Thursday, October 28, 1875

Oct. 28th. We all went to Melbourne. Brother Steed and I ordered suits of clothes and were measured. We met Brother Bechamp and heard his report of the reports and accusations against him. He pleaded innocent of the worst of them. He had taken girls on his lap and kissed them. He thought his fatherly age should justify or excuse. He knows the Gospel is true. Bro. Welling advised him to remain quiet, save up his means, and first chance to go to the Valley, meet the President and get forgiveness as far as possible.

Wedesday, October 27, 1875

Oct. 27th. Visited a jute factory, manufacturing gunny sack cloth. In the afternoon, we had a consultation on our future. Brother Job thinks we should separate, one remain here, one go to Sydney and one go to New Zealand; suggests that Brother Steed go to New Zealand.

Tuesday, October 26, 1875

Oct. 26th. Looking over tracts, I find about seventy each of Orson Pratt's Eight Chapters. In the afternoon I went to Melbourne and walked about fifteen miles, so I am improving.

Monday, October 25, 1875

Oct. 25th. Brother Kant gave a short history of the preaching of the Gospel for the last five years. It has been preached in Australia for twenty-four years, but with little progress. Our first impression of Australia being a hard field of labor, I fear, will be realized. But we pray God to overrule for the best.

Sunday, October 24, 1875

Sunday, Oct. 24th. Brother Kent arrived last night. He reminds me of James Toomers, a good singer, jovial, and plays the bass viol. He reported the Mission to Job Welling and turned over his certificate of appointment. He is also President of the Melbourne Branch, which position he retains. Meeting at 3:00 P.M. Those present were: President Kant and family, a counselor, Brother Bechamp, who was President until Brother Geddis arrived and suspended him sometime over a year ago for misconduct, a Mr. Fairhurst, a free-thinker and strong advocate of social reform, who believes that polygamy may reform, the social evil and that co-operation or concentration may reform the political evil, a Mr. Barrat and wife, and neighbors who, like Mr. Fairhurst, look upon our views as better than any other.

After the partaking of the Sacrament, Brother Welling spoke of affairs in Utah and the establishment of God's Kingdom and its saving influence for all who faithfully support it. Brother Steed bore testimony to the divine calling of the Prophet Joseph Smith and the saving grace of the Gospel. I passed hastily over the Gospel as taught by the Savior; the falling away from the same; the persecutions and remodeling by the Romans; the protestants breaking off from the Roman Catholics whom they considered impure and going back to the Bible which is merely a history of the Gospel, not the real Gospel, as it gave them no authority or priesthood to act and, as the Roman Catholics had not the Power of the Gospel, they could not transmit it. Hence all Christendom, for over 1,400 years, has been acting without authority and there has been no pure Christianity upon the earth. If Christianity means those principles taught by our beloved Savior, then the L.D.S. are the true Christians, for they believe, preach, and practice the same Gospel as taught by the Savior and his Disciples. After the meeting, talk on the Gospel and reform continued, Brother Bechamp joining in. He argues well and has a good understanding of the Gospel. What a pity such a will live beneath their knowledge and privileges and bring themselves and the Gospel into disrepute.

Saturday, October 23, 1875

Oct. 23rd. News from home dated Sept. 6th, gives the death of George A. Smith, who was buried on the 5th. There are five numbers of the "Deseret News" to Sept. 1st. They give much of the Lee Trial, with comments of adverse papers full of spleen, etc. God will overrule. The Saints are being baptized in to the United Order and the Devil is mad and marshalling his forces. We must marshal ours and endure faithful to the end, and gain the reward of the faithful.

Friday, October 22, 1875

Oct. 22nd. I went five miles to Melbourne and bought a hat for 10 shillings. Melbourne is a city of about 200,000, built mostly after the English Style. There are some good paved streets, some good buildings and, like English towns, wealth and poverty side by side. I think there is here considerable of what is called shoddy aristocracy.

