DIARY OF REV ROBERT TAYLOR Gravesend to Lyttelton, 1869 Copyright © New Zealand Yesteryears, 2006 Republication requires the consent of both Corey Woodward AND Robert Beeston
Sept 24 1869 Dear Father, Mother, Brothers and Sisters, We are now within a week of land and are all excitement on board. The ship is being cleaned down ready for going into port. The sailors are busy stowing the rigging and scraping the deck and painting the sides and putting on a pretty appearance so that she will be fit for visitors to come aboard immediate on her arrival. I have determained, as every body else is busy (my wife in the bargain) I would be busy too. And the first thing I thought of was writing a letter to you to be ready for the first mail after we land. So far on the whole we have had an excellent passage. We have had a storm or two as we shall tell you by and by but that we expected so we have not been disappointed. But even the storms themselves were not what we expected from what we have heard of sea storms and yet our captain said it was a very severe one, at any rate there has been nothing to frighten us from taking another sea passage. There is one thing to be considered, we have an excellent ship. She is a splendid sailor but rather had we had a smaller vessel and slower sailing one, we should have felt the storms very much indeed, on the whole then we are quite satisfied with the choice of the ship. She is what is called a full rigged ship of about 2000 tons burden. She has a saloon nearly twice as long as the girls school rooms at Lowerplace. We have a compartment for single men, one for single women and a third for married people. All for third class passaugers. Altogether, we have about 280 passengers besides a goodly company of the jolly bars. So that we are almost like a floating village and in fact much larger than many an agricultural village. The lower part of the ship is divided into compartments all perfectly water tight so that if she were to fill with water she would still swim. The captain is a good-tempered man, kind and on the whole courteous. He is not one of those ripping men that swears at everything that takes place, I have only heard him swear once since I came on board. He is about 31 years of age and has been a captain 14 years and appears thoroughly to understand his business. His parents are Wesleyans but he is a man of no religion at all. Like most seamen he is full of fun and likes a joke. We have got his likeness and sometime we will get a copy of it and send it. I would like to get a photograph of the ship. They were to sell at 1/- each before we set sail but I did not know till after or I would have bought one and sent it to you. Our officers on the whole are decent men though none of them are Christian men. We have many times talked about our friends at home and felt encouraged by the thought that many of them were praying for us and perhaps we shall never know in this world how much we are indebted to their prayers for our safety. I believe thoroughly in the power of prayer. If ten praying men could have saved the cities of Sodom and Gomormh how do we know but that the praying men on board ship and the praying men on shore who are praying for her welfare may have had great influence on her preservation. The lord rides upon the stormy waves and calms the roaring sea still. He holds the water in the hollow of his hand still. He has set and still keeps the bounds to her ragging billows and says thus far shalt thou come and no farther. We have nothing to fear on land or at sea as long as we make the lord our trust. We have had scarcely any seasickness. I was only one day that I could not take my food and my wife about two or a little more. I have been much surprised at that for being a little bilious I expected to be very bad, I have not been so that I could not go about not even when at the worst and now that we are got so near port we expect to have no more. We have passed through the different degress of hot and cold weather. It has sometimes been so hot we did not know what to do with ourselves and then it was so cold that we could scarcely keep warm. It is not so cold now as it was but cold enough yet. We cannot go and sit down besides the fires on board ship they are too dangerous and on the whole it is no doubt well that we do not have them. We are just thinking that now you will be getting the letters we sent from the tropics, when you write you must tell us when you got it. We gave you full particulars about our stay in London and our start from Gravesend and up to the time of our parting with the pilot. I will now not go over that again but will begin my journal from that day. A rather serious accident occurred just before the ship left the dock. A young lady was going up the ladder on to the ship when she overbalanced and came down on her head on the stones. She appeared to be very seriously hurt. I have learned since from the captain that she was not a passenger which was at first stated but was simply come to see a friend off. It was feared at the time that her skull was so severely fractured that she would die but I learned just before we sailed that she was a little better and likely soon to recover. She was instantly picked up and put in a cab and taken away to the infirmary. We did not see much of the parting of friends but I believe there were some painful scenes witnessed especially amoungst the Irish immigrants. If the wishing of friends could secure us a safe passage, I am sure we have nothing to fear. Jul 5th This has been a very misty day, the ring of the signal bell and blowing of the trumpet became very monotonous before night. But of course