On Board The Earl of Darby Near St Pauls Island  3344 Miles from Port Phillip         Oc 28 1852

Dear Btother Thos

I intend begin to write few lince to you wich I hope that I shall have the pleasure to delivered into the post office in Melbour we expect to be there in about 3 weeks from today..We had good passage so far only rather long but safe 2 birth 3 young children died and put over board into the deep all had excellent health and plenty to eat all according to their bills the beef is very inferior quality Pork was good Benbeists (?) is very good flour good allowance of flour 372 1b week ther is one of the passengers beaker by trade we agree with him and the cook to have hot rowle for breakwast every morning and there is thirty of us by paying 2/0 each for the whole voyage he dont miss one morning there is no grog on board there was not only few gallons of brandy and few doz of ale & porter at first 3 of us bought 6 doz of porter in Lpool I sold one doz for 12/0 some sold porter here for 2/6 bottle but there was non to be got Morton pay as high as 2/0 bottle for it they dont charge no fright for provission           29 Friday SE wind going 6 nots Capt was expected to see St Paul Isleand yesderday but no wind about 5 clock this morning alarm came that we were close to it all the passengers were up in short time and it was in seight I was on deck 7 clock we were then within ½ mile to it they said that see is 11 miles by 5 but I dont beleive it (it look exactly like Beamaris ilseand they said the was nobody living in it but there was boat and five men near it fishing there was kind of house and garden to be seen on it in some cornel of it bottom of large hill there is large watter spring in this isleand as hot as boiling it is always 200 degree Boiling watter is 212 this is hot enough to boil fish in it the sail maker is on this ship has been in it boiling up great many birds to be seen on it kind of white birds as large as geese called albert roose another kind called Cape hens that what name the Capt give them (but he will tell more leis than W Hughes Ty fadog never did) it is called fd) anyoying all of us here he is give an offul charitor to Holyhead peoble he said that they try to rop him of the ship and cargo when he was there with John Moore) we are now the same distance from Port phillip as Holyhead is from America we are now 3082 miles from there to America 3084 from Holyhead but there is better wind here they said it always good breeze here and fare we went this last 12 day upward 240 nots day if we will do the same will be in Melborn in 2 week (we have not sow land nor rock before this morning since we sow Ireland I could assure you it was treate to so this little Isleand and more so to find out that the Capt was right with his course (11 clock last neight ship close to called Eliza from Lpool bound to Melburn with general cargo ( Brig ) out from Lpool 97 day and we are 85 we have past her now out of seight (there is another small Island 50 miles from this (I am writing now in my berth and I could here some call out that they could see the other island but we shant go near it I went out I could see it but that is all it is called (Amsterdam) been discover by some Scochman Longitude East we are in 77=54 latitude South 38=42 after we left that channel they steared to the SE half East to the line then we loose 3 ours in time 3 clock with us and  with you there 6 clock I have thermomiter with me wich I bought in Lpool I have it in my berth one day when at the line it was in the shade 96 degrees in the sun 120 that heat did not agree with me at all after cross the line they took their course SW to round the Cape of good hope but we did not go within thousands of miles to the Cape we kept west near South America we was not far once from Reo reginero in going this way we gain the time up again we were exactly the same time as you after go far enough this way they turn her head due east now as strait as possible to port phillip when they commence run East we were only half way (distant) but plenty fair wind here always now we are gaining time again (2 day Nov) 12 clock with us 20 minutes after 5 morning with you whether is stormy but the atmosphare is warm and healthy themomiter 70 in my berth I enjoy the voyage only that there is some of the company miserable they are ten times worse than Jonathan Burnel when he is tipsey) no pleasure in their company                8 Munday fair wind still and strong breeze we had too this last month some last neight last week Morton was up all neight he was praying and in great distress thought that the ship was going down every minit it was 12 clock neight when he give over cards the whether became little better about diner time then Morton began playing cards he dont play no less than 12 ours every day I know that he was looser pounds once I could not tell how he is now they call the game liar I never sow it played before If there is any of your friend intend come here I would advice them to be careful in agree with the ship there is some here paid £18 when others in the same berth and same allowance paid only £13 to 15 pound some paid 20 when we paid 25 pound and all the same privilage if there a party of two or four or more come together to take berth for themself in the thurd caban (say three of them) they could get berth for four they wont put nobody with them neither no one would like to go then they could get plenty of room for their things they should bring with them 1 cask of flour to make poudin and soft bread 2 cask of botatoes 2 hams they could get anything cooked they must do it themself (they should bring with them gallon of whisky or rum to give the cook glass now and then no use to give to much at once you wont need many of these thing the first fourty days (you may bring with you small crock of butter you will find it very good with the nice cakes of your beaking if they think proper they might bring few doz of Porter with them it will cost 1/0 bottle on board perhaps they could not get it when they want it (neither spirit) the first 2 weeks perhaps see sickness then you will be in the hot climate for two or three week then you could not eat much but after this you be in climate like month of march there now you will be good sailor you could cook and eat all day you shall see in the bill what allowance they give of tea sugar & etc you must not live to good in beginning of the week like many does this is long voyage dont ware good close on board you will spoil them with tar and every kind of durt get four dark shirts you could buy them in Lpool for 1/9 each when you durty two of them you could wash them yourself you want two suit of close for the voyage one leight suite for hot whether and another for could whether what ever you do keep yourself quite independent from all on board (you may bring as much close