On board the ‘Earl of Derby’ near St Paul’s Island 3344 miles from Port Phillip. 28 October 1852

(Note: St Paul’s Island in the South Indian Ocean 30-40S, 77-34E; Port Phillip Bay: the bay at the North of which lies Melbourne.)

Dear Brother Thomas

(Note: William Jones’ brother Thomas was baptized at Llangristiolus Church, Anglesey on 9 March 1817 and died on 18 June 1856, aged 38. He was buried at Sardis Chapel, Dulas, Anglesey. His twin brother Owen emigrated to Massachusetts.)

I intend beginning to write a few lines to you which I hope to have the pleasure to deliver to the Post Office in Melbourne. We expect to be there in about 3 weeks from today. We have had a good passage so far. It has been rather long but safe. There have been 2 births and 3 young children died and were put overboard into the deep. All had excellent health and plenty to eat according to their bills. The beef is of very inferior quality. The pork was good. Benbeists (?) is very good. Flour good. The allowance of flour is 372 lb. per week. One of the passengers is a baker by trade. We agreed with him and the cook to have hot rolls for breakfast every morning. There are 30 of us. By paying him 2s/0d for the whole voyage he has not missed a single morning. There is no grog on board. There were only a few gallons of brandy and a few dozen ale and porter at first. Three of us bought 6 dozen of porter in Liverpool. I sold one dozen for 12s/0d. Some sold porter here for 2s/6d a bottle but there was none to be got. Morton paid as much as 2s/0d a bottle for it. They don’t charge freight for provisions.

29 October, Friday. SE wind. Going 6 knots. The Captain had expected to see St. Paul’s Island yesterday but there was no wind. About 5 o’clock this morning the alarm came that we were close to it. All the passengers were up in a short time and it was in sight. I was on deck at 7 o’clock. We were then within ½ mile of it. They said that it is 11 miles by 5 but I don’t believe it. It looks exactly like Beaumaris Island (Note: Puffin Island, Anglesey). They said there was nobody living on it but there was a boat and five men near it fishing. There was a kind of house and garden to be seen on it. In some corner of it at the bottom of a large hill there is a large water-spring in this island boiling hot. It is always 200 degrees (Boiling water is 212). It is hot enough to boil fish in it. The sail-maker who is on this ship has been in it boiling up a great many birds which are to be seen on the island. There is a kind of white bird as large as geese called albatross and another kind called Cape hens. That is the name the Captain gives them (but he will tell more lies than W. Hughes, Ty Fadog ever did. He is annoying all of us here giving an awful character to Holyhead people. He said that they tried to rob 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 Port Phillip. To America from Holyhead is 3084 miles but there is better wind here. They say that there is always a good breeze here and fair. These last 12 days we went upward of 240 knots a day. If we continue to do the same we will be in Melbourne in 2 weeks. We had not seen land or rock before this morning since we saw Ireland. I can assure you it was a treat to see this little island and the more so to find out that the Captain was right with his course. At 11 o’clock last night there was a ship close to, called the Eliza from Liverpool bound for Melbourne with general cargo, a brig 97 days out from Liverpool We are 85 days out. We have now passed her and she is now out of sight. There is another small island 50 miles from this. I am writing now in my berth and I could hear some calling out that they could see the other island, but we shall not go near it. I went out and I could see it but that is all. It is called Amsterdam (Note: Amsterdam Island, 37-30S, 77-30E). It was discovered by some Scotsman. We are in longitude 77-54 East, latitude 38-42 South. After we left that channel we steared to the SE half East to the line. Then we lost 3 hours in time, 3 o’clock with us and 6 o’clock with you there. I have a thermometer with me which I bought in Liverpool. I have it in my berth. One day when at the line (Note: the line – Equator) it was 96 degrees in the shade and 120 in the sun. That heat did not agree with me at all. After crossing the line they took their course SW to round the Cape of Good Hope but we did not go within thousands of miles of the Cape. We kept West near South America. We were not far at one time from Rio de Janeiro. In going this way we gained time up again. We were exactly the same time as you. After going far enough this way they turned her head due East, now as straight as possible to Port Phillip. When they commenced to run East we were only half-way distant but there is plenty of fair wind here always. Now we are gaining time again (2^nd day of November). It is 12 o’clock with us but 20 minutes after 5 in the morning with you. The weather is stormy but the atmosphere is warm and healthy. The thermometer in my berth is 70 degrees. I am enjoying the voyage very much only that some of the company are miserable. They are 10 times worse than Jonathan Burnel when he is tipsy. There is no pleasure in their company.

