“Up at 7.30. Have had a very bad night’s rest as it was so rough. Every now & again a wave came & knocked at our door & sometimes even went right over the house. The 3rd mate came to have a smoke with us at about 2.30am & told us one of the men had nearly been carried overboard while heaving the lead log. We were going so fast that all the line on the reel had run out; we are doing 12½ knots an hour. Yesterday we did 230 miles which is a very good 24hours work. It is now about as cold as an English winter usually is minus the fog. To-day we have done 260 miles. On returning from a whist party in the apprentices place this evening we find that we have company, 4 visitors & ourselves makes 7 & by the means of 6 pipes (one is a non-smoker) we are gradually making the place homely like!
Bed 11.45.”
Extract from A.Whelen’s travel journal aboard the Hesperides sailing from England to Australia in 1878
