GLAUD PENDER'S JOURNAL Contact Person: btur@tpgi.com.au Following is a transcript of the first four pages of the journal kept by Glaud Pender of his voyage from firstly Glascow to Liverpool on board the Princess Royal, and then from Liverpool to Melbourne on board the Marco Polo in 1852, with some comments he added later. The family group on board the Marco Polo was: Glaud Storey Pender, born 27 Aug 1827, Whitburn, Linlithgowshire, Scotland, died 1 Feb 1908, Apollo Bay, Vic. He was the son of William Pender and Bethea Storrie. Grace Muir Pender (nee Taylor), born 24 Jul 1824, Whitburn, died 10 Aug 1909. She was the daughter of Robert Taylor, baker, and Mary Ann Young. Mary Ann Pender, their eldest child, born 9 Dec 1847, Whitburn. William Pender, their second child, born 22 Aug 1850, Whitburn. William died of measles on board the Marco Polo, 2 Sept 1852. A total of 52 children and babies died on the voyage. Glaud Pender became a respected mine manager, mostly in the Scarsdale area of Victoria. ___________________________________________ 1852 A Journal of my voyage from Glascow to Melbourne June 22nd Aboard the Princess Royal. Clearing away from Old Scotland while Glascow is only to seen in the distance. It now seems to me as if all the former scenes , Circumstances and enjoyments of my life combined together rush upon ..... with a force I will not attempt to describe as I am borne away from my native Land and from those dear friends Some of whom in all probability I will never meet again. Hundreds of people assemble on the banks of the Clyde to witness our departure, while their hearty cheers are accepted and returned by the Emigrants in the way of a kind Farewell. 23rd After a rather unpleasant passage we arrive at Liverpool at 2 pm. A River Steamer takes the emigrants across to the Birkenhead. all is bustle and confusion. Emigration scenes are certainly both curious and interesting. 24th In the Depot very uncomfortable quarters. Some are crying bad meat, others bad beds, and many have occasion to cry lousy bed. PS it might not be out of place here from experience to Remark as my opinion that the great sickness on board the Marco Polo was in great measure to to be attributed to the very bad treatment in that Pandemonium they call the Depot. This disease was planted in the constitutions of the young where (it) lay concealed but a few days. There followed those awful scenes aboard our splendid ship which will never be erased from my memory. 28th we have slept our first night on board the Marco Polo and feel much more comfortable. In my opinion she is a fine ship and said to be a very fast sailer. Some of the Passengers already begin to dispute how long she will be in making to Australia. One of the single women is supposed to have lost her reason. at night she leapt out of bed and with one of the lights in her hand began to dance naked on the deck. I upon hearing the screams of the women ran into their appartment and got after which the doctors conveyed her to the hospital. it is doubtful whether she will be allowed to proseed on her voyage. 29th We move out of the dock and anchor in the River. 30th A number of Gentlemen dine on board on the poop deck with a fine Instrumental band in attendance. I observe there is a good hospital on board. I hope its use will not be much required on the passage. July 1 one of the Passangers gave birth to a child. 2nd In the evening a dance by the Sailors and a few of the Passangers on the Top Gallant Forecastle , a number of Passengers on the rigging looking on. Some of the Sailors got up and tied a poor Highlander to the shrouds amidst roars of laughter from Those on deck. 3rd One of the Sailors fell overboard. The Captain discovering it instantly leapt into the water and succeeded in taking him out not much the worse. In the evening a farewell service on board. text in the 16 Chapter of Proverbs. wisdom is more to be desired than Gold. the speaker addressed us in a very impressive manner entreating as new scenes, new desires and new hopes were before us not to forget the one thing needfull 4 (Sunday) half past six AM Weighed anchor. A Steamer taking us in tow we begin to move away for Australia. The Steamer after taking us over the bar left us with a fine breeze in our favour. O may God be with us to Protect and to Prosper us on The voyage. 