2 December 1863

Thomas Keir diary - 2 December 1863 entry [National Library Micro-MS-0837]

Wednesday 2nd Dec[embe]r 1863

A very beautiful morning the sky
bright blue without a cloud. very
little wind the ship going very slowly
passed two ships during the night which
are now a good bit a-stern. Very warm
and mild, like a mild May day
in Scotland. It struck me as I sat
on the forecastle of the ship enjoying
the genial heat of the sun that the
people in Scotland would be drawing
round the fire, to shield them from
the cold of a December morning. One
of the passengers and cook had a
quarrel about some insult given by the
latter but they were separated before
they had gone far[1]. Last night one
of the midshipman was caught in
the act of trying to get down to

to the single women’s appartment he
had succeeded in getting a rope down
the sky light from the poop and was
in the act of lowering himself down
when he was caught by the Captain
and there are various reports as to
the punishment he got some say
that he got twenty lashes others
that he was sent two hours to
the top of the mast[2]. I have no doubt
that he was severely reprimanded
by the Captain who seems to be
a sensible strick man every
body seems to think much of
him, we never hear that he is
aboard but everything goes on
smoothly and we are all very
happy under his command
at night singing and dancing
on the main deck, and some of

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the Scotch people had two or
three reels but the music was
not very good. the fiddler was an
Irishman not well acquainted
with the Scotch music. The night
is bright and starry. Orion is very
conspicuous in the south the sun
set tonight at 5.59 P.M. with
my watch. We are all in good
health and spirits, have not the
least idea where about we are
nothing but a waste of water all
around.

STANDARDISED

Wednesday 2nd December 1863

A very beautiful morning, the sky bright blue without a cloud. Very little wind, the ship going very slowly. Passed two ships during the night which are now a good bit a-stern. Very warm and mild, like a mild May day in Scotland. It struck me, as I sat on the forecastle of the ship enjoying the genial heat of the sun, that the people in Scotland would be drawing round the fire, to shield them from the cold of a December morning.

One of the passengers and cook had a quarrel about some insult given by the latter but they were separated before they had gone far. Last night one of the midshipman was caught in the act of trying to get down to the single women’s apartment. He had succeeded in getting a rope down the sky light from the poop and was in the act of lowering himself down when he was caught by the Captain, and there are various reports as to the punishment he got. Some say that he got twenty lashes, others that he was sent two hours to the top of the mast. I have no doubt that he was severely reprimanded by the Captain who seems to be a sensible strict man. Everybody seems to think much of him, we never hear that he is aboard but everything goes on smoothly and we are all very happy under his command.

At night singing and dancing on the main deck, and some of the Scotch people had two or three reels, but the music was not very good. The fiddler was an Irishman not well acquainted with the Scotch music. The night is bright and starry. Orion is very conspicuous in the south, the sun set tonight at 5.59 P.M. with my watch. We are all in good health and spirits, have not the least idea whereabouts we are, nothing but a waste of water all around.

HENRY SCHOFIELD DIARY

2nd – fine

Last night a young sailor got down amongst the young women but was caught and sent to top of main mast. I dreamt I was very poorly. The watch was found asleep. Was a fight between cook and Tom Snowden, stopped by 2nd mate. Brown cut my hair. Took my bed on deck and slept in my bunk for first time, the weather beginning to get warm, having always slept with Tom Earnshaw. For dinner beef and potatoes. Going about 4 knots per hour and saw 2 ships. Reading, then went to bed.

Notes

1. The cook in question was C. Watson, a 27 year old from London, with no previous service noted. From Henry Schofield’s account, we know the passenger was Tom Snowden, who is not named as one of the assisted immigrants nor a cabin passenger, so had paid the steerage fare himself. The 2nd mate who stopped the fight was Robert Howes. He was 25 years of age from Abingdon, Berkshire, and before joining the Mermaid in London had served aboard the Tasmania.

2. Who was the midshipman mentioned? It’s not a term that is commonly used in the merchant navy. In the Royal Navy, it refers to experienced deckhands who were training at sea to qualify for service as commissioned officers. It’s unclear who he was, but there was one crew member who might have had more cause to visit the single women’s quarters, and that was Charles Napier, who was the Purser’s mate. He was 33 and from New Brunswick, Canada, and had served on the Mermaid on its previous voyage. His wife Ann and two year old daughter Mary were travelling as assisted passengers and were in the Single Women’s accommodation.