The Journey

Entry 2

1st of January 1854 - New Years Day

I do not like it here one bit. The boat is crammed to the brim and it already smells. There is a lot of dirt and grime and a few people are getting the flu easily.

I am sharing a bunk with Isabel and Patrick and there is not much room to do anything. The richer folk get to be on a higher deck, but I don't think they are much better off than us. My elder sister Aileen is separated from us all because, as she is 17 years of age, she has to stay in a separate compartment from us with the other single women. William is with the other men, and we see him much less than we used to.

 Mother has not yet given birth and we are all holding our breaths that the child is well. I met some other people around my age, but I have not seen them more than a few times as my time is occupied keeping Isabel and Patrick out of trouble. The weather is getting increasingly worse and the ship keeps tipping from side to side, often quite violently.

There has been a few injuries from this and the buckets used as toilets keep spilling over. There is quite a lot of filth and muck on the floor, from people with seasickness throwing up, as well as the buckets tipping over. We have only been on the boat a week, and I already feel as if I have aged greatly.

The only light I have to write this is a dim candle that could go out at any second. I have not seen the sky for five days, as it is far too treacherous to go up on deck. I miss everything about my homeland. From the busy streets, to my friends. I miss even the dull grey skies and rain!

Although however bad the conditions get, I have the comfort in knowing that we will have a secure life once we get to Australia, and that is the fact that keeps many of us going.