NEW ZEALAND. PART I. THE VOYAGE.
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NEW ZEALAND
PART I.
THE VOYAGE.
WE are now on the good ship Ajax. We left London on Wednesday, 6th Sept., 1848, and came to at Gravesend same evening. Lay there and got all ready for sea; weighed anchor and set sail on Friday morning at 4 o'clock. We got as far as Margate Roads, where we dropped anchor for the night.
Saturday, 9th. --Sent a letter on shore by the pilot at the Downs for Edinburgh, and one for Mr Houston. Came to at the Downs in the afternoon, and stayed there all Sabbath.
Monday, 11th. ---Shipped anchor and set sail with a fair wind, and although we were nearly the last in starting, before midday ours was the first ship in the fleet to pass the Duke of Portland, bound for Auckland, New Zealand. She gave us three cheers, which compliment we returned, and wishing each other a good journey, we proceeded on our way down the coast of Kent.
Tuesday, 12th. --Had a fine view of the coast of Cornwall. The good ship Ajax left every vessel we came in sight of, proving her to be a first-rate sailor. Towards the afternoon we came in sight of the Lizard light and Land's End. All glasses were in request to take the last fond look of that land which most of us should never see again. The sight drew many a sigh from the English, but it had few charms for the Scotch. Scotland was out of sight, and that was enough for them.
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Wednesday, 13th. ---Fine weather, and a few sails in sight. About 2 o'clock in the afternoon a French ship showed a signal of distress, and sent a boat alongside. Two gentlemen came on board and asked for a supply of provisions. They had been without food or drink for four days. They were well supplied, and started off with light hearts, and every prospect of satisfying their appetite.
Thursday, 14th. --Everything goes on very well. The English engage in cooking, and the Scotch either knit stockings or read. I have been busy overhauling the Books I got from Mr Watson, London, for the benefit of Scotch emigrants, and gave a copy of the Confession of Faith to all heads of families.
Friday, 15th. --A fresh breeze ahead; vessel pitching very much; a great many sick, young and old--all suffering badly. Midnight. --Wind blowing a fresh gale; great destruction amongst delf of all descriptions.
Saturday, 16th. --A beggarly array of plates and drinking mugs, and no appetite for breakfast. Mid-day. --Things look a little better, and people begin to crawl along the deck. Evening. --We are off with a fair wind and fine weather.
Sabbath, 17th. --Beautiful morning; people pretty well recovered from sickness. The doctor sent for me to see if our people would come and hear service read after the Church of England form. I objected on the ground that it would be more amusing than devotional to them. The consequence was we had the topgallant forecastle assigned to us for a church, and the others had the quarter deck--the capstan being covered with the ensign for the altar, and the doctor acting as chaplain. We on the forecastle took it in turns. In the afternoon we met again, with our Bibles, though others lounged round the decks reading Punch and the Pictorial Times. With family worship in the evening we concluded our first Sunday at sea.
Monday, 18th. --Good weather, and progress on our journey satisfactory. A murmur arose among the passengers about the schoolmaster, and on account of the rumour the Scotch people would not send their children to school. The
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worthy dominie and his better half disagreed as they were rising, and, contrary to general rule, engaged in a stand up fight. This, the folks thought, was "teaching the young idea how to shoot" with a vengeance.
Tuesday, 19th. --A difference arose between the dominie and a fellow-passenger. The man struck the dominie, who returned the blow with a broomstick. Being in authority, I was obliged to interfere. I stopped the scuffle, and brought them both before a court, which we held on the forecastle. They were reprimanded, and made to shake hands, with the promise to be better friends in future.
Wednesday, 20th. --Fair wind and fine weather.
Thursday, 21st. --Foul wind, and some complaints of seasickness.
Friday, 22nd. --Fair wind, and everything going well. No ships in sight.
Saturday, 22nd. --A general disruption took place among the boys and girls attending school. A German had been appointed by the doctor to teach the children. He was quite unfitted for the work; besides, he was always squabbling with his wife, which turned all against him. A young man named Brown, notorious for his boasting propensities, started in opposition with a few Scotch boys. In the afternoon all the English boys and girls left the German in high dudgeon. He thereupon thought it wise to resign--a resolution approved by all concerned.
Sabbath, 24th. --Early this morning a little stranger made his appearance--Mrs Cook giving birth to a son. The sailors gave him the nickname of "Ajax." The day was passed in as becoming a manner as could be expected. The Scotch, joined by a few of the English, refrained from unnecessary work, and attended both forenoon and afternoon services, at which we read a sermon from the memoirs of the late Rev. Mr McCheyne. I think it may be said without boasting that we are doing some good. Our congregation is on the increase, not a few sailors attending twice a day.