this is all necessary such a day as this. When you are out at sea and can only see 20 or 30 yards before you, you must keep a sharp lookout and do all you can to avoid a collision. The cannot turn a ship away as soon as a horse and cart when another is coming against them. So that no precaution is unnecessary. Tuesday 6th It is still very misty but not so bad as it was. Several vessels have been seen today two or three times. The wind is quite contrary today and we can only get on by tacking. Tacking means going exactly in that same way a horse goes when going up a hill with a heavy load. Only the ship is not turned round quite as easily as a horse. Every time the vessel is so much as that the whole of the sails have to be altered and it makes it very heavy work for the sailors. The sea is rather rough and the ship goes agood on her side, which makes it very difficult to walk. My dear wife and I have both been sick today but not very bad. We have kept in our cabin all day and could not take our food. Wed 7th About 70 of the third class passengers are sick today the doctor has been telling us. The sea is still very rough, and the vessel heaves and rocks about a good deal which made us feel very ill this morning. I thought I was going to be sick and unfit for breakfast but I took a walk for a short time on deck and the sickness went and I came down again and was ready for my breakfast, when the bell rung to announce that breakfast was ready. My wife is stil very unwell and has not been able to eat all day. We took our last look at old England today. We came in sight of Land End this afternoon and gave it a very affectionate farewell. We have two fierce bull dogs on board belonging to a young Jew and they got together today and tore each other fearfully. They had great difficulty in getting them seperated. Thurs 8th On rising from bed this morning I felt inclined to be sick and could scarcely stand on my feet. Many was worse than I and I went to bed again but I went on deck and was soon better and soon came down and got a hearty breakfast. Mary went on deck after breakfast and was soon better also. She sat down to dinner today for the first time in three days. We have sighted Scilly today. We have passed a small vessel so close as to be able to speak. The captain shouted as we passed Scilly 25 miles north east, Hydaspes, bound to Canterbury, report us when you arrive. The captain of the other vessel replied that he would. I have finished reading Mr Townends autobiography today. Fri 9th This morning as soon as breakfast was over Mr Watkins and I and several of the passengers got in an interesting conversation on different subject of ecclesiastical interest. Mr Watkins being a clergyman of the Church of England takes quite a churchmans view of these subjects. When I went on deck this morning the captain had just bespoke the vessel "Robert Henderson" bound for Otago, New Zealand. We have kept in sight of her all day but we are gradually losing her. You will wonder I dare say how they manage to speak to vessels at a distance. You must not imagine that we can speak to all as we spoke to that one yesterday. It is only a very small boat that can come so near to us as that. They speak by means of flags. A flag with certain colours represents such and such words or sentances and each captain carries a book with him to refer to see what certain colours mean. That is the way they speak to each other at sea. As soon as our captain saw this ship he put up a flag which meant, "What is the name of your ship" Then they replied "Robert Henderson" Then he asked what port they had come from and wither bound. Then he asked what day they had sailed. After they had answered us, then he asked us the same questions. It is very good indeed to be able thus to speak to one another. I have been today to have a little conversation with one of the passengers a Scotchman. I find he has attended a congragational Chapel at Roxbury. He appears to be very far gone in consumption and is taking the passage for the benefit of his health. His father in law and the whole family are going. A very nice family indeed of the name "Dimbas". We have got a fair wind now but not so much of it. My dear Mary and I have been very well today. Sat 10th This finishes our first week at sea; the principal subject of conversation at breakfast table this morning was how each one has slept during the night. Very few of us have slept at all, the vessel has rolled about fearfully and the passengers have had to pack themselves, the births with carpet bags, hat boxes, anything to hold to prevent rolling out. How would you like that? We amused ourselves by calling out to one another "Eh, its "Waukin"? and then there would be a good burst of laughter. We went on deck after breakfast and the Cpatain bespoke the Robert Henderson again saying, "you need be in too great anxiety about No 4". We could not tell what No 4 meant but it was evident the other captain thought he was vexed because he was getting so far behind. Our Captain likes to boast about passing other vessels but does not like one to pass him. Sun Jul 11th We no sooner turn out of our cabin this morning but we discover from the dress and general appearance of the passengers that this is Sunday. The service was conducted this morning by Mr Watkins. He preached a good but very short sermon from Corinthians 6,20. I conducted service in the afternoon and preached from Acts 9, 11. Both services were well attended and the behaviour on the whole was good. How solemn a thing it is to worship God on the wide ocean far away from land. The singing in the morning was not good. We had the piano and the