2. Bound for Australia!

We are very fortunate to have a typewritten copy of a diary of the voyage out to Australia by another "Falcon" passenger by the name of Andrew McDonell.  It is quite lengthy, being nineteen pages in all, but it is a rare first hand glimpse into the day to day life during the voyage of Thomas and Leonard as well, as they become "mess mates" with Andrew.  I'm sure you'll enjoy reading it as much as I have.  I've included a lot of illustrations which aren't in the original diary of course, to help break it up a little.  Although I've had to re-type the transcription of the diary, I've kept the spelling and grammar as it was originally transcribed to keep it authentic.

Liverpool Docks c.1850s

DIARY OF A VOYAGE FROM ENGLAND TO AUSTRALIA 

BY ANDREW MC. DONELL.

TEMPLE SOWERBY

WESTMORELAND. 

LEFT LIVERPOOL 1853.

ARRIVED IN MELBOURNE, AUGUST 18th. 

                                                  

THE SHIP FALCON.

     Sunday, 22^nd of May, weather being fine, left the Salthouse dock at 7 O.C. am cleared the Canning Basin at 10, and anchored in the river opposite the landing stage at 11 O’clock.  At 3, in the afternoon the Revd. James Buck, Minister of the Mariners Church, preached a very appropriate sermon on board, which was listened to very attentively by both passengers and crew.  The passengers are all well dressed and appear to be a very respectable class of people, in fact if all be true that I have read respecting life in Australia, many of them in my opinion are rather too respectable, or I might perhaps more appropriately say, too swellish or dandified for consoling themselves very easily to the hardships and privations of Australian life as represented by many of those who have experienced it.   

The Embarkation, Waterloo Dock, Liverpool - courtesy Museum of Victoria

     There are a great many of this class of young men in the second cabin, the majority of which I think is Irish.  There are also two German families on board, and a great many Scotch.  One Scotch family numbers twelve, father and mother and ten children, some of them grown up to young women, the youngest quite an infant, amongst them are several little boys, healthy looking little fellows who are scampering about the deck, apparently as happy as if they were enjoying some particular treat.

 Salthouse Dock, Liverpool, as it appears today, is where the ship Falcon departed

from, before anchoring in the Mersey River, prior to sailing for Australia

a few days later.  Photo courtesy Pennine Waterways.

MONDAY, MAY 23^rd

     Soon after 10 O’clock, this morning, a steamboat in attendance on the Falcon, left the old Seacombe slip, with the remainder of the passengers amid the cheering of many of the intending emigrants themselves, assisted by many dear friends, whom they had parted with on the pier, and others whom curiosity had drawn to the place, on nearing our good ship (Falcon), many began to exercise their vocal abilities, by singing that beautiful song, Cheer Boys Cheer, and nearly all on board both the steam boat and the ship joined in the chorus. 

CHEER, BOYS, CHEER.

Cheer, boys, cheer, no more of idle sorrow.

Courage, true hearts shall bear us on our way,

Hope points before, and shows a bright to-morrow.

Let us forget the darkness of to-day.

Then farewell, England, much as we may love thee,

We'll dry the tears that we have shed before;

We'll not weep to sail in search of fortune.

Then farewell, England, farewell evermore.

Chorus.

Then cheer, boys, cheer for England, mother England:

Cheer, boys, cheer, for the willing strong right hand;

Cheer, boys, cheer, there's wealth for honest labour.

Cheer, boys, cheer for the new and happy land.

Cheer, boys, cheer, the steady breeze is blowing.

To float us freely o'er the ocean's breast.

And the world shall follow in the track we're going;

The star of empire glitters in the West,

We've had a toil, and little to reward it,

But there shall plenty smile upon our pain.

And ours shall be the prairie and the forest.

And boundless meadows ripe with golden grain.

Chorus.

Then cheer, boys, cheer for England, mother England,

Cheer, boys, cheer, united heart and hand;

Cheer, boys, cheer, there's wealth for honest labour.

Cheer, boys, cheer for the new and happy land.

There might certainly be seen a few who what with parting with their dearest friends, (probably for ever), and the thoughts of leaving old England, could not keep up their spirits, but allowed their feelings to overcome them for the moment.  This however was but of short duration, they soon rallied and in the afternoon all appeared in good spirits.  There are several musicians on board, including fiddlers, flute players, accordion players, whose services no doubt, will be very acceptable in assisting to beguile away many weary hours, ere we reach our destination.

The illustration below might be in relation to an Irish Emigrant ship, but it helps us to visualise what the departure would have looked like for any Emigrant ship.

TUESDAY, MAY 24^th

     Arose about five O’clock this morning, and found the sailors all very busy heaving anchor and preparing for starting on our long wished for voyage, the pilot was already on board, and the steam tug alongside ready to tow us out.  About seven O’clock all being ready away we glided down the river and soon lost sight of the good old town of Liverpool, and its immense docks with their forests of masts.

Salthouse Dock, Liverpool.  Courtesy Liverpool Central Library.

     About ten o’clock a.m., the steam tug left us taking back with them the pilot and many other parties who had gone out with us, relations and friends of the passengers and crew who had deferred their parting to the very last.  On parting, we intended to have a good cheer, but it came off a very poor affair.  Many hearts appeared too full for cheering and rejoicing.  It is a beautiful day, and the wind very favourable, nearly all of us (passengers), have been sitting and laying on deck all day.  In the evening we had music and dancing accompanied with some songs.  Retired to bed about ten.

WEDNESDAY, MAY 25^th

Weather very fine, and wind favourable, about eight o’clock when just finishing breakfast in our mess room or sleeping room, which ever we call it, (Third cabin), we were alarmed by a sudden cry from the lower deck, as if something serious had or was about to occur.  My first impression was that some person had fallen overboard, and on running to the place, I saw such a sight as my eyes never before gazed upon and I hope will never do again.  