8 November, Monday. Fair wind still and strong breeze. We had too this last month (and) some last night. Last week Morton was up all night, praying and in great distress (because he) thought that the ship was going down every minute. It was 12 o’clock at night when he gave over cards. The weather became a little better about dinner time. Then Morton began playing cards. He plays no less than 12 hours a day. I know that he was the loser of pounds once. I cannot tell how he is now. They call the game liar. I never saw it played before. If there are any of your friends intending to come here I would advise them to be careful in agreeing with the ship. There are some here who paid £18 while others in the same berth and on the same allowance paid only £13 to £15. Some paid £20 while we paid £25 and all (have) the same privileges. If there (were) a party of two or four or more (who) come together to take a berth for themselves in the third cabin (say three of them), they could get a berth for four. They won’t put anybody with them, neither would anyone like to go. Then they could get plenty of room for their things. They should bring with them 1 cask of flour to make pudding and soft bread, 2 casks of potatoes, 2 hams. They could get anything cooked (but) they must do it themselves. They should bring with them a gallon of whisky or rum to give the cook a glass now and then. (It is) no use giving too much at once. You won’t need many of these things the first forty days. You may bring with you a small crock of butter. You will find it very good with the nice cakes of your baking. If they think proper they might bring a few dozen of porter with them. It will cost 1s/0d a bottle on board. Perhaps they could not get it when they want it, nor spirit. The first 2 weeks perhaps sea-sickness, then you will be in the hot climate for two or three weeks. Then you could not eat much but after this you (will) be in a climate like the month of March there (Note: there – at home). Now you will be a good sailor (and) 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 too well in the beginning of the week like many do. This is a long voyage. Don’t wear good clothes on board. You will spoil them with tar and every kind of dirt. Get four dark shirts. You could buy them in Liverpool for 1s/9d each. When you dirty two of them, you could wash them yourself. You want two suits of clothes for the voyage, one light suit for hot weather and another for cold weather. Whatever you do keep yourself quite independent from all on board. You may bring as many clothes as you like with you but dirty as little as you could on the voyage. This is not like going to Liverpool, nor America but this is good work for 14 or 15 weeks and a person wants a great deal of things during that length of time and must give up many things on board ship quite against your will.

14 November, Saturday. The provisions are nearly all done. Some things were done some weeks ago. Tomorrow, Monday, is the weighing-out day but there is nothing to weigh out, only a few casks of biscuits. No flour, no beef, no pork, no tea, coffee, raisins, now many other things this last week but we had plenty yet of everything and we are expecting to see land every hour now. If we had taken our rations out the first weeks all would be done 3 weeks ago but we did not take one half of them the first 40 days until we came through the hot climate. Then we took all and many things ran short before the week’s end. Today we signed a Petition to Parliament stating the way they are sending ships out with passengers. I suppose you will see it in some newspaper. I must go out now to see if there is any sign of land. Morton is (in) bed. No card-playing today. No land to be seen at 12 nor 6 but at 10 o’clock they saw the lighthouse on Cape Otway, that is in Australia (Note: Cape Otway 38-52S, 143-31E), but we want to go as far as from Liverpool to Holyhead after we pass this lighthouse all along the land and it was blowing a gale of wind. The ship gave us one roll until the masts touched the water. Morton was fearful. I was in bed. He came to see me and the sweat ran down his face like pieces. Almost everybody was very fearful. The weather was very rough.

16 November, Monday. SW wind. We are going along the land. It looks very sandy. Great many trees to be seen, but they look the same. We went through the entrance of Port Phillip Bay. The entrance is about a mile and a half in breadth from point to point, not a mile of water when the tide 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 a pilot to go up and we could not get one. (We were) then obliged to drop anchor just in the entrance. (There are) 50 miles from here yet to go to Melbourne. You never saw prettier country than there is each side of this great Bay. A great many trees but large patches of nice green land without trees on, quite wild. Nobody ever occupied (it).