you like with you but durty as little as you could on the voyage) this is not like go to Lpool nor America but this is good work for 14 or 15 weeks and Person wants great ale of things during that length of time and must give up with many things on board ship quite against your will      14 Saderday Nov the provisions are near all done some things are done some weeks ago tomorrow Munday is the weighing out day but there is nothing to weigh out only few casks of biskets no flour no beef no pork no tea coffee raisins now many other things this last week but we had plenty yet of every thing and we are expect to see land every hour now If we would take our rations out the first weeks all would be done3 weeks ago but we did not take one half of them the first 40 days untill we came through the hot climate then we take all and many thing run short before weeks end today we have sign petetion to Parlement stating the way they are send ships out with passengers I suppose you shall see it in some newspaper (I must go out now to see is any sign of land) Morton is bed no card playing today no land to be seen at 12 nor 6 but 10 clock they sow the leight House on Cape Hot way that is in Australia but we want to go as far as from Lpool to Holyhead after we past this leight House all along the land and it was blowing gale of wind the ship gave one rowl untill the masts  touch the water Morton was fearful I was in bed he came to me and the swet run down his face like peaces allmost every body was very faerful the whether was very rough               16 Munday SW wind we are going along the land it looks very sandy great many trees to be seen but they look same we went through the entrance of Port phillip Bay the entrance is about mile and half in breadth from point to point not mile of watter when the tite is out this is the only entrance to this large Bay this bay is 50 miles long and in some parts 300 miles broad 850 square miles and all ships must have pilot to go up and we could not get one then oblidge to drop anchor gest in the entrance 50 miles from here yet to go to Melbourne you never saw prettier country than there is each side of this bay great many trees but large patches of nice green land without not no trees on quite wild nobody never occupied             Wednsday morning no wind the pilot take us up now but we are going very slow 4 clock we drop the anchor in the reight place the Capt went with his papers to the Custom House but it was friday 4 clock when we land at Melbourne in steamer we went up fres watter river 4 miles call yarra yarra this land is as low as the watter and all sand I dont know how to begin to give you any idea about this place this beats all you could see in this town scoarce of drays (cart) with bullocks from 2 to 10 bullocks before one cart father will ask what are they doing they are bring down hay wool straw and I have seen many with 20 sacks of flour after 8 or 10 bullocks you could not see any of the peoble walk only strangers allways on horse back gallap as hard as they could there is many horses in carts too you could not get any kind of horse here under £30 them horses of yours are worth £80 I ask man this morning price of horse and he said that he wont sell it under 80£ them Boos and flour was worth 2 of his about three month there was no horse to be got under hundred pound and after you pay 60 or 80 for horse perhaps the man stole the horse few days before he sold it then the oner of the same horse will find it go to the police and take the horse from the man that paid £40 they told me that this is often the case there was about 500 of us land the same time the was some from some other vessel come with us in the steamer and there was thousands before here live in tends and almost all came with me make their tends and sleep in them some parties newly maried in the second caban with us with their vails and parasol (and what you think of such ladies oblidge to sleep in tend and fire out side to cook 4 of us got lodging together 1/6 for bed and 2/0 for every male breakwast dimer and tea but we could not aford to get more than 2 daily yet I shall give you an idea of prices the prinerbal thing bread 2/6 for 4 1b loaf in the digings 5/0 butter 3/0 botatoes 34/0 pr 100 1b cabage 1/0 each the son of this house paid 18/0 for coupel of fowls for his master egg /4 each beef /4 to /6 mutton the same Brandy 21/ gal 1/0 glas Wsk dry rum /6 glass ale /6 glass and 2/6 pr bottle (cheese 2/6 pr lb) tobacco 4/0 1b tea 2 sugar 3 1b if you will go to any thing worth /7 or /8 and you to give them 1/0 they would never give you any change copper is good for nothing here now you want to know how they are able to get half enough to eats the police men wages he is 10/0 pr day heigh road men 10/0 labour man to attend stone masons or dischare ship not one under 15/6 to 18/0 pr day plenty of work to be had for every body that will work Joiners £1 to 25/0 mason do. farmers is coming down and go round all the tends to look for men offer them from £2 to 4£ week and rations (bwyd) women wages from £15 to 25 year to be had      21 Sunday Nov we went 3 miles to the country this morning and I never sow one wall nor hedge but tends and wooden Houses every 10 or 20 yards there is many trees on it every body is allowed to let their horses and cows on this land but nothing for them gest like Comunice very few houses I have seen with slate on but wood cut gest the shape of slates exactly and they are thaching all the Houses with them except few publick buildings like Bank Custom House and few other walls made with brick and great many all timber last month Oct 43 ships arrived here with peoble 17640 inhabitants (in one month) we are going up to the diggins on Tuesday there is good news from the diggins and bad but I could not say anything untill I shall see (well these horse will gallap for whole day like once gest like chesnet filly of Joy             Munday Nov 22 I went this morning about mile out side of the town I sow in one yard about 400 head of fat cattles belong to the town butchers they would weigh from 7 to 12 score quarter and they cost them from 4 to 7£ and they are selling it at /4 ½ to /6 pr 1b they must have one half profit here on every thing there is in this house great many young men from the diging they have lumps of gold in their pocked gest like copper and they nothing to get meat I shall send you news paper with the same postd I would send one to Thos only that I think he may sell Stanley House by this time I hope that you will send them to him after you done with them dont send all this letter only one seet close is no good here I dont know what to do with my close I must pay 1/0 week for keep my box and when I come down in 3 or four month they will be all spoiled

W. Jones

Mr D Jones Glybeoed Farm

Amlwch

Anglesay

North Wales

Pneland Postmark: BANGOR