 A man had cut his own throat, and was lying bleeding on the deck.  He had made two large gashes in his neck, one right in front, that had touched the wind pipe, and the other and more dangerous one was not far from the ear near the juggler(sic). 

 The doctor was presently on the spot and did all that could be done to save his life, but from the first, it was evident to all, there was no chance for him.  He lingered on in great pain and misery until eleven o’clock p.m., when he died.  We, (the passengers) were all gone to bed before he died, and ere we arose at five o’clock in the morning, he was thrown overboard according to custom.   He was a middle aged man and had engaged to work his passage out to Melbourne in our ship, probably not being able to pay his passage, although a very few years ago he was a rich man, worth many thousand pounds.  He had however by extravagance and dissipation managed to squander it away and was consequently reduced to the undesirable position in which we find him on board the Falcon.   

He was stationed in the galley to assist the cooks, (black ones of course), and there is no doubt but he was ordered and driven about by them functionaries in a manner that would have been anything but agreeable, even to those who had been accustomed to the humblest and most laborious occupation.  We may easily conceive then, what must have been his feelings when placed in such a position so different from what he had always been accustomed to.  The Captain and Doctor paid every attention to him, scarcely ever leaving him.   

There was also a Mr. Ray, a Methodist Minister on board, who was very attentive in administering to his spiritual wants.  In answer to question from the Captain as to his reason for doing such a dreadful thing, he said that the black people, meaning the cooks, had threatened to throw him overboard for not doing some work that they required him to do, that was all the reason that he alleged for it.  All parties on board appeared much affected by the occurrence, and a general gloom was cast upon the whole for the day.   

Burial at Sea - courtesy of Museum of Victoria.

Saw several ships during the day, but did not get near enough to speak to them.  A great deal more order and regularity prevailed on board today, then we had the two previous ones on account of us being divided into messes of twelve each, which prevented a deal of the confusion that we had before.  Each mess had to appoint what is termed a head messman, whose business is to receive from the Purser of the ship the allowance of provisions for his mess, and then divide it equally amongst them unless otherwise agreed upon among themselves.  T. and L. Greenbank, W. Pearson and myself had determined beforehand to mess together, before we were aware of the regulations on board an emigrant ship, and after we became aware that we should be obliged to form ourselves into lots of twelve each, we were anxious to join with men with whom we could mess together comfortably, and I am happy to say we succeeded beyond our expectations.   

Some of them are certainly strangers to me, but are the companions of others, with whom I have been acquainted many years.  One is a man named John Proud, who lived many years with John Bowstead, of Beck Bank, his cousin, George Proud, and a friend of theirs named Walter Ogles.  These three are Northumbrians, another is a young man named John Garnett, from Kirkuswald, a Tailor by Trade, a young man with whom I have been acquainted a long time, and a cousin of his named James Garnett.  The other three viz. Charles Lee James, Carroll and George Meddins were unknown to me before we met on our ship, but they are like the others, very respectable and as far as I have yet seen very agreeable young men.  I have been appointed messman for the first week, and have accordingly entered on my office.  We have all of us agreed to eat together like one family, as the best and most expeditious way.  I have not felt very well today having a diziness in my head, which I fear is the commencement of the seasickness.  I hope however to shake it off before morning.  Many of the passengers have been laying about the deck all day very sick.

Emigrants on board ship.

THURSDAY, MAY, 26^th

     Rose at six, and found that instead of my dizziness being left me as I expected, it had grown worse.  I could scarcely walk, but still I did not feel sick, but many of the people on board seemed exactly in the same way.  Men and women all alike staggering backward and forward on the ship, just like to many drunken folks, some staggering others laying rooling about all over the deck.  It brought to my mind twelve o’clock on a Saturday night in Scotland Road and Bevington Bush, when the Public houses closed and turned out the ruffs.  In the evening, I was so very bad with the dizziness and sickness, together, I was obliged to appoint a deputy messman in our room, being quite unable to look after our provisions.  The wind still very favourable and our ship going at a good speed.

FRIDAY, MAY, 27th

     Arose about seven, still very sick, the sickness was now pretty general and about at the worst amongst all hands, one man in our mess was very bad he ate nothing for nearly four days.  There was also some women in our cabin who suffered very severely, and there was a good many who escaped it altogether.  My three companions, Thomas and Leonard Greenbank, and William Pearsons has escaped it altogether so far.  With the exception of the sickness, we are all very comfortable and agreeable.  One of our messmates (J. Garnett), is a first rate cook.  He made us an excellent preserved berry and raisin dumpling for dinner today, which we all enjoyed very much, in fact it was nearly the first of anything I had eaten since I had been sick, (two or three days).   

     We have Salt Beef, Pork and preserved meat alternately to dinner each day.  The beef is very salty and not liked buy any of us, for my part I consider it scarcely eatable.  The pork is very good, but the preserved meat is the favourite dinner.  It is packed in tin cannisters containing six or seven pounds each so that one of them just serves a mess of twelve.  Tonight, I felt much better and able again to resume my duties as messman.  The wind blowing very favourable from the north west, our ship going near ten knots an hour, we passed a ship a short distance to the lea side of her, that we have seen a long way ahead of us in the morning.  Music and dancing was resumed again this evening, the passengers all nearly being recovered from the sickness and consequently in better spirits.

This illustration gives us a good idea of what the conditions in the mess rooms 

on board an emigrant would would be like.   Courtesy - Museum of Victoria.

 

SATURDAY, 28^th MAY

     Arose this morning soon after five in good health, having got quite clear of the sickness.  It is necessary that the messman of every mess should rise by five of five and a half, to take the breakfast water to the galley to get boiled and be ready to receive the daily allowance of water for his mess, thirty six quarts.  That is three quarts to a man which is delivered at six o’clock every morning.  After that I was busy looking after such of our provisions as are given out daily, such as biscuits and some other things.  About noon we met and came close to a Norwegian schooner.  She was from Shields, bound for Lisbon and had been ten days at sea.

