The Diary: 1-15 September 1878

I am off duty this week again and it is as well for I can tell you I have plenty to do for when I get Jessie and Jeanie and myself washed and dressed and the beds made, look after the food etc, I find I have not a great deal of time to spare - anyhow it helps to pass away the time. Our ship is going very moderate and the sea is beginning to get rough again - it seems that is the way of it here. We are in the Indian Ocean making straight for New Zealand between two bad currents.

We never closed our eyes all night so great was the storm. It was just about 1/2 past nine last night when the ship was struck by something that made it quiver all over. You may guess it was very bad when it brought all the seamen out of their bunks - they thought it was going right down. It was so dark they could not make out what it was, but they thought it was some old spar off an old wreck. We were just getting the better of that when the ship gave a lurch on her side and brought down a fearful amount of water. You may guess it was bad enough when my top coat and Jeanies Ulster were floating about in it and I can assure you it was no joke going about with a lamp in your hand and ankle deep in the water between 12 and 1 in the morning drying it up. The waves lifted the sheep pen and dog house clean away. The Doctor says this is a very bad place. We were very thankful when we saw the light of morning. Bad and all as it is all hands were on board, Captain and all.

It is still very rough with a heavy sea running and a strong head wind blowing so that we are making very little progress - we are still kept much below on account of that - it is getting very wearisome indeed for everything seems dull and cold, as well as the weather. Jeanie is getting her time put in well - the Doctor has given her full charge of the hospital so that she comes on well on account of that and helps us well.

I went on watch last night from 8 'till 12 - this is the best watch of the lot - it is not so lonesome as the middle watch. The sea is still as rough but the wind is not near half so bad, but we are still doing little or nothing so that we are likely to be tossed about here for a few days. You would be surprised to see some of the seas that she ships, they are tremendous. They are better on the bow of the ship for when they strike the middle of the ship they make everything tremble and shake most awful. There is one comfort - it is fine and dry although bitterly cold. You can't keep yourself warm let you do what you like. Everything has a very damp feel.

This is a beautiful morning, just like spring with a nice level sea running. All is as happy as a bee and we think all the more of it after coming through such a storm. In fact we have much to be thankful for to the Lord for all his goodness for He will bless us even our own God. I have to inform you of another birth last night about 8 o/clock. A little girl it is - just the one putting the other out of the hospital here. You may guess Jeanie has plenty to do now but she takes to it very well. There is one good thing and that is she gets cabin food and we come in for a good thing now and then. The Doctor is very kind to her - he has given her several things for Jessie and Jeanie. There are not a few very jealous about it here but we just fill their eyes and give them more. The Doctor has given me a splendid recommendation to a shipyard in Wellington so that if I need it at any time I can use it. He says they keep a few brassfinishers, so I thanked him very much for his kindness.

Got up at four this morning - I could not sleep I was that cold. Went up to the engineers room and had a seat before a rousing fire and got coffee and cake. Our ship is going very well today with an east wind blowing and an nice sea running which makes us all the more cheerful knowing that we are getting along fine. I have just heard that the choir that leads our singing on Sundays are learning the Oratorio of Joseph - so that we expect a treat soon.

I did not get up 'till after breakfast time so that I made up for yesterday - then the men had to go and scrub out the under beds then wash them with Irish lime so as to keep down any smell and kill any of the wild beasts that may be floating here and there. There are some very dirty sort of people here - in fact you have no idea.

I am Captain of the Mess again this week so that I am up rather earlier than usual. Our ship is rolling something fearful the whole day without stopping - you can't sleep, for it is so bad. There is neither roll call nor church it is so bad. With the rolling of the ship and no church it makes a wearisome Sabbath day - in fact it makes me think even more of the days I spent in Muslin St than ever I did before. I don't feel at home at all here on the Sabbath day - it is so much different from what I am used to. It is the busiest day of the week here with nothing but baking and eating and singing "Ye Banks and Braes of Bonnie Doon" and such like as that. But I got a little refreshed by reading one of Spurgeons sermons - the text of it was "Hope in Hopeless Cases" - I can assure you I enjoyed it well.

We are still rolling away yet the ship is doing very little, the wind is so changeable and the sail is all taken in - they are looking for a storm since yesterday. There is one of the cooks assistants took a severe vomiting of blood on Saturday. He is lying in the forecastle in a slung hammock and I and Jeanie were forward today and saw him. He is a fine looking fellow and we felt very much for him, but we hope he will soon be better.

We were caught in the storm last night - the sea was like great mountains and the wind blowing fearful, but we are getting along well. We have had two or three showers of hail and some large seas came over our ship. I was standing looking over the side of the ship and there came a sea that sent me right back and drenched me from head to foot - but I was none the worse of it. The young man I told you about yesterday is rather worse today.

It is still rageing a storm here - the seas are something tremendous, but it is well worth the sight so long as no one is hurt. You have always to be ready to jump on to some high thing or you would be swept off the deck with the water it is such a body of it. I got a little job for the Doctor to repair the hinges of a room door - I got it done so he sent for me in the afternoon and treated me very kindly. I got some meal from the third mate so I went and made a Scotch Haggis for tea at night and we enjoyed it well. It just put us in mind of home.

I got up this morning at 1/2 past five - our ship just standing still without a breeze of wind - it was such a difference from the night before, but for all that I see they are getting ready for another storm so I am beginning to think it will be like this 'till we get there and landed, as far as we can judge anyhow. Jeanie is that busy that I can't get a talk with her. The little babies are all doing well - it is a fine thing to be a nursing mother here for they get a bottle of stout every day and chicken broth when they are badly.

A lovely day but a great deal of wind and heavy sea coming over the ship - but it is well worth the sight as long as no one is hurt, for it is at sea you can see the works of the Almighty. In fact it is something grand and wonderful to think upon. When I was up for water this morning the man before me was swept right off his feet - can of water and all - so that he lost his allowance. I escaped with a good drenching. The most of the seas just break over our hatch, so that we come in for a fair share of heavy seas. We are just getting by a group of islands they call them "The Seven Sisters". Our ship is going right across the face of Australia so that we expect to be landed in ten days or so.

We had a good shower of hailstones over our decks today - they were quite white and had a real wintry look about them. I was on watch this morning from 4 'till 8 and I can assure you it is something great to see the moon set and the sun rise at the same time. There is something in it that tells you to remember the work of the Lord. Our ship is still taking some heavy seas but we are going well with a good wind blowing. The people here are hard getting their invitation cards ready so as to know where to visit them in New Zealand, so I take it for granted we are very near land. There was one of the young apprentices caught playing cards, and for a punishment the mate sent him to the top of the mizzen mast 'till he would call for him. He was up there for 3 hours and when he came down he was the same as he had been at the fireside sitting. There is neither concert nor fire drill - the weather is rather wintry for us.

We rolled most awful last night and also today - you can't get taking your food in peace without getting pitched next to your neighbour. Just fancy you were in a cradle getting rocked from side to side and your tea rolls off the table and perhaps lose the half of it. Jeanie is away to what they call McCormick St at a little tea party. You must bear in mind that we all live in streets the same as at home. The street I live in they call Thomsons Street - they are all called after the man in the first bunk.