people could not hear it and consequently could not follow which spoiled the singing. In the afternoon, the piano was dispensed with and the singing was much better. We have a strange mixture of religious opinions in our congregation. In the saloon alone out of about 20 passengers we have no less than 7 denominations represented namely, Wesleyans, Free Methodist, Baptists, Presbyterians, Church of England (both high church and low), Quakers, Roman Catholics and Jews, besides a few who are of no religion at all. The majority in the saloon belong to the Church of England. The Dr and his wife and Quakers have a thorough dislike of the Church of England service. The two Jews are brothers and are very wild young men, very fond of gambling and of dog fighting. One of them belongs to the two bulldogs I have mentioned. Everybody is wondering for what purpose he is taking them to New Zealand and some who have been there before say that they will get shot before they have been there a month, they seem to be so fond of destroying fowl that they are almost sure to get into mischief except they are kept tied up. Mon 12th This is a beautiful morning, we have a fair wind and we are going on at about 12 or 13 miles an hour. It is very fine to get in a morning and see our good ship going on at this rate. We should make a short passage of it if we could do so every day but that is more than we can expect. Tues 13th We are now off Lisbon. It has been a wet day and I have spent most of the day in the saloon and read a very pretty tale called "Basil the Schoolboy". It gives a description of schoolboy days but I think it is too highly coloured. We both keep very well, for which we are thankful. Wed 14th The wind has ceased and we are now making very slow progress indeed, in fact we are scarcely moving at all. There is very little wind and what little there is, is contrary. We have had some singing and playing down in the saloon tonight. Mr Roberts our purser can play the piano very well. Thur 15th It was announced by someone this afternoon that there was a vessel in sight homeward bound. It was said that it was short of provision and was coming to us for a supply. What a bustle there began, in a minute almost every passenger was instantly engaged in writing letters, but when the letters were mostly written then it was all declared a hoax. Then there was a general laugh. But I can assure you that I was deeply mortified. Just as we were finishing dinner about 6 o'clock a steamer was crossing our stern and it was announced to be the Indian Mail. The captain rose immediately and ran on deck and cried as he was going now for your letters, writing materials were again brought into requisition, and all were busy in adding a little more to what had already been written in hopes that we should be able to send them. But we were doomed to disappointment again for it was nothing but the captain's joke. We have been becalmed nearly all day. Fri 16th We have been becalmed all day again but the breeze is getting up tonight. We were much disturbed last night by a few young men who were playing cards and drinking which led to what it generally leads to, that is quarrelling and kepts us waken for some time. I was asked by one of the young women yesterday to go down in their compartment every morning and conduct morning worship for them. I went this morning for the first time and read them a chapter out of John Ploughmans talk, a chapter of scripture and prayed. They appeared to be very much interested. Many of them are members of Christian Churches; one was a member of Mr Spergeins? and she appears to be a very nice young lady, she intends to commence a shop in Christchurch in the millinery line. Sun 18th They call the emigrants together every three or four weeks to call their names over for some purpose or other. I don't think they have any need to be afraid of any of them leaving home. They don't go very far except in a downward direction, and I don't think any of them is desirous to go there. This was the morning for calling over their names and I could not go and conduct service for them on that account. Mr Watkins preached a good sermon this morning from Proverbs 1, 24-27. I went in the afternoon to the young women's compartment and held a bible class. I took the 2nd chapter in Exodus for a lesson and said a little on the providence of God as shown in the chapter. Then I preached in the evening from James 5-16. Both services were well attended. Tues 20th July A little excitement was created today on the deck by the announcement of a wreck. Something like a ships mast was seen above the waters what was evidently a part of a wreck. The man at the wheel said he saw the wreck distinctly. We of course know nothing any more of it. I have found out a primitive Methodist local preacher on board amoungst the steerage passengers. He is from Lisheard in Cornwall where I should have gone when I left South. He knew Mr Collinge and spkoe very highly of him. We had a little and very pleasant conversation together. Wed 21st A very interesting circumstance took place tonight which created a good deal of merriment. Three young men all saloon passengers went up the rigging, when they had got about half way up about three or four sailors ran up after them and caught them long before they got to the top, and held them to the ladder and would not let them go until they promised to pay their foolings. We are now in the tropics. But it is not so hot yet as we expected it to be as we get nearer the Equator the captain said he never knew it so cool before in the tropics. The nights are now beautiful, we can almost see to read by moonlight. It is so