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Monday, 25th. --Very warm. Young and old sent on deck, and down below there is a regular turmoil--cleaning, scraping, and scrubbing. 12 o'clock. -- A ship in sight; all hands calling out, "Campbell, bring your glass and tell us what she is," and this at a distance of 18 or 20 miles! Getting nearer we found her to be a brig, standing to the south. Plum-pudding for dinner, served on deck. All in good health, and Mrs Campbell in high spirits.
Tuesday, 26th. --Making good progress.
Wednesday, 27th. --A deputation of women waited on the doctor this morning--their beer had been stopped! They carried their point of course.
Thursday, 28th. --Fair wind. Nothing remarkable to-day.
Friday, 29th. --Wind fresh, and not in the right direction for us. Towards night it blew a gale, and such a bobbery there was, above and below. It was enough to frighten one-- women bawling and children squalling!
Saturday, 30th. A fair day, little wind, but a very heavy swell, and the ship pitching at a terrible rate.
Sunday, Oct. 1st. -- Moderate weather, and a fair wind. All well; worship as usual, both forenoon and afternoon.
Monday, 2nd. Fine weather; a few sharks seen alongside.
Tuesday, 3rd. --A beautiful day; a ship seen in the distance. After a while we found her to be a homeward bound ship. We prevailed on the captain to send the chief mate on board with letters. They gave us ten minutes to get our communications for the Old Country ready, and a boat pulled off to the ship. She was the "Augusta," hailed from Bombay, and her port was Cowes. We hauled the boat up, and away we went.
Wednesday, 4th. --Fair weather and all well, with one or two exceptions.
Thursday, 5th. --This day makes one month since we left London. Wind very light.
Friday, 6th. --Light wind and fair weather.
Saturday, 7th. --Making very little progress.
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Sabbath, 8th. --Light and baffling winds. The youngest child of Angus McPhee took very ill, and continued so, from bad to worse, till half past ten at night, when he winged his flight to a better world. His age was seven months.
Monday, 9th. --Very warm weather, and light winds; a ship in sight. 9 a. m. --The dead child was sewn up in a bag, and laid on the grating of the main hatch with the Union Jack thrown over it. At ten o'clock all hands were called up to the funeral, which is a very unceremonious affair at sea. A few boards were put from the ship's side to the long boat. The boatswain stood on the boards--the body of the child on a plank before him. The Union Jack still covered it, one end of which the boatswain held in one hand, while he used his other to steady the plank. The doctor read the funeral service, and at the word of command the boatswain pulled off the Jack and tripped up the plank, and so, amidst the sighs of some and the tears of many, the little thing was launched into the deep, where in a moment it was lost to sight. In ten minutes things went on as if nothing had occurred to disturb the usual routine of ship life.
Tuesday, 10th. --Fine weather. 8 a. m. --Three ships in sight. One fired three shots, and hove to. We took our glasses to see what all the fuss was about. She turned out to be a man-of-war firing to make the other ships show their colours, that she might know to what nations they belonged.
Wednesday, 11th, 11 p. m. --The moon shone very clearly. A shark came alongside. We put a hook over the stern, he took the bait and the hook. We got him on board, and what a commotion. All the passengers, young and old, were up. After he died we laid him aside to be dissected by the doctor.
Thursday, 12th. --A fair wind and showery. The shark was dissected this morning. His jaw and backbone were cut out, and the carcass thrown overboard.
Friday, 13th. --Fine weather and no wind.
Saturday, 14th. --A general clear out of the steerage, over which the doctor and I had a few words. We had a heavy fall
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of rain in the afternoon, which led to more words with the medical adviser. Allen, the assistant, interfered with the work. I resisted this interference, and he told the doctor, the result being that on Sabbath I gave up the office of constable, which position I had held since the 5th September, 1848.
Monday, 16th. --Still very little wind.
Tuesday. 17th. --Same for wind and weather.
Wednesday, 18th. --Do., do.
Thursday, 19th. --Dead calm.
Friday, 20th. --Warm and tiresome.
Saturday, 21st. --No wind, and all anxious to get across the line.
Sabbath, 22nd. --After a long and dreary calm of nearly three weeks, a long-looked-for breeze sprang up in the morning, and carried us over the line at half-past 12 noon. The cabin passengers had some fun in the evening. Neptune, his wife, and daughter, came on board, and after the customary salutations, adjourned with family to the poop, where he proceeded to blacken, and otherwise ornament, the faces of some of the younger male passengers.
Monday, 23rd. Steady breeze and fair weather.
