Travel Diaries and Journals

A ship could land at it. As there was nothing to be seen round & round it but high rocks & the sea beating against them. Further on in the eveing we saw. Santa Cruz another of the group of Canary's - The sailors & officers servants meet every night on the forecastle after their work is done. & amuse themselves with singing, there are some good singers among them & they sing some good songs Lat: 29.45. N Long: 17.49. W. Distance run 218m

Sunday Augt: 23rd 1857

This morning is very close & hot. We are beginning to feel the heat a good deal now. We have made little progress the last 24 hours the breeze being right ahead. We are only going half steam power. I can scarcely beleve it is Sabbath mg. [morning] here. You hear the sailors shouting as usual the passengers sitting & laying about as usual the only difference being that the sailors have trea -ted themselves to clean shirts & clean white trousers. We had service on board this mg. [morning] at 10.30 conducted in the Church of England

On the left of Table Mountain is the Devils peak. (For what reason it has received the above euphonian title I know not) looking over the port side of the vessel is the Northern side of the bay & further out of the bay Robben Island. It is now eight months since I left home. Certainly the most eventful period of my past life. First nearly 3 months on the voyage to India, rather more than three months residence in Calcutta after seein Mauritius Palma Santa Cruz Ceylon Madras & now here we are in Table Bay. Certainly the pleasantest place I have seen since I left England and A place I should not have the slightest objection to settle down in. I must begin to write a long letter home today. The mail leaves about the 20th. & is due in England