Wednesday Feb 27 [1884]
It is fine today but calm. There was a ship sighted today but a long ways off. Our position today is Lat 25° 49'S. Long 154° 28'E. Course S48E. We had turned right around and drifted 54 miles back the wrong way we came so we have that distance to pick up again.

Thursday Feb 28 [1884]
It is a beautiful day and we have got a little breeze, it sprang up last night about 8 O’clock. There was a ship in sight this morning but a breeze sprang up and took us along a little faster and we soon got out of sight. Our position today is Lat 25° 19'S. Long 154° 28'E. Course S48E. Distance 47 miles. The voyage is getting monotonous, I shall be glad to get to Townsville.

From February 29th to March 5 [1884]
The weather has been beautiful and fine. We have had light winds and calms on Friday and Saturday and Sunday but on Monday a strong breeze sprang up which lasted until we dropped anchor in Cleaveland Bay. We sighted land at Brisbane and we did not lose it again, only for a short time we had to pass some beautiful islands. We passed them close enough to see the trees and bushes on them, some of them was very high. They lay between Rockhampton and Townsville. We anchored in Cleaveland Bay at 9 O’clock on Tuesday night and lay there until the morning when a pilot boat came to us.

© Trevor Hanson 1-Jan-2006 E. & O. E.