A Short Account of My Voyage Per the St Kilda
from Liverpool to Otago, New Zealand
Tuesday, May 13th 1873
Beautiful morning - strong breeze and the ship going 10 1/2 Knots. During the morning we saw a goodly number of swallows flying about the ship. They were evidently tired as they gladly rested themselves on the rigging and even the bulwarks. This was unfortunate for themselves as we caught two and the cats (we had two on board) managed to make a comfortable swallow dinner as their share. We were now, I suppose, some 200 miles from the nearest land. We all know that swallows are migrating birds and they must have tremendous strength of wing (tho' many no doubt are lost) for it is no uncommon thing for ships to fall in with them even farther out to sea than we were.
During the evening a fresh breeze came up and as we were now getting into the Bay of Biscay, we quite expected a storm. We were however disappointed, as it was simply what we learnt to appreciate; a good strong breeze, with moderate sea, driving the vessel along at 11 to 11 l/2 knots.
Wednesday, May 14th 1873
We were now fairly in the "Bay" and tho' we passed safely through perilous sea, we saw this morning a great quantity of wreck, proving that some less fortunate vessel than ours, had met it's doom. This was again a very fine day and we could perceive the weather getting hotter every day. Saw more swallows and also several sharks. The latter were very small and kept well off the ship. Poor Lizzie was very much troubled with indigestion, but thanks to the medicine we had with us soon improved.
Thursday, May 15th 1873
Off the coast of Portugal tho' of course quite out of sight of land. Very heavy swell, which made the vessel roll very much. This, when one is not "up" to it, is a very disagreeable motion, and made most of the passengers very "seedy". Saw a ship following us nearly all day. Lizzie had a very bad night again with indigestion.
Friday, May 16th 1873
Liz all right again. The sea just like a lake. For 3 or 4 hours in the middle of the day the sun was extremely hot. I tried a little fishing, but found it "no go". Today being the seventh day out, I opened a package given to me by my brother John. I was much pleased to find enclosed a copy of "Self Help". Many thanks to him. I hope I may be enabled to learn many useful lessons from the perusal of it.
Saturday, May 17th 1873
Awoke this morning to find the cabin floor flooded and the water tins which we kept on the floor all floating about. Morris and myself bailed the water out and then went on to the poop to have a look around. We hadn't been there two minutes before a "Big" sea came right over us and sent us back to the house just like two drowned rats. We had a very heavy sea all day. Passed and were repassed by the 'Imperatrice" a celebrated "China" clipper. Saw several other vessels, but too far off to signal.
Sunday, May 18th 1873
Sea still high. Spoke to a very large Brazilian steamer on her way to Lisbon. Promised to report us, but failed to us give her name. Today we saw, for the first time, several porpoises. They are very large fish, say 6 to 8 feet long, with a head or rather a snout like a pig; black back and quite underneath. It was fine fun to watch them racing along with the ship, sometimes leaping twenty or thirty feet out of the sea.
Journey to NZ