“Up at 7.30. A fine morning with good breeze we are doing 8 and a half to 9 and a half knots an hour. Sighted two fresh vessels and spoke one. It was the ‘Oriana’ from Calcutta to London & she will no doubt report us on arrival there. In yesterdays news I forget to mention a very important item. Arthur cut my hair and cut his as it was too warm and so today we look like 2 convicts on the loose. At 1 it came over very calm and suddenly there came a squall with lots of rain. We turn out in naked feet & mackintoshes & quite enjoyed getting wet. The fact of us having our hair cut is comical enough but you should see us in costume. For over 7 weeks I wore nothing whatever but a pair of trousers, a shirt & a cap it being too hot for boots or anything else.

After tea we had a splendid fresh water bath pure from the clouds as it came down which was not only a novelty but something fine.”

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