Monday, September 30th

A squall came up at breakfast time, but brought up very little wind and only some very heavy rain. All on deck to see its effect and were evidently disappointed. A great assortment of waterproofs and dreadnoughts were brought up. My pet Cordings began to leak at once—the worthless things that I paid so much for. Watched Mrs Fisher making some bread and a cake, for which I was rewarded by a slice of the latter hot when it was baked. Lat. at noon 8.32. The day somewhat cooler, wind dead against us, but the Captain says it is the prevailing wind on the variable space. Wrote long additions to my letters. While I remember it I will add the list of the contents of the last Cockroach. An original editorial article by FitzGerald on the 'Smoking Edict'. A copy of the Captain's log for the week. A paper No. 1 on Gardening by Wortley, a paper No. 1 on Colonial Buildings by Benjamin Mountfort. The first of a series of chit-chat articles on the 'Wonders of the Deep' by Dr Barker. Two letters, one by Bishop and the other by myself, on the smoking prohibition. A burlesque poem entitled 'A Cockroach's Confessions' by myself, and by the same hand some burlesque 'Notices of Eminent Individuals recently Deceased'. A paper by the Captain on the 'Variables'. A poem by Mr Kingdon on the death of a certain (Mrs Barker's) cat; and a letter by Mr Kingdon supposed to be written by a Canterbury Colonist six months after arrival. Some extracts (L.E.L. on 'The Polestar' and others) finished up a very satisfactory number, also some lines by Bowen, a translation of a scene in Corneille's Horace, and an original story by Cholmondeley called 'The Life Adventures, etc., of Miss Betsy Williams' by George Godfrey—to be continued. The weather on deck and below wonderfully cool and pleasant for the parallel of latitude. Varied our amusements in the page 39evening by a row in the gig—twice round the ship—the weather being quite calm and the ship going at about one and a half knots. Utter loneliness seemed the characteristic of her situation, so small did she appear in the middle of the vast ocean.