Last week we celebrated the arrival of the first ship, the Duke of York to South Australian shores. This vessel was closely followed by the Lady Mary Pelham. As we continue to read these historical sources, we will start to explore both the lives of emigrants who have reached South Australia and those who are still making the journey.
This is both a week of joy and sadness onboard the Africaine. On the 1st August, we start with a birthday celebration, while the very next day we are saddened with the news that Kate, a cat belonging to Helen, the daughter of Mary Thomas was thrown overboard and never seen again. Is there a correlation between these events? Did a night of celebrations and too much drink lead to someone committing a terrible act? This week’s journals give us an insight into the highs and lows of life onboard.
It is interesting to note that Mary Thomas, upon her arrival in South Australia and after learning more about the fate of Kate the cat added comments to her journal. Her entries draw the reader in, containing great detail and effectively use descriptive language. This week we will focus on Mary Thomas, examining the content and language features of her journals.
pomfrey’s cat. Edward Snell, 1849