A PIONEER’S DIARY.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 17527, 2 May 1925, Page 23

A PIONEER’S DIARY.

NORTHAMPTON'S VOYAGE. Extracts from ihe diary of Mr William Woods, who came to New Zealand by the ship Northampton. 1161 toils, which sailed from Southwest India Dock-; London, on -March IS. 1871. Number oi souls all told. 393. Match .17. — lake farewell of dear friends and the place of our birth with aching hearts. Arrived at London, send all females to docks by cab, hen we walk over London Bridge and lake train ourrelves. Arrived at docks, we are put mto the receiving shed, and served out with tinware for use on the voyage. The luggage is going on l.°ard at a terrific pace, passengers go on board at tout' o'clock; there is a great bustle and contusion in the choosing of berths, bir. many were disappointed as each one was nominate:, for a certain bunk art! bare to shift from there to eat -to proper quarters. We are all very hungry, having han thy. In the evening we get seared out with b'ead, butter aid tea. We ti rued in. at ton o’clock. We t*ke a survey of our sleeping apartment, and think it a very quee~ place to spend so long a time in. We are soon asleep, and make a very good first nigh t. March IS.—Hose at six in the morning. it. was wet. but cleared off at rrTdday. I went, up on deck to wash, wife and baby below. Alter breakfast: T went ashore to get extra provisions medicine, etc. On coming back i found that the vessel had been tugged out of the dock down t.o the basin. 1 got aboard there, and at half-past twelve wo were taken down as lav as Greenhive by the I tigs .John .Bull and \ icloria. We got served on", here w il.h good roast beet’, bread, etc. Our ship was here inspected by Government inspectors. We took on board five I : vo pigs, twenty-three sheep, a quantity of ducks and fowls for the officers’ table. Mo lay here all nigh!, there was lots of singing, but we did not foci in singing tune, for our thoughts wore on those we were leaving behind. We got to bed in good time. March 19. We let go to proceed to Gravesend, w here we lay to; the Govagain, we all had to pass the doctor one

by one from the poop of the ship, not a soul remaining below. Search was made to see if there were any stowaways. We are now classed in messes, w here I am carver for number 27, the number of our mess. All our party get together ou the deck, where we smoke and pass the time in the best waj wc can. Jack. Anne and myself all sing well to the concertina, and wc have a great 4 mob around us. They are delighted to think they have some music going with them. There was a good deal of singing until ten o'clock, when we all have to turn in. AYc are i ot sorry for bed-time to come round, for that is the best place we can find. All well. March 20. .Rose at six. went up on ecck. Fine bright morning. AYe remained at Gravesend all day to sec that all are well before starting for the voyage. The inspectors also stay exf in’lling trie ship and to see that everything thrt was needful was in the stores. There was a great assembling by the cabin in the e' cinng where cvei'v variety of song is sung. Turned in early. All we 1 .. March 21 In the early morning wc were visited bv the fresh water shark? in the shape of shopkeepers with every kind o c goods which time has taugl i them to bring. Many were foolish enougn to start without makirg any provision, and th.ev nor found the - , wanted many things, and they have to pa}' for it. Ever}-thing is cJouuieo in price. Although one could sec shops staring one in the face, there was no getting to them. Luckily for me T had got what 1 wanted in London. Ac midday we proceeded down the channel called Princess Channel. AA'e sighted Ramsgate and Margate, the Xoith and South Forelands, and anchored opposite the town of Deal. The crew were ordered out in the lifeboat to test theii ability and the evening wound up with more singing. YYe turned in at 10. March 22—Rose at 7 this morning, it is fine, prepared breakfast, aftei which a boat came alongside with dried herrings. 1 bought a dozen for 9d. T then went and shaved two cooks, in return for which I got a nice litlic pudding baked, made from the floui 1 bought in London. 1 wrote some letters, after which we assembled for church service. where the schoolmaster takes office as curate. 1 am chosen organist with my English concertina. We got a capital muster with many good voices that would do credit to many of our churches at home. The captain look* part in it. they arc very kind officers and keep Sunday in a respectful manner. There were some mockers behind us, as there arc in most places of worship. Service over, wc paraded the deck, then got our dinner. YYe got plenty of meat, but very, very tough, such as would not do for false teeth. After dinner we went up on deck again and sang some of those beautiful hymns wc had often sung at home. The first mate made the children a skipping rope. They are indeed, most kind to children and keep a portion of the deck expressly for theii play. There were now 07 outward-bound vessels lying at anchor around us owing to adverse winds. At half-past six we weighed anchor, having lain in the Downs exactly twenty-four hours. The sailors sang merrily while they wound the anchor, the song “Farewell, wc Leave Old England, and We ate Out ward Bound. The length of chain paid out to anchor was 00 fathoms at 0 feet to the fathom, so wc had plenty of water. We passed Folkestone and Dover, 1 still being towed be the tug Napoleon, and sighted Thungeness at 10 o'clock at night, when we tui ned in. .March 23- Rose at. 7 in the morning. U is foggy, but the wind has lurm-d rather in our favour. Wc now dispensed with the steam lug. and proceeded on down the Channel. We could not see land owing to Ihe fog. We moved very slowI.} 1 .} - as there was but a slight breeze, and tacked about a. good deal, not making more than hail a mile an hour. Wc were served out with pork and biscuit, for we were now to begin the sea diet. AA'e could not get on at all with it. for the pork was dreadfully salt and the biscuits so hard that we tried them soaked. but it makes them appear more sickly. So we made our dinner from a mug oi pea soup. It came on to rain to make it more miserable, so we turned in very early, to hope for a better day on the morrow. (To be continued).