Tuesday, 24th. --Dawned fair and bright, but how often does it happen that the brightest morning gives no joy to the sorrowing parent, as she sits by the bedside of a dying child? This is the case to-day with William Strain and his wife, who are watching by their youngest child --a fine boy of eleven months. I cannot help observing the wonderful workings of God. In the next berth to the dying boy a woman has been put to bed to be delivered of a child. This has given rise to some unpleasantness with the doctor, who refused to allow the woman to be put into hospital, thus compelling her to occupy the ordinary berth. I was one of those who waited on him to point out the impropriety of such a proceeding. He appealed to the captain. The captain called me into his cabin, and after a long discussion consented to have the woman put into hospital, and sent for the doctor to have her removed; but it
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was too late--the child was born while we were talking. Here is joy to this family; but mark the berth next to the one where the man-child has just entered into life. There lies a man-child on the brink of Eternity, as if the one were bade to stay here until the other came to fill his place; and so it was, for that night, or rather next morning at half-past one, the little sufferer bade a final adieu to time, and his body was in the usual manner committed to the deep at nine o'clock on the morning of Wednesday, the 25th. Some melted into tears, while others indulged in levity, at the sight of a fellow creature being launched into the deep.
Thursday, 26th. --Fresh winds and fair weather.
Friday, 27th. --Nothing worth mentioning.
Saturday, 28th. --Light winds and fair weather.
Sabbath, 29th. --Worship to-day in the single men's place.
Monday, 30th. --A general meeting held on the top-gallant forecastle, of steerage passengers, owing to insufficiency of provisions. A deputation waited on the doctor. I was appointed speaker, and explained our dissatisfaction. He seemed to think all was right enough, until I brought up the beam and scales, tried them, and found them on the wrong side by five and a half ounces. On further examination I found a piece of lead, weighing two ounces, run into the scale. We appointed two men to go to the store-room every day, and see the provisions weighed out. These men were elected independently of those appointed by the owners of the vessel, or by the captain, to rob us of our just rights.
Tuesday, 31st. - Things look a little better to-day.
Wednesday, 1st November. --Fair winds.
Thursday, 2nd. --A ship in sight; the Island of Trinidad on the larboard bow; also a high rock--uninhabited.
Friday, 3rd. --Found the ship to be the Duke of Portland --the ship in whose company we left the Downs.
Saturday, 4th. --Light winds and fair weather. The Duke of Portland close alongside, and the captains hailing each other.
Sabbath, 5th. --Our mate went off in the lifeboat, and got
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five casks of ale. In the afternoon the captain came to dine with our skipper. He returned to his ship about 6 p. m., and a breeze springing up we soon left her in the distance. By daylight on the morning of Monday (6th) our friend was nowhere to be seen. The minister on board the Duke of Portland (a man from Edinburgh), lost one child, the day another was born; and I was told that he has the body in a cask of spirits, so as to keep it till they land. They could not entertain the idea of having it cast into the sea.
Monday, 20th. --The wife of Richard Sutclift had a son this morning, making the third male child born since we left.
Tuesday, 21 st. --The child of Sam. Wooley died, and in less than four hours the body, although yet warm, was committed to the deep.
Saturday, 25th. --To our great astonishment, half-a-pound of fresh pork was served out to each of the adult passengers in the steerage, this being the first fresh meat of any description since we left the Downs. Signalled the ship Fortitude, from London, bound for Moreton Hay, Australia, with Government emigrants. The ship came near enough to cheer each other. In the evening a fresh breeze sprang up, and at daylight next morning the Fortitude was out of sight. Strong winds; ship sailing at the rate of eleven and twelve knots an hour.
Monday, 27th. --Strong winds, towards evening more moderate.
Tuesday, 28th. --Light winds, and right ahead.
Wednesday, 29th. --Strong breeze and fair weather.
Thursday, 30th. --Light winds, thick and rainy weather.
Friday, December 1st. --Steady winds; a busy day, catching albatrosses with hooks and lines baited with a piece of raw pork. Nine birds were caught during the day.
Saturday, 2nd. --Sago given instead of oatmeal. All men in the steerage refused to take it, and went in a body to the doctor, to ask the reason. He gave no definite answer, and his insolent language to the men brought on him a heap of abuse for his inattention. Two hours after he tried to regain the
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goodwill of a man who had handled him rather sharply, by offering him a cupful of barley.
Sabbath, 3rd. --Strong winds and fair weather.
Monday, 4th. --Fair weather.
Tuesday, 5th. --Same weather.
Wednesday, 6th. --Do.; do.
Thursday, 7th. --Half-a-pound of fresh pork served out today, which makes one pound of fresh meat in three months, for each adult passenger.
