Travel Diaries and Journals

way to India to join their regiments. we have now entered the Bay of Biscay the sea does not run a bit higher than it has done since we left the Channel. I believe at this season of the year it is generally very quiet the water seemed very smooth but there is a great swell on which makes the ship roll about. I am writing this in my book lying on deck with my blue flannel suit on (which I find useful) I have got up some sofa pillows from below which make a very good couch most of the passengers have these folding chairs with them & they are certainly very useful on board ship. The only faces at all familiar to me here are 6 or 8 officers of the 34th that I used to see marching to the park. I have been trying to make out the course we shall steer for India in Sullivans geography. we do not go through the Bay of Biscay entirely rather across it & Strike out into the Atlantic then pass the Madeira & Canary islands down by the Coast of Africa & go round the

clearly shown after the service. Several parties took to novels & some to playing cards &c which I think they would not have felt much inclined to do if they had heard one of Dr Browns Sermon instead Lat. 24.19 Long 19.23. Distance Me 182

Monday Augt 24th 1857 The ship has been rolling more heavily last night than it has done at all as yet. We have changed her course & are sailing against the waves which account for it. I was nearly rolled out of my berth 3 or 4 times last night & today the ship rolls over as if she would pitch us all into the sea. We are steering off the Coast of Africa (100 miles from it). A flying fish came on board to day & was picked up by one of the officers it is exactly like a Macker [Mackerel] with wings in addition. I believe it is a common thing for them to come on board when the sea is rough. I have now got acquainted with a good many of the passengers & the time passes more pleasantly the Scotsmen more especially fraternise. The Cheif engineer of the ship is a Scotsman & our Surgeon studied in Edinr. he passed last

again for any length of time. We were very lucky in getting the South east Trades winds We gave Mauritius a wide berth & we sighted land, although at a long distance off on Friday evening March 26th. it proved to be land southward of Algoa Bay at the eastermost point if the Southern coast of Africa. here we encountered a strong westerly gale & had to beat to windward sometimes not making more than 10 miles a day we tacked inshore & down south close hauled to the wind. When we went within 10 miles of the shore we got fishing tackle ready & hauled up some beautiful fish called the red snapper. Somewhat like a salmon. One we caught weight nearly 12lbs. & the average was 7 or 8 lbs. After beating round the Cape for a week the process of doing [the scored through] putting me much in mind of the story of the Phantom Ship: a story well known to most sailors. it is said that the Capt. of a ship endeavouring to round the

Off E Coast of Africa

of[f] & on shore. land in sight again this mg. have had no obs. for some days.

Saturday May 13th. 1859

Light Air sprung up last evg. from the eastward & has kept up as a nice breeze dead astern today & with the effect of a strong current has made us run 214 a lunar last evg. at 9.30. made us off Cape Morgan & today at 12 we were off Algoa Bay & to the southward 60 or 70 miles reading (Blk Dragoons from Peterson)

Sunday May 15th. 1859

Fair wind Continues 11 oclock blowing stiff dead Astern Bar. falling. every one lively on bd. in the prospect of getting speedily round the Cape & to St. Helena Bay we caught a pigeon this mg. & a Carey last evg. Biscoe Skinned the pigeon today. have