      

     All indications of seasickness appeared to be now fast vanishing away, as might easily be known by the changed countenances and the mirth of all on board.  Sometime this afternoon a note was posted up on the masts of the ship that there would be a religious service on board at eleven o’clock the next (Sunday) morning, and inviting all to attend and all provisions for tomorrow (Sunday), were given out tonight.  The weather still beautiful and the wind favourable, retired to bed as usual between nine and ten.  My companions and I had slept the three first nights with our feet to the side of the ship, and our heads inwards, but last night we were obliged to change ends and sleep with our heads to the side in consequence of the side wind blowing the ship so much over on one side.

SUNDAY, MAY, 29th

     Arose as usual between five and six, the morning very fine and the wind as right as ever.  All much quieter than usual on account of the provisions being given out the night before.  Some of the passengers cleaned and dressed themselves as they would have done on shore, but the majority did not change their clothes.  I was one of the latter class, thinking my every day clothes quite good enough to have on while sitting and laying bout the deck.  At eleven, Mr. Ray the Methodist Minister whom I alluded to before, made his appearance on the Poop or after deck of the ship, and soon all or nearly all of both passengers and crew were around him. 

     The service commenced by singing a hymn, he then made a very nice and appropriate prayer, and after that he preached, (in my opinion), a beautiful and most impressive sermon from the seventeenth verse of the fourth Chapter of the first Epistle General of Peter, which was listened to with the greatest attention by all, the Captain among the rest.  Mr. Ray is a Scotchman, a very nice sort of man, and I believe has been employed in some part of Scotland for many years as home Missionary.  His very impressive address appeared to have a good effect on all, as might be seen from the quietness and order that prevailed during the afternoon.

MONDAY, MAY, 30th

     This morning being the beginning of another week, I gave up my office as messman and another, T. Greenbank, was chosen in my place for the week.  We have also determined, upon appointing two other two to wash the dishes for the week, as we think it will be better for two to take it one week about than for one to was them one time and another the next and so on, because some would be thinking he did more than his share, and for everyone to wash his own it would cause so much confusion.   

Some Emigrant ships such as the one pictured above took mainly women, which would have been a far safer option for many, as, whilst Andrew’s diary mentions no misconduct between the sexes, this was not the case on many ships where “shocking scenes of indecency and depravity occurred” and prostitution was rife.  Lack of hygiene was an issue and diseases such as typhus, diphtheria and measles caused many deaths.  After investigating some of the ships on their arrival in Sydney in the late 1840s, the Immigration Board reported "gross abuses, infamous conduct and disgusting immorality, most of it by the mates, crew and officers."

     Just fancy, twelve of us one after another, surrounding a small dish or tap with about a quart or three pints of water in with each a plate, knife and fork and sometimes a spoon.  I guess and calculate as the Yanky says, we whould be quarrelling which of us had the most right to washes the dishes that has held the beef and peas, pudding or whatever else we might chance to have.  The weather very pleasant, wind favourable and all seems in good spirits, the sickness having quite disappeared.  We have seen today large quantities of fish (porpoises), they go in great numbers together and appear to take delight in swimming about the ship.  Some of the passengers have harpoons and have been trying to catch some today but without success.

TUESDAY, MAY, 31st

     All appears in good spirits and in expectation of us making a very quick voyage in consequence of us having had such favourable winds so far, and having gained confidence in the sailing qualities of our ship by passing several ships that we have seen going in our direction.  We have got sight of another this afternoon, a very long way ahead, but apparently going in the same direction as us, we expect it is the (Lochiel), (an Australian emigrant ship), that left the Mersey the day before us.

The clipper Falcon, commanded by Thomas Taylor, on which Thomas

and Leonard sailed to Australia. 

WEDNESDAY, JUNE, 1st

     The ship that we got sight of yesterday still a long way ahead, but still it was evident we had gained a long way of her during the night, and we fully expected passing her before night and in that we were not deceived, for we passed her between seven and eight o’clock in the evening but we were disappointed as it was not the Lochiel., but a ship named (Winnifred) from Liverpool Callew.  We had determined if she had been the Lochiel to have cheered on passing her.  It is currently talked here among the passengers that the Captain of our ship (th Falcon), and the Captain of the Lochiel has a wager laid of twenty pound which is first to Melbourne but for the truth of it I cannot vouch.  This afternoon we got a sight of land (The Island of Madeira), the first one we have seen since we left England.  It is still a long way ahead of us.

THURSDAY, JUNE, 2nd

     I was awakened this morning about four o’clock by a great noise on deck and soon felt by the heaving of the ship that the wind was blowing very strong, in fact it was what I would call a storm, but the sailors only called it a stiff breeze.  The stewards, cooks and all hands belong the ship was called out to assist the sailors to take in sail and a nice noise they made.  No more sleep to be got for us this morning, I assure you.  When I got up between five and six the wind was blowing tremendously hard, and the rain was falling in torrents.  The ship was heaving and laying so much on one side that one could scarcely stand without having hold of something.   

     When we went to bed last night, the wind was very light and the ship going so very easy and level we determined to adopt again our favourite way of laying in bed, that is with our heads towards and our feet to the side of the ship.  We think it more airy and consequently more healthy than the other way, but we had been obliged to lay the other way ever since the third night after leaving the Mersey on account of the ship laying so much over on the lea side, so we accordingly went to bed our favourite way.  You may easily judge how we were situated in the morning when the ships decks were something similar to the roof of a house and ourselves of course in the same way.  Our feet was to speak within bounds about twelve or fifteen inches higher than our heads, a not very enviable position to lay in I assure you.  Many of the people in our cabin that were laying the same way, got up before morning and changed the pillow to the other end of the bed and got in with the head to where the feet had been.  For myself I did not waken until after four o’clock, and I intending to rise at five did not think it worthwhile to make any alterations for so short a time.  

