William Strapps Diary Part 1

have to go through the same drills with regard to sickness as we do only with this difference they have every comfort with it. For my own part I like our part of the vessel best they being close to the engines and they make an awful din at times and regularly their continual romp may be heard. But the saloon passengers ought to be pretty comfortable considering the price they have to pay. 70 guineas [?] We got under a sail tonight and had a good sing.

Monday Jan 5th 1880 289 miles 58 degrees 35" North latitde 14 degrees 37" West Longitude. Nearly everybody has got over sea-sickness. Only one little lads stomach disputed its measurement. We sighted a brig about 10.a.m. passe d another about 11.10 a.m. flying the spa nish colours to which our vessel hoisted

her flags in reply to the spaniard. Not being a son of father Neptune the mean ing of which I coud not understand. This afternoon I went down the galley and assisted the cooks. Nothing like making friends with those kind of people. We had a little calf on board and they killed him this afternoon "bush fashion". His head was soon off and his body strung up. We have a cow on board whose milk is for the [the] first saloon passengers. We get a great deal of it. You may guess. About as much as you can see with your eyes shut. The position of the stars are tonight are as under.

[here-in: a sketch of the night sky with labelled stars and planets, including North or Polar Star, Great Bear constellation, Venus, Uranus Belt, Saturn, Mars, Plydes or the Cluster of Butchers Cleaver]

A book in astronomy would have been very acceptable during the voyage It would have whiled away many an hour They are quite jolly on deck. to-night a violin is playing on the forecastle accompanied by singing & cracking jokes an acordian & dancing amid ships & I hear a banjo & clappers playing aft. I notice for the first time the phosporescent lights in the water. It proceeds I am informed from small insects (varying in size from eighth of an inch to half a crown that is the lights seen on the water) They are indiscernable with the naked eye and can only be seen by a microscope they shine on the water like bright little stars We sighted a vessels light ahead about 11"0 p.m & she being a sailing ship our engines ceased to allow her to pass steamers are always supposed to give way to sailing vessels She passed close to us and proved to be a good sized barque

Tues Jany 6th 1880

301 miles 33o 58" Lat N 17o Long W Lovely day shining sun & motion very slight Sighted a brig off the port side in full sail but could not make her out. All the ladies appear to have turned up to day as there are great many more on deck than usual The will not be many more nicer day than this as it will get hotter as we go along so they are very wise. We sighted Maderia (an island of the N.W. coast of Africa) just after dinner at least the sailors did for upon my life I could see nothing No! not with the glasses so much more the naked eye After gazing a while I discerned the land it looked like a cloud in the far distance but an old tar assured me it was land About 3"30 we sighed a large Barque in full sail, another hour and the land appeared quite plain jutting out into the sea About 5 pm we

passed a little promontory. We sailed along the east side of the isle & could plainly see the rockbound coast There was little or no verdure to be seen but it is said to be a fruitful place Something like a cocoanut rought out but delicious inside We did not touch here and whether our ship signalled to the shore I cannot say as I was down below in the galley getting seasoned to the hot weather The sight of land livens the passengers up a bit & all seem very well contented.

Wed Jany 7th 1880 305 Miles 29[degrees] 15" Lat N. 19[degrees] 19" Long W Another lovely day not much wind & very warm Went down & I got a bucket of hot wat er turned to & had a washing day. This afternoon as all was going on smoothly the fire bell started ringing again. Sever al of us who were below trotted up the steps to see what was going on. Some