warm and nice that we are almost tempted to walk about the deck all night only that would not do for our health. Several of the young men I believe are sleeping on deck now. Sat 24th Nothing of interest has occurred for the last day or two. The wind has changed very suddenly tonight; it is now a head wind or a contrary one. But better this wind than none at all, it tempers the rays of the sun and makes it much cooler in this hot part of the world. A very pretty fish was caught today called the Bonita by one of the sailors. We had it for dinner and it was very beautiful. We bespoke the "Stormy Petrol" (Petral?) today, homeward bound from Rangoon, our captain requested the other to report us in London and he replied that he would with pleasure. We had an entertainment on the poop tonight, 4 sailors and one of the passengers represented the Christys ? minstrels. They sung very well but I did not enjoy their foolery. Sun 25th The wind is still foul but we are thankful for it from any quarter. We have done very little today, we have only gone about 44 miles the last 24 hours. Mr Watkins went through the Church of England service this morning but did not preach a sermon. After service all who were inclined went down in the saloon where Mr Watkins administered the sacrament, I was very glad to find that about ten were so disposed. It is the first time I attended communion in the Church of England. I cannot say that I like the formality of it and I did not like the idea of his going round with the bread and wine which were left, distributing them amoungst the communicants for fear any of the consecrated elements should be used for common purposes, as if to give some sickly person the consecrated wine would be a desecration of it. We could not have evening service because of the shortness of the day. It was dark soon after 6 o'clock and the emigrants have to go down as dusk. We sang a hymm and I read a Psalm and prayed and then announced that we should have the service next Sunday in the afternoon. Mon 26th We had a little wind this morning but it died away in the afternoon but toward evening it got up a little again. When we lived in Rochdale, we did not notice the change of the wind so much; we were not so dependent on it, but we can do nothing here without wind. We have had several ships in sight today, two of which we have bespoke. Wed 28th We are just rolling about on the water and no more have nothing but calms. We bespoke the "Okbar" this morning an American vessel, she asked our name, from what port, and wither bound. Soon after our captain had answered these questions, we went down to luncheon and just as we were rising from the table someone shouted that the Okbar was sending a messenger to us. We went on deck and found that side of the deck from which the messenger was coming was crowded with passengers from one end to the other watching the boat come. When the messenger arrived they asked for some medicine, their captain was poorly. Our captain then asked our doctor to go along with it and see him. He went and saw him and sent him the required medicine. Letter were now written and dispatched with the messengers. While all this interest was going on with the Okbar, one of the sailors caught a dolphin, a very fine fish. I did not forget this morning that our friends were met at Sunderland for the transaction of the business of the connexion. I pray that Gods presence and blessing may rest upon each member of the annual assembly and bring the assembly to a very peaceful issue and crown the labours of the coming year with a larger measure of success. Thurs July 29 At the breakfast table there was to me a very painful conversation about a circumstance that took place late last night. We have a young man on board who is studying for the ministry of the Church of England and going to New Zealand to seek ordination for he says he could not get ordained in England. He has evidently a screw or two loose somewhere in the upper story and consequently has become the butt of the party. Some of the passengers delight in tormenting him. And those who take a delight in this sort of thing have only to pretend to be his friend and act as if they were serious and they can get almost anything out of him. He will either discuss with them on religious subjects always taking the ritualistic side, or tell them all about his intentions in New Zealand when he is ordain, or sing then a song which he does with as much emphasis as if he were singing for a prize, or almost anyting else. THe other night there was a very heavy tropical shower and several of the passengers stripped and went on deck to get a bath and he amongst the rest, for he seems to delight in doing what anybody else does, some of the young men of the rougher kind threw him down on the deck and dragged him round, he screaming all the time most fearfully and calling for the Lord to have mercy upon him and save him. They then pretended to sympathize with him and begged him to wash and they would fetch him some soap and water. One fetched him some water and another a piece of gooses dung and the poor fellow set too and rubbed himself from head to foot with it, amidst the applause and laughter of the young men. This shameful act of course I did not witness. But I must now come to the scene of last night which as I say was the subject of conversation at the breakfast table this morning. Yesterday while we were watching the messenger come to us from the Okbar, Mr S. the intended minister, was standing on the side of the ship. Mr Tancred one of the saloon passengers jokingly pulled him down. This joke which of course I did not approve of, rather ruffled his