Page:Narrative of a Visit to the Australian Colonies.djvu/29

NARRATIVE.

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CHAPTER I.

Voyage to Van Diemens Land.—Embarkation—Emigrant Pensioners.—Disorderly conduct.—Intemperance.—The Ocean.—Bottled Water.—Petrels.—Coast of Spain.—Birds.—Storm.—Danger.—Equator.—Sunset.—Trinidad and Martin Vaz.—Funeral.—Whales.—Fishes.—Albatross.—African Coast.—Cape Town.—Schools.—Slavery.—Public Institutions.—Religious Meeting.—Departure.—L'Agullas Bank.—Southern Ocean.—Birds.—Religious Labours.—Coast of V. D. Land.—Colour of the Sea.—Piratical Vessel.—Sharks.—Bad Bay.—Arrival at Hobart Town.

All necessary arrangements for a long voyage having previously been made, we embarked in St. Katharine's Dock, London, on the 3rd of the 9th month, 1831, on board the Science—a fine barque, of 236 tons, William Saunders, master. A few of our friends accompanied us to Gravesend, where we anchored that afternoon, and others joined us there on the following day, with whom we went to meeting, at Rochester. In this, the last assembly for public worship which we attended in our native land, we were favoured to feel much of the comfort of the Holy Spirit, and of confirmation respecting our projected voyage being undertaken in the divine counsel.

In the cabin of the Science, there were two other passengers; and in the steerage, forty-six Chelsea pensioners, who had commuted their pensions for an advance of four years'