(18 November) Wednesday morning. No wind. The pilot takes us up now but we are going very slowly. At 4 o’clock we drop anchor in the right place. The Captain went with his papers to the Custom House but it was

(20 November) Friday at 4 o’clock when we landed at Melbourne from the steamer. We went up a fresh-water river called the Yarra Yarra (for) 4 miles. This land is as low as the water and all sand. I don’t know how to begin to give you any idea about this place. This beats all you could see in this town – scores of drays (carts) with bullocks – from 2 to 10 bullocks before one cart. Father (Note: father – David Jones of Glybcoed, born 1777, died 1860 aged 84) will ask what are they doing. They are bringing down hay wool and straw and I have seen many with 20 sacks of flour after 8 or 10 bullocks. You could not see any of the people walking – only strangers always on horse-back galloping as hard as they could. There are many horses in carts too. You could not get any kind of horse here under £30. Those horses of yours are worth £80. I asked a man this morning the price of a horse and he said he would not sell it under £80. Boos and Flower were wroth 2 of his (Note: Boos and Flower – names of horses at Glybcoed). About 3 months ago there was no horse to be go (for) under a hundred pounds, and after you have paid £60 or £80 for a horse, perhaps the man had stolen the horse a few days before he sold it. Then the owner of the same horse will find it and go to the police and take the horse from the man who had paid £40. They told me that this is often the case. There were about 500 of us who landed at the same time. There were some from some other vessel who came with us in the steamer and there were thousands here before, living in tents. Almost all who came with me made their tents and sleep in them. Some parties, newly married and in the second cabin with us were with their veils and parasols. What do you think of such ladies who are obliged to sleep in tents and have a fire outside to cook. Four of us got lodgings together 1s/6d for bed and 2s/0d for every meal, breakfast, dinner and tea but we could not afford to get more than 2 daily yet. I shall give you an idea of prices. The principal thing bread 2s6d for a 4 lb. loaf, in the diggings 5s/0d, butter 3s/0d, potatoes 34s/0d per 100 lb., cabbage 1s/0d each. The son of this house paid 18s/0d for a couple of fowls for his master. Eggs 0/4d each, beef 0/4d to 0/6d, mutton the same, brandy 21s/0d a gallon, 1s/0d a glass of whisky (or) dry rum, 0/6d a glass of ale, 0/6d a glass and 2s/6d per bottle, cheese 2s/6d per lb., tobacco 4s/0d lb., tea 2, sugar 3lb. If you buy anything worth 0/7d or 0/8d and you give them 1s/0d, 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 eat. The policemen’s wages are 10s/0d per day, highroad men 10s/0d. Labouring man to attend stonemasons or discharge ship –not one under 15s/6d to 18s/0d per day. Plenty of work to be had for everybody that will work. Joiners £1 to 25s/0d, masons ditto. Farmers are coming down and going round all the tents to look for men and offering them from £2 to £4 a week and rations (bwyd). (Note: bwyd – Welsh for food). Women’s wages: from £15 to £25 a year to be had.

21 November, Sunday. We went 3 miles to the country this morning and I never saw one wall or hedge but tents and wooden houses every 10 or 20 yards. There are many trees. Everybody is allowed to let their horses and cows on this land but there is nothing for them, just like commons. (There are) very few houses that I have seen with slate on, but wood cut just the shape of slates exactly and they are thatching all the houses with them except a few public buildings like the Bank and Custom House. A few other walls are made with brick and a great many all timber. Last month, October, 43 ships arrived here with people. 17640 inhabitants (in one month). We are going up to the diggings on Tuesday. There is good news from the diggings and bad. I cannot say anything until I see. (Well these horses will gallop for the whole day just like once the chestnut filly of Joy).

22 November, Sunday. I went this morning about a mile outside of the town. I saw in one yard about 400 head of fat cattle belonging to the town butchers. They would weigh from 7 to 12 score a quarter and they cost them from £4 to £7 and they are selling it at 0/4½d to 0/6d per lb. They must have one half profit here on everything. There are in this house a great many young men from the diggings. They have lumps of gold in their pockets just like copper and they (have) nothing to get meat. I shall send you a newspaper with the same post. I would send one to Thomas, only that I think he may sell Stanley House by this time. I hope that you will send to him after you have done with them. Don’t send all this letter – only one sheet. Clothes are no good here. I don’t know what to do with my clothes. I must pay 1s/0d a week for keeping my box and when I come down in 3 or 4 months they will all be spoiled.

W. Jones

Mr D. Jones

Glybcoed Farm

Amlwch

Anglesey

North Wales

England. 

Postmark: Bangor

(Note: William Jones’ brother David was baptized on 11 Nov. 1821 at Llangristiolus Church. He died on 8 Dec. 1887 aged 66 and was buried at Sardis Chapel, Dulas, Anglesey.)