cherry-brandy, given me by my aunt, and
packed up with two pounds of mixed tea,
was measured—a pound of brown Windsor,
and two pounds of marine soap were
measured—and several washing utensils, packed up
in brown paper: all these were actually
subjected to the same ordeal. "Intolerable!" cried
I, as the clerk stooped over the last of the
utensils. "Humiliating, ridiculous, shameful!"
The clerk did look ashamed, and coloured very
much; but he said he was ordered by Messrs.
Saltash and Piucher to measure every article
that was taken into the cabins as well as
those that were lowered into the hold, and he
had no discretion. "Go on," said I, mentally
—"go on—take every sixpence from me—send
me forth an emigrant beggar—measure my
skin, and make me pay for the miles of air
that surround it." I drew out my handkerchief,
and wiped my forehead. It was of no
use to go on in this way. Went ashore to
look for my cart. It was gone !

June 11th.— Up at day-break. Made several
hasty calls, just to say "good-bye." Drove
to Fenchureh Street. Down by railway to
Blackwall. Got two boys to carry portmanteau,
and a third boy for one carpet-bag,
while I carried the other. Saw a large ship
just passing through the Dock gates. Mind
misgave me that I was rather late, and that
this was the Rodneyrig. Inquired of a
bystander what ship this was. He told me it
was the Kangaroo. I thought there must be
some mistake, as we were to sail first, when
just at that moment I heard a voice cry out
"Your cart 's safe aboard!" and looking up I
caught sight of Isaac's face, as he leaned over
the side of the ship as if upon a battlement
above me, with his great bony chin resting
upon his fists set one upon the other. Our
eyes met, and he disappeared. Directly
afterwards he came clambering over the side,
holding by some black rope-work and standing
upon a black ledge, from which he stooped
down, lowering one hand till he managed to
get hold of the portmanteau, though we had
no small difficulty in hoisting it up within his
reach. The bags were got up in the same
way, I following just before the ship passed
out of the Dock gates.

What fresh confusion was here! Men and
women and children of all ages hustling
about with sailors amidst casks and coils of
rope, a long trailing rope with pullies and
nooses entangling the feet. But the intermediate
deck! The whole place was choked up
with men, women, and children, and luggage
and cooking utensils. Reached Gravesend
safely. Remained at a considerable distance,
however, our ship requiring deep water.
Some of the passengers went ashore in boats,
and a great many more came on board with
their friends. Cleared out enough room to
lie down in my cabin and went to bed.

June 12th to 20th.— Partially insane—gone
distracted—splitting head-ache—nothing
retained on stomach—know no more—except
that spectral voices observed that we had
touched at Plymouth—and gone again.

June 21st.—Ate breakfast with considerable
appetite, being first meal on board since
leaving Plymouth—indeed, since leaving
Gravesend. Fried ham, biscuits, coffee, and
piece of dried salmon. All went well with
me during the morning, and I even felt an
appetite when we sat down to dinner.

June 22nd.—Sometimes it was said there
were three hundred passengers on board the
Rodneyrig—sometimes it was added, that
this number was composed of the
intermediates only, and did not include the cuddy
passengers who amounted to fifty more; and
sometimes it was said that these numbers
did not include children, except in the sense
of two being reckoned only as one. By these
means, everybody was mystified as to the
real number on board. All I can say is, that
with regard to the children in arms, who were
taken free of charge on this account, the
surprising rapidity with which a great many of
them acquired the art of going alone, left it
open to conjecture that far more were taken up
in arms than necessary at the time of taking
berths in the ship, and the consequence of all
these circumstances—added to the palpable
cramming of the vessel with adult passengers,
if there had been no others—was the utter
want of all reasonable space and accommodation
for anybody. There was really no
room at any of the mess-tables to eat with
ordinary comfort, and scarcely with safety.
Once or twice my fork was nearly jerked
through my cheek, and my spoon rammed
down my throat. Agreed with Isaac to take
our dinner up on deck with us whenever
the weather was fine, or not very bad.
Found that many did this for the same reason,
and also for the sake of a better air.

June 23rd.—In Bay of Biscay. Saw Cape
Finisterre. Weather bright and fine. Wind
brisk, but not so very strong, nor the sea
so very rough. Rumour that there were
several aboard who had not paid passage,
but had secretly got into the ship at Gravesend
or Plymouth.

June 24th.—Still in Bay of Biscay. Sea
rather rough, and at cross purposes, but wind
moderate, and sky bright and warm. Began
to consider Bay as kind of humbug.

Rumour of secret passengers who had not
paid fare much stronger. Captain Pennysage
reported to be very busy over a "plan
of the ship," furnished him by Saltash and
Pincher, with every man's, woman's, and
child's name inserted in the space marked off
as their cabin, on paper. Everybody soon
after ordered to muster in rows on the
poop deck for examination. About a score
prepared to obey; some flatly refused to go
up; some laughed and treated it jocularly;
and the majority took very little notice of it,
or retired into cabins and shut doors.

June 25th—Had been awoke several times
in the night by the rolling and pitching of the