4 January 1864

Thomas Keir diary - 4 January 1864 entry [National Library Micro-MS-0837]

Monday 4th – Dull and misty most of the day
with a drizzle of rain. The time by my watch
at noon was 65 minutes, making our longitude
16° 15 west. Today all the chests were brought on
deck for the last time before landing I hope.
Reading for today the Adventures of a Colonist in
Australia[1]. The wind is slight astern for the first
time and the mizen sail is reefed up to allow the
wind to pass to the main. Saw two or three large
birds during the day. McKenzie[2] was airing his

clothes on the forecastle, and accidentally let his
coat overboard, and a check for 400£[3] in one of
the pockets, it was amusing to see the coat floating
behind and the wistful looks of poor McKenzie

STANDARDISED

Monday 4th

Dull and misty most of the day with a drizzle of rain. The time by my watch at noon was 65 minutes, making our longitude 16° 15 west. Today all the chests were brought on deck for the last time before landing, I hope. Reading for today the Adventures of a Colonist in Australia. The wind is slight astern for the first time and the mizen sail is reefed up to allow the wind to pass to the main. Saw two or three large birds during the day. McKenzie was airing his clothes on the forecastle, and accidentally let his coat overboard, and a check for £4[00?] in one of the pockets. It was amusing to see the coat floating behind and the wistful looks of poor McKenzie.

HENRY SCHOFIELD DIARY

Jan[uar]y 4th fine

Saw a great many cape hens & pidgeons & whales. Taking our boxes out of the hold on to deck 7 knots per hour For dinner spice pudding & pea soup. Carthew[4] & Paul & me talking about home & our ages. Reading Rose Douglas.

Notes

1. The colonist in Australia; Or, the adventures of Godfrey Arabin, by Thomas McCombie, published by George Slater, 1850.

2. Most likely this is Kenneth McKenzie, a 25 year old shepherd from Aberdeenshire, Scotland, an assisted emigrant who was also in the single men’s quarters.

3. This appears to be £400, although perhaps it’s meant to be £4.0.0, ie. four pounds? I think McKenzie may have been more distraught than wistful if he had lost that much overboard.

4. Carthew was previously mentioned by Schofield, and doesn’t appear in the list of assisted emigrants nor the cabin passengers, so was likely paying his own way.

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Account of the story of Godfrey Arabin, an English migrant to Australia. A surgeon by training and avid reader of Walter Scott novels, Godfrey decides to leave behind his life of modest means and few excitements in London to settle in the colonies in Australia. Thomas McCombie takes the readers of his novel with him on Arabin’s journey through incessant rain and terrain hard to surpass, and encounters with fellow colonists and Aborigines. [AbeBooks]