Journal of voyage from London to Sydney on board the ship KATE

Journal of voyage from London to Sydney on board the ship KATE

Author Howell

Date1853

Object number00015738

NameLetter

MediumInk on paper

DimensionsOverall: 216 × 140 × 1.4 mm, 0.5 kg

ClassificationsBooks and journals

Credit LineANMM Collection

Collections

Manuscript diaries, journals and logs

Terms

DescriptionA manuscript contemporary copy of a letter 'Being a journal of a voyage from London to Sydney at sea on board the ship KATE July 1853'. The ship departed 24 June from London and arrived in Port Jackson, 25 October 1853. Although the author is not specificaly identified in the journal, passenger lists for this voyage indicate that it is likely Mr Howell, his wife and two children. HistoryThe ship KATE, 904 tons, was built in Plymouth in 1836. This journey to Australia outlined in the journal was not the first for the ship and seemed typical in the events that are outlined by the author. The major anomaly that appears is the duration of the voyage. The author laments that the ship ELLENBOROUGH had arrived in Sydney two weeks before the KATE despite having left London three weeks after it. The cause of this was the "calms, light and adverse winds that so lengthened our voyage; but on the whole it was pleasant, and in no way disastrous." Three month voyages at this time were filled with the ups and downs of life aboard a cramped ship surrounded by strangers. The monotony of shipboard life led to flare ups amongst passengers and crew but as the author records "unanimity is not expected to exist long in society formed of persons promiscuously brought together and, consequently, uncontrolled by a policy of dependence on each other." Despite this the distractions of nature such as whales and sharks and the beauty of the skis went along way to sooth tensions. The author talks of ship board pursuits such as rat hunting, bird shooting and shark catching as diversions in addition to the excitment that the changing weather bought. SignificanceThis journal is detailed description of life on board a ship on a voyage during the gold rush period. The author details weather and wind conditions in addition to notable daily events such as outbreaks of fighting, passing vessels and the challenges of living life aboard a ship for three months.