1

Diary of the voyage to Australia
Extracts from the log book of William Strapps

Tues Dec 30th 1879
We left Camberwell early on Tuesday morning Dec
ember 30th. Took train from Fenchurch to Black
wall which was reached by 9.59 A.M. The tender
was advertised to start at 10.0 A.M but we had
plenty of time as she had not then arrived.
There was a motley mixture of human beings on
the pier. All ages and sizes were presented and a
great many nationalities too of which more
anon. After a deal of pushing and thrusting
we all get aboard & start for the good ship
"Garonne". Soon after leaving brunswick Pier we got
some wet jackets and was in some rather squally
weather by way of introduction. We reached the
"Garonne" Screw steamer of Anderson Anderson &
Co's Line about 2.30 and witnessed a scene of ut
most confusion. Children running about to