The Diary: 1-15 August 1878

Another fine morning and going well considering the heat. Jeanie is no better - she can scarcely breathe. I went up to the cook and got him to make her some tea but it was very little she took. She is keeping up her spirits well considering the heat along with her trouble. I see we have got our schoolmaster fixed upon. There were 8 applicants and the children are all aglee about it. The hours are from 10 till 2 and from 2 till 4. I think it is the best thing on-board the ship.

I am on duty this morning from 12 PM till 4 AM and a very wet morning it is - you could not see the length of your finger before you, - it is pitch dark. The other man on watch with me and I had to put down the hatch for the first time since we came on board it was so stormy. There is a hatch at each end of the married mens compartment so you will see that the families at the foot of the hatches are in a fair puddle of water. We are more fortunate being in the second row of bunks. It is blowing half a gale and the rain is in torrents this afternoon. The women are all ordered below. Jeanie and Jessie have just returned from the first day at school on board the ship. They have got a fine book, a copy book, a slate and a patent ink bottle, pen and pencil. They are very proud about it all and it is a fine thing for passing the time away.

The sea is still running high and the wind is blowing stiff from the north-west, but it is a grand sight to see. We caught our first fish on board yesterday and it was made ready among all the sailors. We are having it very stormy this afternoon and it has been a torrent of rain all day. The sea is in its fury to-day - you may think what like it is when we have neither fire drill and not even our usual Saturday evening concert. It is blowing such a gale. I took Jeanie up to the forecastle to have a look of the sea, but it made her feel very funny so that I had to bring her very quick down. Then I had to take up Jessie and Jeanie, but they took it quite at home any place and they seemed very content.

It is still blowing a gale here - we have no church to-day as yet and it is going for 12 o/clock, but the ship is getting on well although we are pretty much confined down below and it is very close. The children are all gathered in a group under an old sail singing some of their favourites they use to sing in the old schools at home. We read some fine stories out of a book I got from Bill - the name of it is "Home Words" and I enjoyed it well.

This is a fearful hurricane - we are all down below - the women and children are not allowed above. The rain is still in torrents and the ship is dipping and rolling heavily and the waves are coming up over the ships side. I for one would have expected fine genial weather here seeing we are within one day sail of the equator, but the sailors all allow it is squally here. I have not been on deck since dinner time and we are passing our time playing the cards Bill and Bella had. I think they called it "Happy Families" and also "Blue Cap and Red Cap" - they enjoy it immense.

Splendid day, but very heavy sea running high. We are going all on one side the wind is so strong from the south east. There is no school today for the Master is unwell. The little ones are quite in love with that. I think it is the best thing that has happened on board the ship for they were just running wild and hurting themselves.

Went on watch this morning from 4 till 8 - fine morning but sea still running high with fine breeze from the north-east and going well. The young woman next bed to Jeanie, that is in the hospital, is a good deal better. Jeanie is still attending on her yet I am beginning to think the Doctor and her are falling in love with one another for he sends her a bottle of Porter every day at 12 noon and he wants her to become his assistant during the rest of the voyage - so she is likely to be busy enough.

This is one of the best days we have had yet. We just want 14 miles from crossing the line, so we expect to be over it by 3 o/clock today, so that will be 27 days all but 2 hours we have taken. They all seem to think that very speedy. It took the same ship 35 days the last time. It is such a lovely scene here that I don't think there is a painter could sketch it. The fish are jumping in scores here. We had a fine laugh to-day by one of our passengers putting a hair across the end of his telescope - the result was "Paddy" was dead sure he saw "The Line" in front of his boat. We had another splendid concert last night and we had a fine selection of Scotch songs - one of them was "Get up and bar the door" it took immense - "Robin Tamsons Smithy" and "You never miss the water 'till the well runs dry" and etc.