temper and now for the first time since he came on board he retaliated. He doubled up his fist and struck Mr T. Mr T. then good humourdly patted him on the back, which caused him to repeat the blow, which was followed up by several more. Then Mr Watkins, Mr S's guardian stepped in between them and brought the scuffle toa termination much to the mortification of the bystanders. The affair was not to end here however. Mr T. during the day wrote a letter to Mr S. demanding an apology for the gross insult which had been given him at an early meeting. Mr S. looked upon this as a challenge to fight and accepted it at once. This was all a made up joke on the part of Mr T, and the other young men just to drag the young clergyman out and see what he would do. Some now took Mr S's side and some the other. The fight was tobe a dual but Mr T's pistol was to be loaded with red currant jam. The time was fixed and the arrangements made, but the cpatin though fond of a joke himself put a stop to it, no doubt wisely. Mr S is a very nervous man and the captain was afraid that it might have such an effect on his nerves that he might never get over it. To pacify Mr S, Mr T sent an apology. But Mr S who was now quite game would not accept of it. He would be satisfied with nothing but a fight, "My father stood shot," said he "and I'll stand it." Of course, no fight took place. It was all a joke, but a joke of too serious a kind. It has been the subject of a good deal of amusement ever since. We have witnessed quite a novel scene tonight. It appears the sailors get a months pay before the leave dock if they wish it, so that the first month of the voyage they are working for what they have already drawn which they call working the dead horse. At the end of the month, they have quite a jollification about it. They make the figure of a horse with stuffed canvas. They then fasten it on a number of planks and drag it round the deck which they call riding the dead horse. The one on the horses back was dressed like a jockey. Every now and then he would lash his horse and tell him to "gee up". They would stop certain places and let him drink, then one of them would make a short speech about him. Two or three go behind and lift up his heels, every now and then to make him kick while all the rest pull at a long rope in front. All the while as they are going round they sing a song about him, every verse of which ends with "poor old horse". When they have thus dragged him round the deck they wind him up to the end of the foremast mainyard and set fire to him and then cut him down and let him drop into the sea with three times three from the jolly "TARS". Soon after this affair, we were all driven from the deck by a very heavy tropical shower. Fri 30th We bespoke the "MOHICAN" this morning, homeward bound and this afternoon we bespoke the "MAORI" a vessel belonging to the same company as ours (SHAW AND SAVILLE). Come from Auckland. New Zealand and bound for London. She left Auckland on the 15th of March, so that she would have been more than 4 months on her passage already. The captain of the Maori asked ours when we left the trade winds. His reason for asking this was that he might have some idea when he would get them. We sighted several ships but did not speak to them. We have had several cock battles on board today. The captain asked Mr Stavely if he would like to see a cock fight when he said that he would very much, then several cocks were brought out of the coat and set on. You see we have cock fighting on board ship as well as on land. The vessel is tossing about a good deal today and there is a little more sickness. Mr Watkins has had another taste of it. We have both been very weß. Sun Aug 1st Sunday has come round once again. This is the fifth we have spent at sea. Mr Watkins has conducted service again and preached nom Proverbs 22-2, and I preached in the afternoon from Luke 15-10, the congregation was very attentive. Mon 2nd About 4 o'clock this morning and for about 2 or three hours after we had a race with another vessel. I am told that the scene was most interesting. We have left her far behind and tonight she is almost out of sight. We bespoke the "BROCKHAIN" this morning. They asked how many days we had been out to which our captain replied that we left on the 3rd of July. And when we asked the same question she replied 28 and our captain was at a loss to know whether he meant that they left on the 28th of June or that they had been 28 days out He thought he was not telling the truth and when he looked in his papers, he found that they had left days before us. Our captain is jealous of his honour and does not like the idea of any other ship sailing faster than his. We have been fishing for sharks several days, but have so far been unsuccessful. We have about 4 pounds of pork at the end of the fishhook but we cannot seem to tempt them with it. There has been one seen today by some of the passengers. The captain says the sea abounds in sharks just where we are. A whale was seen yesterday but at some distance. I would like very much to have seen it. A few of us commenced today to have morning prayers down in the saloon. I should like it much better if Mr Watkins who always does the praying part of it, could only put away his book and try to walk without his crutches and open his heart before God, as a child before its father, we sing a hym then I read a chapter and he reads a prayer. Thur Aug 5th I have told you that we have 68 female emigrants. We have had two shameful cases amoungst them today. One of them has been abusing the matron (a person appointed by the government to look after the emigrants); the