     The rain continued to pour down in torrents till about eleven O.C.A.M. when the clouds cleared away and we had a beautiful afternoon although the wind was still blowing very strongly.  This was the first unfavourable wind we had experienced since leaving Liverpool, it had blown strongly right ahead of us all night and we did not appear to be any nearer to the island of Madeira this morning that we were last night.  Sometime during the forenoon however, the wind changed to the Nor West, a very favourable aid for us so that we went ahead rapidly passing to the west of Maderia and soon leaving it out of sight.  Today again in consequence of the strong wind and the heaving of the ship, many on board (the Falcon), experience a second attack of seasickness which many others who had escaped before were not so fortunate this time.  I myself had a slight attack again but near so bad as I was before.

FRIDAY, JUNE, 3rd

     Arose as usual this morning, the wind blowing briskly and driving us ahead at a good pace.  Many of us (passengers) exercise ourselves every morning at six by assisting the sailors to pump the water for washing the decks.  In fact there is one of the sailors (a Greek I believe he is), if some of us are not up ready to help them he comes down where we are sleeping and makes such a noise with bawling and shouting that it is impossible for us to sleep.  The sickness appears to be gradually disappearing again, but still the absence of the mirth and dancing in the evening leads one to conclude that many are not so very well yet.

The red lines show the favoured routes to Australia for clipper ships in the 1850s.

Both lines show departures from Plymouth, England though, not Liverpool. 

 

SATURDAY, JUNE 4th

     On rising this morning we were favoured with another sight of land, (one of the Canary Islands), Palma I believe, but there is some difficulty in getting to know where we are exactly.  If you were to ask five or six different persons on our ship or any other passenger ship the question in what latitude that are or what place or country they are near, their answers are all nearly sure to vary two or three hundred miles each, and still they will tell you positively that these statements are correct, that some of the mates or the Captains told either themselves or some of their friends confidentially.

Courtesy of Museum of Victoria.

 

     My own opinion is that the whole crew from the Captain downwards are so annoyed by inquiries of all kinds that they just say anything to get rid of them.  I did one morning myself ask the Second Mate what latitude we were in.  He asked me if I knew the regulations on board a ship.  I of course said I did not, and he told me they were not allowed to tell any of the passengers such things and that they were liable to be fined a month’s wages for so doing if found out.

SUNDAY, JUNE, 5th

     A very fine morning and a strong favourable breeze which carried us along beautifully.  All on board the ship quieter than usual this morning on account of the provisions being served out last night for today.  Our minister that preached last Sunday was ill today and consequently did not officiate but we had prayers read by the Doctor.  The Roman Catholics also mustered on the forecastle of the ship at the same time (11 O.C.), and had some sort of service, but as I did not hear it I am unable to say of what it consisted.  The latter part of the day passed off very quietly.

MONDAY, JUNE, 6th

     The weather and the wind very favourable.  We can feel it growing every day warmer as we approach nearer the equator.  We have got several shoemakers and tailors on board working every day.

TUESDAY, JUNE, 7th

     The weather still beautiful.  All hands on board appear quite comfortable and happy.  We have many different sorts of games going on every day for amusement, and pastime including cards, dominoes and many others.  There are also many women who appear to pass their time away much the same as on shore by sewing and knitting, and not a few of both sexes who are generally to be seen with hooks in their hands.  I myself derive a good share of enjoyment, (to say nothing of the instruction), from the books I have with me.  We have all kinds of music, singing and dancing going on this evening, and indeed nearly every evening between sunset and bedtime.

 Courtesy of Museum of Victoria.

WEDNESDAY, JUNE, 8^TH TO SATURDAY, JUNE, 11^th

     The wind as usual very favourable and our ship going at a rattling speed.  During the last two or three days we have seen large quantities of flying fish.  They rise out of the water and fly perhaps two or three hundred yards, then disappear again in the water.  They are very small, some what about the size of and not so unlike a swallow when they are flying.  We have also seen many Dolphin and other kinds of large fish.  Some of the passengers and the sailors as well have made many attempts to catch the porpoises and the Dolphins with harpoons and lines, but none yet have been successful.  Today, (Saturday), we have seen three ships but was only near enough to speak to one of them, a barque from Australia for London.  We expected when seeing she was coming so near to us we should have an opportunity of sending letters home to England by her and many of our passengers might be seen scribbling a few lines in a great hurry.  We were however all disappointed, the ships only just speaking each other as they passed.  In the evening all on board appeared in good spirits and seemed to enjoy the music and singing, little suspecting what was to befall us before morning.  

     About ten o’clock the decks were nearly cleared, al being either gone to bed or preparing for so doing.  I myself left the deck or the purpose of going to bed and was busy undressing myself when I heard one of the sailors cry out to the second mate, (whose watch it was) there was a sail on the lea bow.  I, without expecting the least danger dressed myself again with the intention of going on deck and see her pass.  On getting there however, I was soon painfully convinced by the manifest anxiety of the sailors and confused manner of such of the passengers as were on deck, that there was a great possibility of a collision.  The ships were then about three or four ships lengths from each other.  There was not much time for thinking of the awful position we were in, every moment brought them nearer together, and it soon became evident our worst fears were to be realised.   

