Friday 1 July 1836

The Africaine, the first emigrant vessel bound for South Australia
with settlers, and commanded by Captain Duff, left the London
Docks on Tuesday the 28th June in the year 1836 with 99 souls
on board. We were towed by a steamer to Gravesend, where we
lay until Thursday the 30th, when we weighed anchor and sailed
as far as Deal, where we again cast anchor to wait for our captain,
who came on board the day following with his lady, to whom he
had been married the Wednesday previous.

On this day, July lst, my son William was taken ill of the scarlet
fever, and my youngest child Helen was so swollen with dropsy
from the effects of the same disorder, which she and Mary both
had just before we left England, as to be confined to her bed
scarcely able to breathe.

On this day our pilot left us and I sent letters to London,
Gosport, and Chalton near Petersfield, Hants.

We had hitherto walked on any part of the deck we pleased
and the mate said nothing to the contrary, but the day before the
captain arrived on board the following notice was posted at the
head of our stairs: ‘The passengers in the intermediate cabins are
not allowed abaft the capstan.’ This produced an altercation
between Mr Thomas and some others with the mate, who was a
Scotchman and possessed a sufficient share of his national pride,
but as far as his duty was concerned was an excellent seaman. He
said it was usual with all passengers who were not in the state
cabins, and he should insist on the order being obeyed, which they
flatly told him they would not – and to show that it was dis-
regarded we went to any part of the deck, the same as before,
without being interfered with by anyone.