“Up at 8.30. You will no doubt have noticed how lazy we have been getting but there is really nothing for us to do if we do get up so we stop in bed till we are nearly pulled out.

We are now in 43 15” & Long 95 11”E & still about 2,200 miles to do if we are lucky we may possibly get into Melbourne by the end of the year but is very uncertain. Had washing day today & I hope it will be the last. The rest of the day we played cards & went to bed at 9.30. Read till 10.30”

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