Captain Mathews showed much sympathy for the grief and suffering. How we watched him as he sat with his telescope, and anxiously wondered how long it would be ere we got to Adelaide. Wild winds would toss the ship with such cruel force that we were very anxious. Once we saw icebergs floating about in the sea, and it required some skill to steer clear of them. They looked awful. There was a skylight just above where the other young girl and I slept, but it was always shut and made fast every night at 10 o'clock. One fearfully rough night when the wind was blowing strongly the water came rushing down the ladder. It was sea water. Our berth was getting full, and I could not go on deck for the hatchway was locked. I called, as loudly as I could, but could not get anyone to hear. So I thought of a plan, and I found a mopstick and tied my towel on it, and poked it up through the bars of the skylight, and rattled it to and fro with such vigor that the captain, who was at the wheel, came running and calling what was the matter. I said, "Please, captain, will you put the cover on the skylight to keep the water from coming down the steps?" He said I would have to appear before the doctor in the morning to answer for the fright I had given him, and I was sent for in the morning for the first time.
Fever was in the captain's cabin; the doctor was there and the mates. The captain said he had been to sea for thirty-three years and had met all kinds of incidents, but that he had never before had such a fright as I gave him with that broomstick. He was horrified to see this white thing come up in the middle of the night. I promised never to offend again, but I received a good scolding. He said it looked like a goblin, and he pretended to be angry, but I could see the smile on his face. I could only look from one to the other, for if the ship had got wrecked they said I would have been to blame, for the captain was at the wheel himself, and he let it go when he saw this white object thrust out in the darkness, while the sound disturbed him as much as the sight of the thing.
I shall never forget that time. Sometimes doubt and despair were at war. I felt that I could not undertake the journey again, for the task I had undertaken seemed harder than any I had learnt before.
A lot of nonsense was talked about "crossing the line." What dreadful things some of us thought we would see! We feared the Equator and the Southern Cross, but there was, after all, only fun and merriment, there being nothing strange to see. The ship went on steadily just the same, but when they told me a certain constellation of stars was the Southern Cross, and I lost sight of some stars I was familiar with, I knew we were making our way to the new land. After crossing the great dividing of the seas we often had it very hot. This was new to me. Often in the tropics the ship would just roll to and fro, and sometimes make no headway. Then we would see the tar boiling in the seams on the deck. We had plenty of time for dreams and fancies, as we longed for the first glint of freedom, so as to start into life again. It was getting on towards the end of December, and we thought of the New Year on board ship, and set to work to form some plans for being joyous.
Christmas and New Year's Day were festive times. Some of the young girls who had friends amongst the married people were allowed to go to their quarters to spend the day, and we had all sorts of enjoyment by direction of the captain. We were well content with the arrangements, and the whole time was restful and quiet, despite the monotony of the voyage. The share of joy and sorrow that comes to every life was not absent on sea. What troubled me was that I was growing tall, and I wondered what I should do for clothing. I grew in height and got broader. I could only with difficulty get on some of my garments that fitted me well before I left on the long voyage. Some actually laughed, and asked me why I came before I had stopped growing. I only had one hat, and that blew over the side of the ship. I stood and watched it as far as I could see it with tears in my eyes. That had fitted me alright. We got up our boxes every now and then to look through them. But I must not keep on about my discomfort, although what seemed droll to others was to me a matter for serious thought. I had a new pair or boots and would not wear them on board, but was saving them to go ashore with. I put them in what I thought a safe place in a corner where we slept, but when I went to get them the rats had eaten all the kid off them. There were only left the canvas or lining and the leather on the toes. I took them and showed them to the captain, and he said it was good to have rats on board ship, as it indicated that we would not get wrecked on the voyage. I had been so helpful to the matron all the way that the doctor told me I would be rewarded with some payment when we got to Adelaide. I was thankful for that, because I had no money.
We were told that it would take to the middle of February, supposing everything went right, before Adelaide would be reached. Many on board were travelling to relations or friends, and there was no home-sickness amongst them. They counted the moments until their arrival. Neither the captain, the doctor, nor any of the mates had ever been to South Australia, nor had any of the passengers been either, so we had no one to tell us of anything encouraging about this new country. We could only have hope and courage. Everything was done for our comfort. When the weather was too hot awnings were spread to protect us from the sun, and we always seemed to have a reasonable supply of water. I never saw the least sign of whisky or grog, as it was called, in the case of any of the officers of the Morning Star.
Cleanliness was universal, and every precaution was taken against infection by the use of carbolic. That South Australia was a place for men and women who believed in themselves was recognised, and the question was often discussed. There were men of culture and training on board the ship, and so they proved themselves afterwards. It made me proud to think of having come a sea-voyage with them. The same remark applied also to the women, with but few exceptions. We had all signed an agreement to stop in the colony for two years. The thoughts of a return to Great Britain were shared with many of us, and they gave me hope.
The most painful experience I ever had on that deck was one Saturday morning. I was sitting in my usual place, when I saw a seaman going up in the rigging. All at once I heard a fearful cry, and I saw him fall into the sea. They shut down the skylight to keep the people from causing confusion. On either side of the ship a lifeboat was lowered in a moment, and before I had time to look round I could see the mates and the men in the boats, and the lifebuoys thrown over. The captain had the ship heaved to. It was awful. They did not rescue the sailor, and it was affirmed that a shark had pulled him under, as one had been seen that morning. Sharks were often seen. The sight of that man falling into the water has lived in my memory. I had not seen him before, except amongst the others, when they were all together pulling the ropes, but I could see his face so plainly as he fell that I would have known him again. This occurred on January 17. The sea was calm, and there was no breeze. We all felt sad, and the flags were dropped half-mast. All the man's chattels were given in charge to the steward. He was a young Scotchman, from the Orkney Islands, and a single man. How I shuddered at the sight of a shark after that! They followed us nearly all the way. Anyone who has heard the cry of the sailors when a man falls overboard will never forget it forever. Then there was the confused mingling of the people, with the murmurs of "hush, hush."