1 December 1863

Thomas Keir diary - 1 December 1863 entry [National Library Micro-MS-0837]

Tuesday 1st Dec[embe]r 1863
A fine morning with smooth water
the wind has turned to the southward
and the Ship is tacking against /it\ from
west to south east. the sky is without
a cloud and the sun rising out of the
water was beautiful. Have been busy
most of the day first preparing pudding
for dinner &c which was very good
In the afternoon engaged fitting up
some things, and widening our table. had
a little pork fried for tea which was
very good. Afterwards had a seat on

on the poop and a talk with M[iste]r
Stewart[1]. There was singing &c going
on on the main deck below the
boats to which two lights have
been hung as there is no moon
lights, and the single women are
not allowed to /go\ forward after dark
as the night is fine a great crowd
has assembled, singing and standing
talking in groups, it minds me very
much of a village fair only we want
the drink, sweetie & nut stalls &c but
all goes merry as a marriage bell[2]
the darky sailor sitting on the capstan
playing to the tune of merry England
a group of Scotch singing Auld lang
syne finished off with God save the Queen
and retired for the night. 10 P.M. the
night is fine and the ship going steadily
through the water.

STANDARDISED

Tuesday 1st December 1863

A fine morning with smooth water, the wind has turned to the southward and the ship is tacking against it from west to south east. The sky is without a cloud and the sun rising out of the water was beautiful. Have been busy most of the day first preparing pudding for dinner etc which was very good. In the afternoon engaged fitting up some things, and widening our table. Had a little pork fried for tea which was very good. Afterwards had a seat on the poop and a talk with Mr Stewart. There was singing etc going on on the main deck below the boats, to which two lights have been hung as there is no moon lights, and the single women are not allowed to go forward after dark. As the night is fine a great crowd has assembled, singing and standing talking in groups. It reminds me very much of a village fair only we want the drink, sweetie and nut stalls etc, but all goes merry as a marriage bell. The darky sailor sitting on the capstan playing to the tune of merry England, a group of Scotch singing Auld lang syne, finished off with God save the Queen and retired for the night. 10pm the night is fine and the ship going steadily through the water.

HENRY SCHOFIELD DIARY

December 1st – fine

A steady wind doing about 8 knots per hour. Passed 4 ships 1 which was homeward bound. For dinner pudding and salt pork. I was busy plaiting sister Mary’s hair a while. Got groceries which was sugar, tea, raisins, suet, etc. Bought a packet of envelopes for 3d off Isaac Searle. Reading Exodus and then went to bed.

Notes

1. Mr Stewart was most likely one of the Second Cabin passengers. The cabin passengers aren’t included in the passenger listing of assisted immigrants, but we do have their names from a report of the ship’s arrival published in the Lyttelton Times, 18 February 1864. Cabin passengers usually had exclusive use of the poop deck, with steerage passengers such as Thomas able to enter by invitation only.

2. merry as a marriage bell: a line from the first stanza of Byron’s The Eve of Waterloo

There was a sound of revelry by night,
And Belgium’s capital had gathered then
Her beauty and her chivalry, and bright
The lamps shone o’er fair women and brave men.
A thousand hearts beat happily; and when
Music arose with its voluptuous swell,
Soft eyes looked love to eyes which spake again,
And all went merry as a marriage bell;
But hush! hark! a deep sound strikes like a rising knell!

Lord Byron, “The Eve of Waterloo“, PoetryArchive.

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