     From my first going on deck, I had heard the second mate giving orders to the man at the helm how to steer the ship, but whether these orders were right or wrong, or whether they were attended to at all or not I cannot say.  This far however I can say that they were attended with no good result.  The vessels came nearer and nearer until crash they went together.  The bow of one ship striking her the other (amid ships), just before the main mast.  The scene that now presented itself is nearly impossible to describe.  Men and women were running about the decks like wild people not a few of them half naked.  The crew of the Luleika (that being the name of the other ship), got on board our ship as soon as possible, thinking their own vessel was nearly knocked to pieces by the tremendous crash she had received.  One of them however a young lad sixteen years of age was unfortunately drowned in the attempt.  He fell down between the vessels and was no more seen.  The rest including the Captain and mates all got safely on board the Falcon.  The vessels were still knocking and rubbing against each other the rigging and ropes having got entangled together and all hands belonging our ship were exerting themselves to the utmost in cutting the ropes and making the necessary alterations in the sails for getting our ship clear of our unwelcome companion.   

     Our Captain had not left the deck many minutes and was sitting in his cabin when he was called out to witness, being too late to prevent the unfortunate occurrence.  He however did I believe all that could be done after the collision had taken place for the safety of the ship and her living freight.  He appeared to have great presence of mind and gave the necessary orders with firmness and precision and in my opinion these orders were executed as satisfactorily as they were given.

The painting below of two clipper ships, the Thermopylae and the Leander, 

give a good idea of what a collision at sea would entail, in the tangling of sails and masts.

     
     Nothing could exceed the confusion and the terror that was observed in the conduct of many of our passengers during the first half hour after the occurrence which was manifested in so many different ways, that I shall not attempt to describe them and there was some also, both passengers and crew who were cursing and swearing as usual and awful it was to see and hear men so far sunk in depravity and wickedness as to make use of such language at a time when we knew not but the ship might have received an irreparable injury.  And what must we have done if our ship had been as much damaged as the other so far from any land and not knowing whether we should fall in with any ship for days or perhaps weeks.  Our ship escaped however providentially, only being slightly damaged in her bow, and the bow sprit broken with some other things of little consequence.   

     In about twenty minutes we got our ship disentangled and immediately after some of our crew accompanied by some of the men belonging to the other ship went on board her in our boat to discover if possible the extent of the injury she had received or whether there was any chance of saving her from sinking.  They returned in about half an hour with (from what I can learn), little hope of keeping her afloat and bringing with them several of the valuable things belonging the Captain and men.  They however determined to use every effort to save her, made her fast to our ship by a hawser, (long thick rope), and lost no time in starting the pumps.  In the meantime our pumps were tried and found our ship was making no water, this was glad tidings and carried with it no little consolation to us all.

 

     After the confusion and excitement were over and all got quiet a prayer and thanksgiving meeting was held in our Cabin (Third) which was well attended and many beautiful and appropriate extemporaneous prayers were offered up to God for his great goodness in so miraculously protecting and preserving us when in such imminent danger. I retired again to bed about two o’clock and slept soundly till about five the greater part of the passengers did not go to bed at all.

SUNDAY, JUNE, 12^th

     On going on deck this morning I found we had been joined early in the morning by another barque, a Dutchman (named Henrietta Elizabeth Susannak from China for Rotterdam.)  She had been attracted by our flags of distress that were flying at our masts.  Her Captain was a very nice man and much respected by his sailors, several of whom I conversed with during their stay with us.  He kindly offered to lay by and render us all the assistance in his power which showed his generous and humane character, during the forenoon another ship came in sight and although we still had a flags of distress flying at our mast head she went on her way and never came near us.  This shows the difference in the disposition of men.  We might easily have been in the greatest possible distress for it was only by wonderful good luck, little short of the miraculous that we escaped as we did.  This morning on examining the Luleaka, it was found the water had not gained so very much on the pumps during the night she had about four feet of water in her hold, and it was agreed to make a determined effort to get her clear and likewise to ascertain if possible what damage she had sustained.  To do this the principle part of our sailors with all the passengers that could be induced to volunteer their services were taken to the disabled ship and soon commenced in good earnest pumping and discharging her.

     The Luleika is a handsome strong British built barque of six hundred tons burthen loaden with rice bound for London.  The Captain seemed a middle aged decent looking man, and I believe is half owner of the ship.  The boats today at intervals were plying backward and forward between the ships carrying and re-carrying such of our passengers as was willing to assist in pumping or showing her cargo overboard.  It was a pitiful sight to see many hundred bags of rice thrown into the sea, but it was impossible to save the ship without so there was no alternative.  A great quantity of passengers exerted themselves most effectively.

     For myself, I think I never worked harder for four or five hours in my life, sometimes at the pumps as others heaving the rice into the sea, the consequence was that before night we got all the water out of her and began to entertain hopes of her getting to some port in safety.  Sometime this afternoon another ship (the Hesta), also a Dutchman came in sight and bore down towards us.  Tonight again we had a prayer meeting on board which was well attended.  They are talking about holding one every night at eight o’clock.

TUESDAY, JUNE 14^TH

     The last three or four days we have had very light winds and the weather has been very hot.  We are not getting very near the equator.  On Thursday afternoon some of the passengers caught three sharks with lines baited with a piece of beef or pork.  The largest was about six feet long and might be about a hundred-weight and a quarter or a hundred weight and a half in weight.  They made a tremendous struggle in pulling them out of the water.  It is said some parts of them are good to eat, but I think these were not made use of for that purpose.  At eleven o’clock A.M., prayers were read by the doctor on the after part of the ship and at the same time the Roman Catholics mustered for prayers on the forecastle.  At six o’clock in the evening we had another service.  Mr. Ray the minister before alluded to preached a very good sermon which was listened to very attentively by a great number of the passengers on board.

TUESDAY, JUNE, 21^st TO SUNDAY 26th

     All our passengers today appeared livelier than usual, it being known that we were to cross the line sometime this afternoon.  It appeared it is a usual thing on ships crossing the equator to have a little amusement or recreation which generally consists of shaving (as it is termed), all who have not crossed it before.  For the last few years however it has been falling into disuse, many complaints having been made to shipowners of the annoyance that passengers have been subject to by the sailors for the purpose of obtaining money or drink which passengers were generally very ready to give rather than be subjected to the disagreeable operation.  We have two lads belonging to the ship, apprentices who were the only persons in our ship operated upon.   

