13-14 December 1872
We left on Friday morning Dec 13 at half past seven. Sir James Ferguson, late Governor General of South Australia, was a Passenger. Governor Weld, of Western Australia came on board, and we had a few minutes chat together. I bought, before leaving, some specimens of Plants. We had a voyage before us of 3047 miles to Galle during which we devised sundry methods of enabling us to pass the time pleasantly. In conversations with a Mr D.P.Keogh, he informed me of the good quality of the land in Gippsland, and that the Railway there was easily made. He also said that the purchase of by a Company of the Melbourne Water Works would be a good speculation – and referred also to the Water Works at Sydney.