This is a busy day - we are all getting up our boxes and chests and fore by - we are all living like Lords compared with usual, with our cakes and sardines, red herring and cheese. We are all happy as Kings, except the sailors because its very hard work for them and the sweat was dripping off them like water. The man next in the mess with me and myself went round the married mens compartment for a subscription to treat them for their trouble. We got about 10/- among the married men and I gave it to one of the sailors who gave it to the mate 'till they arrive out in port. I have heard since that the young men followed likewise and the young women so it now amounts to something like £4.0.0. You have no idea how they thank us for it. They sent me down some of the finest shortbread you ever tasted for my trouble and I must confess I enjoyed it well with our tea at night. They gave us some fine fun at night - they made up a fine imitation of a horse, about as large as any pony, then they set it on the gun carriage with one of the seamen riding on it, then they dragged it along the whole ship, then they all gathered round where the Captain stands and they sing a song. You will no doubt ask the reason for all this - well it is the last day of the first months pay at sea and of course you are aware that a seaman gets a month in advance, so that this month is a "Dead Horse". So this is the "Dead Horse" they drag round the ship, then they finish up the drama by singing a song - "I have got no money and I don't know what to do" - then they throw the "Dead Horse" overboard. Of course is just a straight hint to the cabin passengers for a treat, so they all got a glass of grog - as it is they only get one glass every Saturday night on board this ship.

A fine morning with a strong breeze from the south east - we are getting along very well. Little Jeanie was sitting on the deck playing, when on came a large wave and fairly wet her to the skin, so much so that I had to take her down to be changed. I wish you had seen her after it - she was so white and pale, but she was none the worse for it. We had a fine raffle this afternoon of a silver watch. I went into it, but had no chance. We had our usual concert tonight - there was a fine trio by three Negroes composed of seamen - it took well. After it was over I went on watch from 8 'till 12. It was not so bad for I had Jeanie for company 'till I was relieved. I managed to get her forward to the forecastle of the ship when all were asleep and she was not just so much afraid as I have seen her - then we went to sleep under a lovely starry night.

This is another very fine day. We had a church service today. They have got a fine choir now and it gives a fine effect to the singing but for all that I prefer going into the small circle for reading verse about and singing the fine old Psalms of David. Things are very quiet here on deck - they are all busy below making pies and puddings. Of course this is the married peoples day for firing and they mostly take advantage of it, but for all that they have got to appear at roll call on deck.

Squally today with a heavy sea running. There are any amount of fresh fish flying about and there was another large whale seen off the lee side of the ship. The sailors don't like to see them as it is a sign of rough weather. Jessie has a little mishap today but it was my fault. I went for my supply of pork as I am "Captain of the Mess" this week so I met her at the top of the hatch stair so I asked her to take it down. I had no sooner said the word than a wave sent the ship back and away she went right to the bottom, but I am glad to say she was none the worse for it, not doubting that it might have been a great deal worse.

Got up at 6 o/clock and went and got supplies for the day. While at breakfast I heard there was an eclipse of the moon last night and I was very sorry I did not see it. Jeanie was that much afraid of the rocking of the ship and the large seas that were coming on up last night. Some of them were as large as any two storey house - you would have thought she would have shipped some of them every moment. So Jeanie would be down to bed and I went with her to keep her company. But it is very calm today with a bright sun shining down. While I write there is a Barque crossing our bows for South America.

Got up at 1/2 past 5 with a splendid morning with the ship going fine. We are going at the rate of 14 miles an hour. There was another deputation by the young men to the Captain and the Doctor about someone stealing their raisins, flour and drinking tins. They blamed it on the man I have told you of before who was going to be put in irons, but he denied it. But it seems they had set a watch on him and had caught him in the act. The Captain was very angry with him and told him that if he heard any more complaints again he would be forced to put him in irons. He is a proper scoundrel.

I went to bed soon last night but could not sleep for the rolling of the ship - man it was something fearful. I got up thinking it would be about 4 o/clock but when I went on deck it was just eleven o/clock at night, so I just took a walk around the ship then went down to bed again. The tin cans were rolling in all directions. We saw one of the finest sights today - probably never see the like again. We have often heard the cry of a whale since we came on board, but it all turned out moon-shine. But there was no moon-shine about him today. Just about 15 yards off the Poop you could see him to his full. I am perfectly sure he would be between 40 and 50 feet long and oh such a monster as he came up blowing. I am sure there were 6 or 7 of them. It was not 1/2 an hour after that until we had a proper storm, you would not have seen anyone on board.