Early photo of the ceremony on board a sailing ship when crossing the equator.

 

     Several of the sailors were dressed so as to appear as ridiculous as they could, and representing several different characters, the principle of which was Neptune the |God of the sea and his lady.  And among others a barber who as soon as orders were given laid hold of one of the lads and after lathering his face all over with pitch and tar, scraped it off with a piece of iron hoop and concluded by pouring two or three buckets of water over him by way of Christening him in order to make him a real son of Neptune.  The sailors were then treated to a bottle or two of grog by some of the first cabin passengers and the ceremony was over.  The remainder of the week was passed without anything unusual occurring.   

     Today (Sunday), was spent as the previous ones, the Roman Catholics and the Church people each having services in the forenoon and Mr. Ray the dissenting Minister preached in the afternoon.  There is just as much religious party feeling exhibited here on board the Falcon as there is in Liverpool, or any other town in England, and many discussions and debates has taken place between the advocates of the different classes.  Some of the more enthusiastic adherents of the Church of England showed their zeal for their own church, or their bigotry, I will not say whether by objecting to Mr. Ray preaching in the morning as they could not think of dispensing with the reading of the Church prays.  Consequently the doctor performs that service although there is a minister on board who can preach a better sermon than you will hear in two thirds of the Churches in England, but as they are chiefly first cabin passengers their wishes must be attended to.

FROM JUNE 26^th TO JULY 3^rd

     This afternoon (Monday), we came in sight of a ship right ahead of us, and like all the other ships that we have seen it was soon whispered that it must be either the Lochiel or some other passenger ship from Liverpool for Australia knowing that there was two or three left Liverpool from two to ten days before us.  Next morning (Monday), we had gained greatly upon her but she had rather changed her position to the windward of us which disappointed us very much, as we had hoped passing her close by to have given her three cheers on passing her, as it was we had to be content with passing her about a mile or a mile and a half to leeward of her which we did about midday; before night we had left her out of sight.

     The remainder of the week nothing unusual occurred, every day the same except seeing a solitary ship at a distance.  Our prayer meetings each night at eight o’clock draws many together to thank God for his great mercies to us.  There is I believe some really good and devout people on board (principally Scotch), who if I might be allowed to judge from their outward conduct I should consider them real good people.  Today (Sunday), we have had as usual three religious Services on board, the Church of England, Roman Catholic and the Dissenters all of which have a separate service.

Steerage on an emigrant ship, 1850s.

 

FROM JULY 3^rd TO 10^th

     About noon today (Monday), the wind came on to blow very hard and continued to increase, towards evening the sea became very rough and tossed the ship about tremendously, so much so that as might well be seen by their countenances many of her living freight was ill at ease.  The wind continued to blow very hard all night, some of the passengers never went to bed at all, being too much afraid, others who did go to bed could get no sleep for the rocking of the ship and the rattling of tins and panakins and the rolling about water bottle kegs which were not tied.

 

     In fact chests, boxes and all other things had to be fastened to prevent them from roaming about from one side of the ship to the other.  This afternoon (Friday), the wind abated a little for the first time since Monday which pleased us all very much for we had had a few real uncomfortable days since it commenced to blow so hard.  We could neither stand, sit nor walk without holding on to something or other.  The remainder of the week nothing unusual occurred.

 

These details from a voyage on the emigrant ship Echunga.

Food allowances for the assisted passengers were set by regulation with more generous allowances for paying passengers.  Considering contemporary reports of life in rural England recorded a very meagre diet for rural labourers, the weekly food allowances seem relatively generous.

Each adult was allocated 3 ¼ lb of preserved meats and salted beef and pork.  Ham and fish was reserved for paying passengers.  Cereals included ships biscuit 3 ½ lb, flour 3lb.  Other items included sugar, lime juice, tea, coffee, butter, cheese, raisins, suet, pickles, mustard, pepper and salt.  A three quart allowance of water was provided daily.  

Examples of the total provisions carried by an immigrant ship on the voyage include - beef 2,500lbs, pork 2,600lbs, flour 6,500lbs, ships biscuits 10,700lbs, and smaller amounts of things like 70lbs of mustard. 

FROM JULY 10^th TO 17^th

     This week the weather has been very fine, light winds prevailing all the time.  Nothing took place worthy of remark until Saturday night.  After all of us had gone to bed, when we were awaken by a regular row on deck, caused by the sailors fighting one another which gave great alarm among the females, and the more timid part of the passengers, many of whom might be seen running upon deck nearly naked to ascertain the cause of the disturbance.  It ended however without anything serious occurring and soon all was quiet again.  The British people on the whole or perhaps more particularly the labouring classes have become so habituated to drinking or getting drunk on the Saturday night that they cannot think of going to bed sober, if possible ant drink can be got and this system is carried out much the same in the ship ‘Falcon’ as it is at home particularly in Liverpool when I can think positively having had so many opportunities of observing the scenes on a Saturday night. 

     This habit although much to be regretted where it prevails.  I should not think much about here if the passengers alone only indulged in it, although we have had some cases of the getting beastly drunk and making complete pigs of themselves.  But where we see the sailors and officers of the ship on whom such a responsibility rests as the management of a ship with nearly three hundred souls on board, it becomes rather a serious consideration for those who have any anxiety for their own lives.  I must however admit that it is the fault of a certain portion of the passengers themselves, which such is the case because the crew are not allowed any grog whatever, by either the owners or the Captain so that what drink they do get must come from the passengers, who can generally get as much as they want from the Purser at intervals.