other spat in the face of the constable. Both have been put in prison. They have made two narrow cells for them in one of the storerooms. The cells are only about 2 feet square so that they will not have much room to stir about. They have only one biscuit and a pint of water a day. They were found however to be too near together as they could talk to each other and help each other to sing. One of them has been taken out and put in a fresh place, where she will not be able to talk to anyone but herself. It is very painful to see such cases amoungst young women but when they occur especially on board ship severe measures have to be taken. Fri Aug 6th The two unfortunate girls of whom I wrote yesterday have been released today on expressing their sorrow for what they had don and promising not to offend them again. You see we are not allowed to do as we will here. Sat Aug 7th We CROSSED THE LINE AT 6 O'CLOCK THIS MORNING, we are now in the Southern Hemisphere. There has been a great desire on the part of some of the sailors, urged no doubt by some of the saloon passengers to service an old custom of shaving and extracting money from all those who have never crossed the line before. The shaving operation may be amusing to those who are mere lookers on. The operation is performed by sailors. The lather is made of treacle which they put all over their face with a large whitewash brush and which they scrap off again with a piece of rough iron so that the operation does not promise to be a very comfortable one. Some of our passengers gave the captain to understand that they would not submit to it and he put a stop to it much to the annoyance of some of the sailors. We did honour the Equator at dinner time by having equatorial pudding. This was much more acceptable than the shaving operation would have been. When we turned out of our cabin this morning the chief stewart told Mr Stavely that we had crossed the line and asked him if he did not feel the bump, to which poor Stavely replied very seriously that he thought he did. This created a great deal of fun. Sunday Aug 8th Mr Watkins preached this morning from Matt 25.6. I preached in the evening from Rev 3:20. It was very hard work to stand and preach, the ship has rolled about so fearfully. Monday Aug 9th Today while we sat at dinner a circumstance occurred which is now getting very common. A very heavy fish came dashing against the side of the ship which knocked her over a good deal, glasses, water decanters, plates all came tumbling on the floor. Legs of mutton, fowls and other things threaten to follow them and we had to take hold of them to keep them on the table, just fancy yourselves sitting down to dinner some day and just as you get nicely seated round the table the house gave a tremendous roll so that the plates and dishes go flying off the table on to the floor, and you have to lay hold of something to keep yourselves from going too. And then ask yourselves, how would you like it. I can assure you we don't like it but we shall have to put up with it till we get on land again. This sort of work always causes a good deal of merriment. Tuesday Aug 10 We have a strong breeze and a rough sea this morning, the squals set in about 1 O'Clock at midnight. One of our saloon boys was standing on deck this morning when a wave came dashing over the ship and knocked him flat on his back, but he was no worse only well drenched. Sunday Aug 15 There has been very little of any interest for a few days. We had the Christys minstrels again last night, but I did not go near them. I went to the fore end of the vessel and spent the time with a Mr Olivera primative Methodist local preached from Cornwall and our sail maker who is a member of the church of England and a very good man, with both of whom I have become very friendly. Mr Watkins preached this morning from 1 Peter 2.7 and I preached in the after- noon from Cronicles 28:9. The congragation was not good at either service. The setting of the sun tonight has been beautiful beyond all description. You never see such a sun set in England. Monday Aug 16th Twice every week we have desert after dinner, consisting of nuts, almonds, raisins, figs Etc. Some- times an Almond shell will contain two kernels. When a gentleman finds one of these he sends it (if so diposed) to a lady, she takes one and he has the other and the first that says "Filipeen" the next morning wins a prize. Last night the captain found one of these and sent it to Mary my wife, and this morning he came down into the saloon just before she came out of her cabin, and wnet and stood at the door of his own cabin till she came out and caught her, So she lost her Filipeen, She caught the captain a few morn- ings before this and he gave her a good sized bottle of lavender water, we gave him one of Mr Townend autobiographies. After dinner was over to day and while we were still sitting at table, Mr Irving and the captain got what we call the jackbone of a goose, taking hold of it one at one side and the other at the other and pullingtill they borke it and he who got the piece with the joint on had to bore a hole through the joint, and put it on his nose and thread it like a needle and every time he misses counts a year, and he has to remain so many years unmarried. Mr Irving got the joint and put it on his nose and thread it the forth time, so that according to this will have to remain single 4 years. You see we have a few little things to amuse us at sea. To be continued... [This diary is 81 pages long and will be uploaded in installments] Transcribed by Corey Woodward
Did you find this diary using a search engine? Click here --> New Zealand Yesteryears