Voyage to Australia
Crier Readership stretches far and wide, and our website has attracted the attention of Tony Roberts in Australia, some of who's family came from here. Fifteen years ago, a librarian in the Australian town of Mudgee found this letter in an old book. It was from two young Reach residents, Robert and Golding Mason, about to set off on the long... .
Southampton March 3rd 1854Dear Friends,
We laid in the channel on Friday night, and all very comfortable. The ship had been examined and made quite safe, she is two years old, and has been one voyage to Australia and two to America, we have a carpenter with us who has been to sea four times before, in four different ships, but never saw a good one as this, for this is the neatest little ship he ever saw in all his life. Oh how thankful we ought to be for we met with everything every comfort able above all our expectations Golding & I have two berths one above the other, Golding, sleep in the top one, Peachy has the two next berths to us and all has victuals together, the berths are about half enclosed with boards, and we have nailed some old pieces up, and enclosed the remainder, - we are all well except very bad colds but that is fashionable with us, not any more at this time give our love to all friends and relations and accept the same yourself
We are, dear parents
your most affectionate children
PS. Please do tell Mr. XXXX, that when he comes, he need not be afraid to bring a few things with him for the voyage, as the boxes are not examined, for I have not seen one box opened, to be inspected, we are all obliged to take out all the things we require for a XXXX in a large bag, they find us two, one for the linen and one for the tea things, as they are all tin, we are now going on board farewell dear friends & relatives farewell. I do not forget my fathers last words, to be XXXX to love Jesus. I hope I do. You must not expect any more for a time, farewell, farewell.