     Ever since we left Liverpool this evil has been carried to such an extent by a number of the passengers not only getting drunk themselves, but making the sailors drunk, also that the Captain was under the necessity of prohibiting for a time the sale of spirits altogether.  They soon however succeeded in getting the probitiary order cancelled and conducted themselves for a few days perhaps till the following Saturday night when they break loose again as bad as ever.

FROM JULY 17^th to 24th

     The weather still continues fine although we are beginning to feel it rather colder.  We have had very light winds and calms for the last few days.  About ten o’clock on Wednesday night a very extraordinary occurrence took place.  A woman was caught in the act of throwing herself overboard, and, but the carpenter who happened to be near the place and seized and prevented her, there is every probability that the attempt would have been fatal.  She was put under proper restraint for the night and this morning (Thursday), she appears quite calm.  She is a curious sort of a woman, not supposed to be a very good character from what we have seen of her since leaving England.   

     One very bad practice that she is peculiarly addicted to is lying and unfortunately she is very defective in that very essential requisite in a liar (a good memory), for to some on board she has represented herself as a married woman and that her husband is in Australia, while to others she has represented herself as a single woman, but in fact she has told so many stories about herself and contradicted her own statements so often that there is not the least dependence to be put in anything she says.  She had a quarrel with another woman on the early part of the day arising out of some slanderous stories she had said about her, which irritated her to that degree that it is believed it was the principle cause of the affair.  She appeared to be completely mad and appeared determined to do it after she had been prevented once, but my opinion is and was from the first that it was all gammon, and that she knew there was some noticing her movements and ready to prevent her when she made the attempt.  I may possibly be wrong but judging from all the circumstances of the case I cannot believe she was that far gone insanity as to commit suicide (Sunday), she has laid in her bed since and appears I believe quite sensible. She says she does not remember anything about attempting to throw herself into the sea.

     This is the first Sunday since we left Liverpool we missed either having preaching or the prayers read on the upper deck.  Today however, we had such a tremendous wind and rough sea that it was deferred, but we had as usual prayers in the evening in our cabin (Intermediate), which continues to be very well attended.

FROM JULY 24^th TO 31st

     All this week we have had tremendous winds and the sea rolling fearfully.  We had seen nothing like it before.  The vessel was actually knocked about sometimes so much that we could neither sit, stand nor lay without holding onto something.  It would really have amused any person unaccustomed to a sea life to have seen us at breakfast or dinner and seen the plates, dishes and their contents knocked about in all directions, and us ourselves sliding from one side of the ship to the other, unless we had a very good hand hold. 

The following is from the Museums Victoria website.

"In their dash to reach the Victorian goldfields in the quickest possible time, many ship's captains adopted the new 'Great Circle' route in the 1850s. Passing far south of the Cape of Good Hope, they sought the 'Roaring Forties'—the strong prevailing winds that blew from the west to the east between 40 and 50 degrees south.

This route involved enormous risks from drifting icebergs and the wild seas generated by frequent storms. It required exceptional navigational skills, as even the slightest error could lead to disaster. The large number of ships that were lost when navigating the narrow path between King Island and southern Victoria led to the West Coast of Victoria becoming known as the Shipwreck Coast."

     Let anyone unaccustomed to this sort of life just fancy themselves getting breakfast with us on the Falcon on such a morning as we have had all this week, I will venture to say that he will not be very anxious for a three months voyage to Australia.  Afterwards (Sunday), the wind just blowing as hard as ever it was done during the week, in fact it is very disagreeable and likewise very cold.  We are however in great hopes that it will not be of long duration, as the wind though blowing tremendously hard has one good property, that it is blowing in the right direction in that we are getting nearer Australia very fast.  Many of the women and also men are that timid, that they actually sit up all night being too frightened to go to bed, and those that do go to bed get very little sleep, the ship heaves so tremendously.

FROM THE 31^st of JULY TO THE 7^th AUGUST.

     The wind and sea still continuing as boisterous as ever and our ship going at a tremendous rate, all on board appears more accustomed to or at lease more indifferent to the roughness of the sea or the heaving of the ship, but still it is very disagreeable and uncomfortable for us all.  (Sunday) the same sort of weather still prevailing so that the religious services had to be dispensed with again except in the evenings in our Cabin.

     The weather still continues very boisterous and we are getting more hardened with and accustomed to it, yet we feel it rather disagreeable and uncomfortable.  It is much colder that ever I expected to find it.  It makes it regularly miserable for us when the sea washes over the ship, so much that it is necessary to cover up the hatchways.  Such as very oft been the case during the last fortnight.  We are in great hopes however that it will be of short duration as we are going at a tremendous speed, 11 knots and upwards an hour.

FROM AUGUST 7^th to the 14^th AUGUST.

     The wind today (Monday), is more moderate that we have felt it for nearly three weeks which we are not sorry for, having got heartily sick of being rocked about as in a cradle.  As we draw near our journey’s end for we expect to finish it the 13^th or 14^th, that if all be well.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 

This is the end of Andrew McDonell's diary, which doesn't give us any indication of where the Falcon berthed once it reached its destination of Melbourne, in Hobson's Bay. However, there were others aboard the Falcon keeping a daily diary also, and this article printed in The Age, in 1941, sheds some more light on the emigrant's arrival, as well giving another account of the collision at sea.

The Age (Melbourne, Vic.) Saturday, 14th June, 1941

Trials of a Pioneer . . .

Mr. Archie Michaelis, M.L.A., writes: — "Interest in the adventures of the founders and pioneers of this State and tales of the sailing ships in which they made their long voyages is still strong in their descendants. I am therefore emboldened to set forth another extract from the memoirs of my grandfather, the late Moritz Michaelis, and will tell of his first voyage to Melbourne in the good ship Falcon, of which Mr. A. E. Kane has forwarded me the interesting history and the accompanying picture. This vessel, which he describes as a fine craft of about 1200 tons, was commanded by Captain Taylor, who later on was lost, with his ship the Royal Charter. 

