An 1860s illustration showing dry digging for gold in Australia

Leaving from Liverpool

Land

Have been out for 73 days. Land was sighted this morning and caused great excitement – even the first class passengers pushed to catch a glimpse. I think some are government officials and fine men they look too. One steerage passenger is taking bets on when we will reach Sydney.

However our main concern is illness. Four people have now died from fever and Joseph still fights. Sarah frets and the ship cannot move quickly enough for me. The captain also worries, but only because the ship may be held in quarantine in Sydney.

Since sighting land people have been swapping terrible tales of the horrors of Sydney – dirt, heat, vicious animals, robbers and illness. I don’t know what to believe, but with Joseph’s illness in my thoughts I am all the more worried. At this moment I wish I’d never left London.

More bad news – luckily not for us. Some passengers have tickets marked with a different destination, and were told in Liverpool that it was the port of Sydney. The captain says it isn’t Sydney and those unfortunates will have to pay an extra 10/- to go the distance. They all feel robbed and many don’t have the fare.

Day 55 - Arrival