A Hungry Day at Sea

Thursday Sepr 4th



The sky yesterday cleared & we had a very fine day, though the breeze fell considerably during the afternoon and after dark rain came on, so we went below & had a hand at whist. After Lizzie & the young ones went to bed I again went on deck, the moon having risen & clouds partly cleared away & had a long chat with some young gentlemen from Lancashire about their intentions in the way of farming in N Zd To bed at 11.30 PM - This morning it is again dull & cloudy tho a good favouring breeze is carrying us along very well. I find now there is nothing in our thoughts as what shall we have for dinner, and as that cannot be very interesting to read about I shall merely say that we have very little variety. To breakfast this morning we had a couple of spoonfuls of boiled rice with sugar or molasses & coffee & bread & butter afterwards. To dinner we have tinned meat, beef or mutton, preserved potatoes & once or twice a week pickles. We can have boiled salt pork or beef 3 or 4 times a week if we like, but our stomachs have scarcely come down to that yet. For tea we have tea & bread or biscuit & butter. Generally we have enough such as it is, but occasionally we run short. My little round paunch is gone & I can cross my legs in comfort so I suppose that is something gained. If any of my friends should follow me, I would advise them to come enclosed steerage & spend the £8 or £9 difference in flour & nice preserved fruits & meats, so as to be somewhat independent of the execrable stuff Messrs Shaw Saville & Co in their generosity supply their passengers with. Yester morning we had a talk of publishing a newspaper on board & I & another gentm saw the Capn & got leave to post a notice calling a meeting of passengers for today to take the matter into consideration, & if agreeable to the meeting to elect an Editor, reporter &c. We are not sure yet whether it will be printed or published in manuscript only.