Married just a month before, the subject of our story, accompanied by his bride, sailed from Liverpool on May 23, 1853, and their adventures started on the next day, when the cook out his throat. There after "a good time was had by all" until 1 deg. north of the Line was reached, when one Friday night a cry was raised of "Collision ! Collision !" My grandparents, who had retired for the night, put on life jackets, and went to the main cabin with the other passengers. But later, against orders, my grandfather went on deck, and found a most terrible state of confusion. The Falcon had run right into another ship of about 800 tons sailing from Bremen, and the sails of both were one entangled mass. There was a danger of the other ship having been stove in, and dragging down the Falcon when she sank, so every effort was made to separate the two vessels. This how-ever, proving impossible, Captain Taylor ordered the foremast to be cut down, when the Falcon drew away. When the collision took place the captain and crew of the other vessel jumped from their ship aboard the Falcon. The water commenced to pour into the other ship as they separated, and Captain Taylor called for volunteers among the passengers to go aboard and lighten her by jettisoning the cargo.

Next morning a Dutch vessel was seen approaching, a flag of distress having been hoisted. Eventually two more Dutch ships came up, and after working all that day and the next night, the combined efforts of all raised the damaged ship sufficiently to bring the breech above water level. The five captains then met on the Falcon in consultation, and decided that the injured ship should be re-paired sufficiently to enable her to reach the nearest African port, and sails were supplied by the others, her own having been torn to shreds. Thereafter the voyage was most favorable, and, aided by a strong westerly wind, the Falcon arrived in Port Phillip on August 15, 84 days out. She anchored in Hobson's Bay, and the captain invited several of the passengers to go ashore with him.

They landed at Liardet's Beach, and several of the party walked to Melbourne. A search for lodgings then ensued — a matter, as it turned out, of considerable difficulty when womenfolk were concerned -- and Captain Taylor offered to allow the party to live aboard while the Falcon was in port. On returning to the ship, however, the ladies were found to be in a very excited state, and it appeared that some of the sailors had tried to run away, and the mate had shot at them with a revolver. This had so frightened the ladies that, rather than stay on board, they preferred to live in tents, as thousands of others were then doing. Next day they went up the Yarra in a small steamer to the so-called Queen's Wharf, which was still in its natural state, and in rainy weather became so soft that many a package of merchandise became engulfed, and was lost in the mud. Eventually lodgings were secured by my grandparents at the newly completed Brunswick Hotel in Brunswick-street, which they found "nice, though dear," the charges being 7 guineas a week each, and the food, consisting of mutton, bread and tea, with beef occasionally. Here they lived for a week, and then set up housekeeping in a cottage of their own."

 

The watercolour above by Wilbraham Liardet, one of the earliest settlers, having arrived in Melbourne in 1839, courtesy Public Records Office of Victoria (State Archives of Victoria, Australia), depicts the area around Port Melbourne where he and his family settled.

We now know by the second diary, that this is the area that Thomas and Leonard actually landed in Melbourne.  Liardet was known to help out emigrants heading to the goldfields, by supplying equipment to them.  Thomas and Leonard may have taken advantage of Captain Taylor's offer to stay on board the Falcon until they got themselves organised, but at some point, they have made the journey to Ballarat, with or without Liardet's help.

In the following article, Liardet's great-granddaughter, tells of his help to the prospective miners arriving at Port Melbourne.

The Argus (Melbourne, Vic.) Tuesday 16 October 1934, p 14 - Trove

DESCENDANT OF LIARDET

Visit for Celebrations

Representing one of the earliest Victorian families, Mrs. E. Liardet-Siemsen arrived in Melbourne from Newcastle (N.S.W.) yesterday at the invitation of the Centenary Celebrations Council. She is one of the seven surviving great-grand-children of Captain W. Francis Evelyn Liardet, of the Royal Horse Guards Blue, who was one of the most popular personalities of early Victoria. 

Describing her great-grandfather's generosity to the goldfields diggers, Mrs. Liardet-Siemsen said yesterday that he had made a particularly hazardous journey to Sydney, and returned with provisions, picks, and blankets, which he gave to diggers on their way to the gold-fields at his hotel at Sandridge, now Port Melbourne.   

Captain, Liardet had arrived in the settlement from England in the ship William Metcalfe in February, 1839. He settled at Sandridge in the part known as Liardet's beach. He and his large family of sons built a pier, the piles of which can still be seen near the present piers in Port Melbourne. He also built an hotel.  From the hotel he constructed a road to what was then known as the Falls Bridge, where Queen's Bridge now stands.

Mrs. Liardet-Siemsen said it had been claimed that it was Thomas Henty who gave stores and tools to the men going to the goldfields, but she claimed that it was her great-grandfather and not Henty.

 

Liardet built an extension on their home, and set up a hotel.  This was the original "Pier Hotel", on the corner of Beach Road and Bay Street, in Port Melbourne, opposite the site of the pier today. 

The Public Records Office of Victoria (PROV), have created a great online presentation titled, "1835 - 1960 Sailing Into Melbourne", which gives a snapshot of Melbourne at the time of settlement.

Read about Captain Thomas Taylor's fate. (He captained the Falcon in 1853).  Interestingly, keen beachcombers are lucky enough to pick up gold nuggets from along the shore of the coast, off Wales to this day.    Read this interesting article from PROV

Find out how Thomas and Leonard fared on the goldfields of Ballarat, in the next post titled "Gold!!", to gain some understanding of their life on the "diggings". 

CLICK HERE TO READ - GOLD. 

     ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Please note – All information above has a verifiable source, which will be quoted when the posts in this Blog are printed in a book format.

With many thanks to Helen Greenbank whose assistance and time in editing this Blog, is very much appreciated.

      ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~