“Quitted our cockerwalks at 7 & had a bath before breakfast. Another fine & hot day with a little breeze & we now hope to make some headway as it is now the last of a 9-day calm. One day we did 13 miles, another 17 & another 25 which is really wretched work. Cards all the afternoon & gymnastics in the evening.

Sighted 9 sails during the day but lost sight of all but 2 by the evening. Had a splendid fresh rainwater shower bath which was A1 & then turned in for the night much refreshed.”

Extract from A.Whelen’s travel journal aboard the Hesperides sailing from England to Australia in 1878