“Up at 7.30. Still a calm & very hot. In the afternoon we sighted a French mail “steamer” (the only one during the voyage) & nine other vessels, also a shark & a whale.

In the evening we had a very heavy discussion on religion with our friend Smith who is a Baptist & being greatly edified & much benefited by it we took ourselves off to bed at 1 on Monday morning.”

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