Family History 1.703

Grumbling Starts

Charles Gaze
24th November 1859

went on deck half past 6 a.m. raining, but not quite so rough as it had been in the night.

9 o'clock, clearing off, sunshine. Went on the poop and read for a short time. Saw a splendid Rainbow. No ships in sight. Wind rather strong but very pleasant, eat a good dinner of pork and pickles, Children had a baked rice pudding.

1 sheep killed in the afternoon, 2 passengers assisted in dressing it with the Butcher.
Ship rolling very much, unable to keep the Tea Things at all steady, quite a rattle every now and then among the tins, which makes some persons very irritable others roaring out laughter, very difficult to keep on our legs.

turned very cold and windy. Scraped out my own cabin while wife and children on deck. All pretty well except little Charlie who has been sick several times but all right between times.

Half past 7 ship still rolls very much, very difficult to keep our seats, best to lay down to read or write.

The ticket for the Gaze family

25th Latitude 46N, 13 West Longitude

Strong winds, weather pretty fine, ship still rolls very much, much dissatisfaction amongst the passengers, on account of inconvenience of the ship and cooking apparatus. One second cabin passenger said he had been on 2 ships before but to this is not in any way to be compared for annoyances.

A young man brought his mattress on to the poop to dry in consequence of the sea having got into his cabin.

10 o'clock  Heavy sea washing over the ship frequently and coming down the Hatchway. The ship on one side makes it very unpleasant to move about or even keep our seats. Raining, and much colder. The ship's pumps at work a great deal.

2 o'clock Water Closet Tw'n deck, in very bad order, never did work properly the first day at sea. Captain came and looked ordered Carpenter to do away with it, did so. Ship leaks at almost every sckuttle (side light). Passengers greatly annoyed in consequence of their things getting wet.

I told the Captain I thought it was badly fitted up altogether, he said this was the Emigration Commissioners doings (that is the water closet)he told me he thought I was no judge, so I told him that I did not find fault with him. Mr Wilkes having his dinner, stood up and told he considered himself a judge, and that it was a badly fitted ship, whereupon the Captain told him he was sorry he (Mr Wilkes) had come out in the ship, in which (Mr W) quite agreed and wished he had not.