“We started from the Blackwall pier (East India Docks) at 1.30pm & after a short farewell & a pleasant little trip we arrived at Gravesend at 3.45 where we stopped for the night. Arthur & I went on shore for a couple of hours to see his father off & to take our last glass of bitter & after a very good tea & supper (combined) prepared by the cook we all turned in at 11.15 thus bringing our first day onboard to a close. During the night we managed to catch a few cockroaches of which there seem to be any quantity. As yet there are no signs of seasickness”
Extract from A.Whelen’s travel journal aboard the Hesperides sailing from England to Australia in 1878