5. Beating up the Channel, a steady breeze ahead, ..... little speck 7. I have seen for the first time what they say is whales blowing sending the water up a great height. I think the hoes (?) of an ordinary fixed engine playing direct up would much resemble the blowing of a whale. There is also a great many porpoises sporting about the ship. sometimes they leap 2 feet above the water so that we can see them quite distinctly. They are ugly brutes. They have a snout like a pig which gives them their name of Sea pigs. 8. Off the Bay of Biscay. have been on watch all night. The passengers taking it by rotation. a child died last night being the first death on board. I fear there will be many such deaths before we get to Australia. There is such a number of children on board. O God - thank and praise thee that we are all still in health and free from sickness and able to attend to our duties and to our children. six PM. Spoke a French vessel bound for England who will report us. 9. at 7 AM. The funeral ceremony of the child Who died yesterday took place. A little weight being put into the box along with the corpse it still floated on the water untill it dissappeared in the distance which caused great dissatisfaction amongst the Passengers. Light Northerly breezes. 10. Off Cape St Vincent about 1200 miles sail from Liverpool. 11. (Sunday) Light breezes. Course S.W. by S. Spoke a schooner from Oporto bound for Liverpool. also signaled to a Portugese Man of war. I have observed no particular change in the climate till now but this day is very warm and the loveliest sky ever I have had the pleasure to look upon. We have had prayers read and a sermon preached twice today. I thought the most of the Emigrants being Scotch we ought to have had a minister of the Church of Scotland. 12. In the evening we've a great deal of some floating substance which I cannot describe, shining on the surface like witchfire. Some say it is a kind of fish of which I am doubtfull. Singing and dancing going on on the deck and playing at a game. They call pass or catch the Slipper. 13 Another Child breathed its Last. 14. Becalmed off Madeira. The Loveliest sky immaginable. The Captain and two others went out in a small boat I supposed in order to discover how the current set. A large turtle close to the ship. those in the boat gave chase but was unsuccessful. Thirteen of the passengers form a vocal club of which I am the leader. We practice on the Quarter deck one hour each day weather permitting. without a breeze the sun is very scorching. one birth one funeral. 15. A Child fell down the main hatch a distance of about 17 feet but escaped miraculously being very little hurt. 16. Cabins very hot. Some of the crew went out in a boat after a log of wood but found it of no use. a great number of fish about the ship also a large dolphin which has a beautiful appearance in the water, its colour so transparent. Measles have broken out in the ship and spreading very fast but said to be in a mild form. 17. Sighted Palma one of the Canary Islands. we have now got into the trade winds and scudding before a fine breeze. a great number of flying fish sporting about the vessel, flying from 10 to 100 yards at a time. they a like a herring in size and shape. another child died fourteen months of age. 18. (Sunday) as six AM Crossed the tropic of Cancer 20 Deg west of Greenwich 14 Days from Liverpool. Good Sailing 19. One of the Sailors put in Irons on the plea of being too familiar with a single female passenger from Edinburgh 20. A Child died today from water in the head. 21. At one PM within two miles of St. Antonia one of Cape de Verd Isles 15 miles in length. The secnery is magnificent but burnt like to appearance and on the coast very mountainous. we can observe a few green spots intersected with trees, said by those who used Telescopes to be vineyards. passed close to an American whale ship cruising on the Coast. 22. Sighted five Ships today. all distant and steering in a course opposite to us. another child died and a great number sickly. 23. We are supposed to be through the trades and into the variable winds north of the line. weather very warm. Light winds. Mrs Pender with Little William in her arms fell Down the Staircase about 11 feet. both escaped wonderfully being little injured. 24. Got out of bed at one O'Clock in the morning and had a walk on deck. Strong breeze and a rough sea. at night calm and heavy rain. another child died. 25. nearly becalmed. have sailed only about 10 miles last night. The Captain with a hook,line and a piece of pork for a bait Caught a Shark 3 feet long. handed it over to the boatswain who immediately began disecting it taking out the backbone which is generally preserved. also from its inside was taken the after birth of a woman. nevertheless the Sailors enjoyed a meal of it with the audacious remark it was very fine eating. Three vessels steering on our course. after proper signals being given we bor up to the barque Shanghae from London for Melbourne. Captain Forbes lowered his boat and brought the Captain of the Shanghae and five others aboard the Marco Polo who remained nearly five hours, all appearingly enjoying themselves very well. Captain Forbes and 3 of his Officers then went aboard the Shanghae and remained about 4 hours. light wind and heavy showers of rain. This is where Glaud's journal ends. His son William died of measles on September 2nd. -------------------------------------