| ⚪ | Tuesday, 13th | Had to lash up the boatskids with chains as they were all coming to pieces. The whole affair, coops, skids, bridge, and boats were nearly on deck. All day spent in gathering up and sorting wreckage. | |
| Wednesday, 14th | Going ahead splendidly, keeping up and passing several ships and steamers. | ||
| Thursday, 15th | Beautiful day, and fine wind. A proper Colonial summer day. | ||
| Friday, 16th | About 150 miles off Melbourne. Getting ship ready for going in tomorrow. | ||
| Saturday, 17th | Seven this morning the fine pilot boat No 3 came alongside and the pilot came aboard. It was a head wind for the heads, so had to tack several times. 8 a.m. sailed through Port Philips heads and signalled and commenced our most eventful passage up the bay. Once you get into the bay you think you are at sea again. It is so large that you can't see land on any side, except, of course, it is very clear. Dead head wind, and we tacked ship about 40 times. All the time it blowing a gale and the pilot hanging on to the Main topgall'sail. It was stand from under the yards when they swing round. At the last tack from Melbourne a terrific Southerly burster came up. They let go the to'gallantsail and three others, and myself went up to make it fast. I never felt such wind in my life. You could hardly breathe. All four hats went at the same moment. Then the hail started. It was a [- ? -]. Everyone on deck shouted for us to come down, which we did in double quick time. It blew the brand new storm canvas Foresail into ribbons, and we had a nice little job of about two hours trying to make it fast. Every man in the ship was soaked to the skin, and it was blooming cold too. We drifted shorewards, and droped anchor on St. Kilda beach. That was the worst gale that had passed over Melbourne for years. We were working all last night, all today and tonight, so feel awfull tired. | ||
| Sunday, 18th | Hove up anchor and went up to Fort Melbourne and droped anchor again. Blowing very hard. | ||
| Monday, 19th | Had to remain in the bay as the gale was too strong to go up the river. | ||
| Tuesday, 20th | Towed up the river today. It is a fine tow of 15 miles, and docked in Victoria dock at 9 a.m. This ended the most eventful passage I have made. | ||
| ⚪ | Left Liverpool Saturday, llth June, at 2.15 p.m. Arrived Melbourne Saturday, 17th September, 8 a.m. Passage 98 days. |
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| The journal breaks off here and resumes, after a short description of Melbourne (on next page), on 18th October 1898 with a voyage to Newcastle, N.S.W. then on to Portland, Oregon. | |||
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