“Up at 6, it is still very sultry & Cergou (ships name for oatmeal porridge) is so very filling. But I must not grumble for now is the time to eat drink & be merry for soon we shall be in the promised land. I am getting quite religious (as you will observe) under the […]
31st October 1878 – 35th day
“Up at 6.30. Another calm day with occasional showers. Arthur fishing for Dolphins & Benita at the end of the bowsprit while I am looking on. You all know fishing is not my failing. Today we have 11 vessels in view 3 of which we have spoken & who turn out to be the Helen […]
30th October 1878 – 34th day
“Stofully hot again. 87 in the shade so we have not been moving about much today. Went to sleep from 12.45 to 4 on top of our house as this is the coolest part of the ship between the boats. Headache all day. Bed at 11.” Extract from A.Whelen’s Australia travel diary aboard the Hesperides sailing […]
29th October 1878 – 33rd day
“Joey and the second mate have been amusing themselves by throwing pailfuls of water over each other as their clothes were too dry so that these two young parties are slightly damp. Peter (our cat & a beautiful tom) is missing & it is supposed that in trying after some bird or other he has […]
28th October 1878 – 32nd day
“Up at 7. Very hot again and squally all day. Sighted two vessels and spoke one. She is going to Sydney but we could not make out her name for she is not on the books, being a new ship most likely. Joey trying to catch birds by hook & has at last succeeded in […]
23rd October 1878 – 27th day
“Up at 7 for a cold bath which is the best thing we get on board. After breakfast Arthur began a new trade that of washing his dirty clothes of which he did a goodish quantity. However he found it rather warm work. We are now of the Cape Verdi Isles but we shall not […]
20th October 1878 – 24th day
“Up at 6, another beautiful day. We are now 25 degrees N of the line & no wind again. Have not seen any sails to relieve the monotony. I was reading about Bath this morning & find it is the best place to send the great unwashed. Please take note of this. To give you […]
16th October 1878 – 20th day
“Another beautiful day. We have now done about 1400 miles & are now off the coast of the Madiera’s. Today we sighted a small schooner & early this morning we saw a large shark. Arthur tried his hand again, at fishing for the pilot fish, which always go in front of the sharks, but with […]
13th October 1878 – 17th day
“Up at 8. As yet no wind or signs of any. From the first mate I hear today that we have done 2003 miles up till yesterday at 12, but unfortunately only 1100 in the right direction so you can imagine what weather we must have had. At present we are off the coast of […]