Monday 19 September 1836

19th Septr Mr Slater, I have found him to be very kind to
me he has taught me many useful things – he and Mr Williams
I think are my greatest friends – he is so very much liked by our
cabin passengers that he sleeps and very often takes his meals in
our cabin – he is a very different kind of person to what he was
when I saw him at Gravesend, he has always a pleasant word for
everybody – I am invited every Thursday (by Captn Duff &
Wife) to dine in the 1 st cabin – an honour which very few are
allowed. Our Fore-top-mast sprang some time ago and they have
hoisted a new one – Mr Hallett (Captn Duff’s partner) has got
a sheep-dog which has had youngs – there are seven of them two
of them born without tails – our anchors are now ready
slung over the bows for anchoring at the Cape. It is very cold just
now though the sun is shining – I am very well, and have not
even been sea-sick – so that I have not given any trouble to the
doctor Mr Everard. We manage to make bread now though we
have to make the yeast – there are several ways of making it;
but Mr Williams’ proves to be the best. We have five messes in
the second cabin for I am sorry to say they very much disagree.
Give my love to all dear friends – I should have written to Kate,
but I am pressed for time – how is she and how is the baby – has
it been christened yet – by the by there has been a child born
on board by a Mrs Parcel a steerage passenger. Mrs Brown was
proposing that something should be done for him and I think so
too. Our lower Studding Sail has been blown out
of the bolt ropes and I helped to haul it in – no easy matter for
the sheet kept tugging so much that it would sometimes lift us
off the deck or else set you sliding on the wet deck into the Lee
scuppers. We have got a Scotch crew with only one Englishman
among them of the name of Ramsden – The Captn called me to
the wheel and I steered the vessel for about eight miles going SE by
E. We are going at the rate of 10 knots an hour as fast
as we have gone yet except during the squalls.