William Strapps Diary Part 1

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of capsizing if we had seen the sight when we boarded the Garrone. A shoal of sharks were swimming about close to the vessel & monsters they were. One big fellow came close to the side attracted by a piece of pork the butcher had thrown over board. After swimming cautiously round it a few times he turned over on his back displayed two rows of large pearls & the pork disappeared down a hole which would take some filling up by pieces of pork. Barges full of coal were being emptied on each side of the ship and black fellows were running about screeching & tumbling like a lot of parrots. There was a large steamer lying close by us which had come in while we were ashore and supposed to belong to the Allan or Inman Line of Steamers. As it grew dusk all was

Last edit about 4 years ago by AnniT56
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bustle & confusion. At last the bay is sheered off the winch began to creak & the anchor was soon weighed and hung on the davits. As we crept along the lights on the shore grew fainter but I did not go below till I had seen us safe by the large rock at the entrance to the bay for had we fouled there is no doubt which of us would have gone to the bottom. For my grandfathers rock was to tall for itself So it lay ninety years in the bay It was stronger by half than a hundred ships like ours So it did not flinch nor try to run away He was rather to tall for our shelf so we did not offer to interfere. We passed another isle @ 12.45 am. I turned in tired out.

Sun Jan 11/80 156 miles from starting up to 12 o'clock today from St Vincent 14 degrees 43" lat N 23 degrees 52" Long W. After 6 hours sleep I arose not feeling

Last edit about 4 years ago by AnniT56
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extra well refreshed but more so than some of our fellows who had partaken of too much brown cream & many of them complained of the headache. We got up rather late this morning & after washing and breaking our fast we laid down on the deck for our morning's airings. We were hardly down before the church bell began to toll & all who choose to go to hear divine service may do We are not forced to go as all suit themselves. The minister took for his text "The Lord is my light my strenght & my salvation" & exhorted us all to look upon him as such following in the steps of David of old. We passed a small schooner this morning about 9.30 am. Such a one as I should be rather loath to trust my bones in. This is the smallest craft we have

Last edit about 4 years ago by AnniT56
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fell in with out at sea. The minister came & preached down our cabin this afternoon & down the saloon again at night. It was very hot to day very same to night no singing going on.

Mon Jany 12th 1880 297 miles 10 [degrees] 53" Lat N. 20 [degrees] 40" Long W. We do not have to strain our eyes today to see an odd flying fish as we disturb them by the thousands. Every few seconds up rises a shoal varying from a score to hundreds. They were mostly of the small size & of the grey colour. Very few large ones were to be seen. They make a pretty sight. It is very warm to-day & makes one feel quite lazy. We took some 200 tons of coal in at St Vincent.

Tues [Feb] Jany 13th The heat to-day is intense and to walk

Last edit over 3 years ago by Jannyp
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295 miles 7degrees 5" Lat N. 17degrees 30" West Long about in trousers & shirt having the feet bare is the comfortablist mode providing you do not have to walk in the sun The broad brimmed hats were very comfortable & kept off Father Fiery's [image: image of sun having eyes nose mouth] fierce darts If you could see us now you might call us a set of lazy scamps almost too lazy to go down for our meals We got hold of some chessmen today & it was quite a treat to have a game Altogether we played 31 games & I [deleted]one[/deleted] [inserted]won[/inserted] 15 each & one was a draw My foe was a young Londoner going out to Melbourne & which was the best player it was hard to decide

Wednesday January 14th, 1880

297 miles 3degrees 14" Lat N. 14degrees 26" Long W. The heat down below from so many breathing in so small a compass in such a hot Latitude forced me to bring up my rug & pillow which I spread out on deck &

Last edit about 4 years ago by AnniT56
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