Friday, 8th. --Steady breeze and fair weather. The doctor seen stumbling about drunk at midnight.
Saturday, 9th. --Strong wind and squally weather.
Sabbath, 10th. --Ship labouring very much, which prevented us from meeting for worship.
Monday, 11th. --Strong wind, and fair weather.
Tuesday, 12th. -- Ditto.
Wednesday, 13th. --Strong winds and cloudy weather.
Thursday, 14th. --Strong winds, mild and clear weather.
Friday, 15th. --Fair winds, clear and dry weather.
Saturday, 16th. ---Fair wind and weather. Fresh pork served out to adult passengers--half a pound to each. Oatmeal to all the messes.
Sabbath, 17th. --Fresh breeze, and clear beautiful weather. Service in the cabin for the first time since crossing the line. We of the Free Church met on the top-gallant forecastle, the weather being favourable.
Monday, 18th. --Still delightful weather; a lot of seaweed seen drifting about. A child nearly poisoned, through taking a draught of chloride of zinc.
Tuesday, 19th. --Nearly calm.
Wednesday, 20th. --Still calm, which has cast a gloom over the ship, all being in hope of arriving in Otago by the first day of the New Year.
Thursday, 21st. ---Yet calm. The cabin passengers could see to read at half-past eight o'clock.
Friday, 22nd. ---A strong wind from the south, and cold;
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ship going at 10 knots. At six o'clock a raffle of a pair of pistols took place. At half past seven went to a party in the carpenter's berth, it being his birthday.
Saturday, 23rd. --Moderate wind and fair weather, wind still from the south.
Sabbath, 24th. --Light winds and clear weather. Fresh pork served out to-day to all steerage passengers. Had it served on deck, the English in the cabin.
Monday, 25th. --This being Christinas Day, is a busy one, with plum-pudding. &c. There was service in the cabin for those who wished to attend--prayers first, afterwards riotousness and drinking. A strange religion this. At noon, lat. 46. 20 S.; long. 129. 32 E.
Tuesday, 26th. -- Light winds and fair weather.
Wednesday, 27th. --Nearly calm. It is said that we are to be put on short allowance of water and provisions, and that the live stock is to be killed, so as to save the beasts from starvation.
Thursday, 28th. --Strong winds in the right direction, which has raised our spirits a little. We now expect to be in Otago, if the wind keeps as it is, in six days. I hope it will do so. Two pigs killed, leaving one. Lat. 48. 46 S.; long. 134. 34 E. at noon.
Friday, 29th. --Wind more moderate. Ship going along with studding sails set low and aloft.
Saturday, 30th. --Strong winds; ship going at 10 knots under close-reefed topsails. Lat. 48. 53 S.; long. 144 E.
Sabbath, 31st. --Still the same winds and weather. This is the last Sabbath of the year, and may the Lord God of Mercy lead and guide us through the year we are entering upon; may His face for ever shine upon us, and through all eternity. Half a pound of fresh pork to all steerage passengers.
Monday, 1st January, 1849. --This day is welcomed by the ringing of the ship's bell, ringing the Old Year out and the New Year in, and accompanied by a procession of men beating on old tin pans of every description, making a great noise, with
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certainly little melody. Noon, lat. 48. 2 S., long. 153. 09 E. Spent the evening at an entertainment given by the carpenter.
Tuesday, 2nd. --Strong wind, ship making great way through the water. Some of the passengers are packing up for going ashore. Noon, lat. 49. 19 S., long. 158. 08 E.
Wednesday, 3rd. -- Fair wind, weather clear and fine. Noon, lat. 48. 13 S., long. 162. 28 E.
Thursday, 4th. Fair wind and fine weather. At ten o'clock this morning the welcome cry of "Land ahead!" was heard from the mast-head. It proved to be rocks, called the Snares, to the south of Stewart Island.
Friday, 5th. Morning fine. At breakfast time came in sight of the mouth of the Clutha River. A more beautiful prospect I should never wish to see: a deep bay, surrounded with hills, sloping to the water's edge, and covered with wood, and thousands of sea-fowl swimming and (lying about. Did not reach Otago Harbour to-night.
Saturday, 6th. Ran down to Taiaroa Heads. A pilot came off, and we anchored about mid-day, outside the entrance. The wind blowing out of the Harbour, and squally.
Sabbath, 7th. --A fine day and still at anchor. I ought to add that during the voyage the captain steered by my watch. One of the chronometers got out of gear just after we sailed. The captain tried several watches on board, but none of them except mine could be depended upon. It was such a good timekeeper that the skipper said, should the other chronometer go wrong, he would be able to steer by the watch alone.
