Tuesday 20 September 1836

20th Septr Land has just been descried, but though I went up
to the mast-head I could not see it – I find that we are to anchor
in Simons Bay (False Bay) instead of the Cape of G.H. We are
making preparations for taking water stock &c. on board. Are
Uncle and Aunt come home again from France. If I was to name
all my dear friends in England I should fill the sheet; but, however,
give my love to them all and tell them I am quite happy and
like the voyage very well indeed. If this is written badly you must
excuse it as it is perishing cold, and no fires of course, with two
large hatches wide open day and night. Tell Percy and Henry
Hunt they would like the voyage exceedingly – Thornton would
like to make a drawing of the waves as they rise against the wind
and break in large rolling masses of foam – I have several times
had a good ducking with the spray as I was standing against the
bulwarks of the vessel. We had no shaving on crossing the line – We
passed it in the night at about 12 o’clock – Some of the most
learned affirm they felt the shiver on its entry to the Southern
Hemisphere. All the lights in the ship except the Binnacle lamp,
are all put out at ten o’clock at night. We have not any shelves
in our birth so that the present George Morphett made me has
been very useful in providing nails to hang things upon. We were
not hotter in crossing the line than a hot summer’s day in England,
at least so I thought the Thermometer being no more than 86°.
When on the mast head you can see 21 miles every way round you.
Table mountain can be seen 60 miles out to sea, at least so they
say. We went within sight of Madeira but it was at nightfall so that
we could not see it plainly and in the morning we were 200 miles
from it – Since crossing the line we have had a contrary wind so
that we went very near the coast of South America. We went very
near the island of Trinidad and saw the Martin Vas Rocks in the
distance, they appeared to be composed of 4 tremendous Cliffs
rising abruptly above the surface of the sea. Captn Duff has been
very kind to me – this Blot you see underneath was done by Mr
Nantes coming down from the Deck very cold and beginning to
take a little exercise by knocking his arms about so that he hit my
pen and made this said blot. We are beginning to rock so that I
am hardly able to keep my seat and therefore shall conclude again
with love to all Dear friends &.
Believe me
Dear Brother
Yours ever affectionately
ARTHUR W. GLIDDON