Thursday, October 21, 1875

Oct. 21st. Weather cool. I am uncomfortable with my winter suit on. We bid adieu to the friends and acquaintances of the voyage and to the "Great Britain" which has been our home for the last fifty-nine days. We pass through the harbor, up the Yarrow River by the sugar works, (a nice nine story building,) past several vessels anchored along the stream and at the wharfs. The Lighter, a small one deck steamer, that took us and our baggage from our ship, landed us at Victoria Wharf at 2:00 P.M. Brother Welling went at once by train to Foot's Gray, four miles, to see Brother Kant, President of the Australian Mission. Brother Steed and I awaited the unloading of our baggage and, on return of Brother Welling, accompanied by Brother Levin, we took the train direct to Foot's Gray. We were met with a cart by Brother Kant's two daughters, Emeline, 17 and Georgiana, 19, and his son, 12. Then with our baggage we were taken to their residence, where we met Sister Kant who made us welcome. Brother Kant, who is a saw filer and shear grinder, was away from home.

Wednesday, October 20, 1875

Oct. 20th, 1875. At Sydney Heads the pilot comes aboard. At 7:15 Health and Quarantine officers on board, and, passing quarantine, we steam on and drop anchor at noon four miles from Melbourne. A heavy gale is blowing and the sea is too rough to transship.

Note. We have been greatly blessed on the voyage and feel that our prayers have been answered in being brought safely across the mighty deep so many thousand miles. It is the quickest time the "Great Britain" has ever made and how nobly she rode the gigantic waves in the hurricane! Our journey is completed; our duty lies before us. God grant us that fullness of the Holy Ghost, promised and given by the Savior to His Disciples may lead us into all truth, bring past things to our remembrance and show us things to come.

Tuesday, October 19, 1875

Oct. 19th. At 4:30 P.M. Land Ho! At 5:30 P.M. we reach Cape Otway and signal. All sails furled and we steam slowly all night.

Monday, October 18, 1875

Oct. 18th. Health improving. In the evening I had a further conversation with Mr. Robinson. He has read "Answers to Questions", and has become much interested. He was not aware our people had been so much persecuted. He must look favorably upon our people for he cannot find it in his heart to find fault with the old patriarchs. He is old to change his ways and my never join us but he shall always speak in our favor and defend us against persecution. In a talk with Brother Steed, Mr. Robinson said I was the best expounder of the scripture he had ever talked with and he is a minister.

Sunday, October 17, 1875

Sunday Oct. 17th. 296 miles. I had a very good dinner - fresh meat, pudding, cake, pie, nuts, raisins and wine.

Saturday, October 16, 1875

Oct. 16th. 264 miles. We are four months from home. All four engines are working and the whole vessel trembles and vibrates under the powerful revolutions of the screw.

Friday, October 15, 1875

Oct. 15th. Time is passing. We are now 300 miles south of western Australia. I loaned Mr. Robinson "Answers to Questions". He wishes to read the revelations on polygamy. I loaned my Canadian friend the Book of Mormon.

Thursday, October 14, 1875

Oct. 14th. Ship is rolling and pitching very heavily in the swells. Wind is light by P.M. Screw is lowered and we are a steamer again. On deck a few hours, I am too weak to walk much. I am thinking a man cannot do more than he has stomach for.

Wednesday, October 13, 1875

Oct. 13th. Main top gallant sail is blown to ribbons. I am so seasick!

Monday, October 11, 1875

Oct. 11th. More seasickness, how it hangs on! The foretop gallant sail is blown loose. I had a long talk with Mr. Robinson.

Sunday, October 10, 1875

Sunday, Oct. 10th. Strong gale blows with rough cross sea. More vomiting. I loaned the "Voice of Warning" to my Canadian friend.

Saturday, October 9, 1875

Oct. 9th. The sea is still rough and I am still seasick.

Friday, October 8, 1875

Oct. 8th. Gale continues. Main staysail is blown loose. I am still seasick. I consulted a doctor who says, with all my vomiting my stomach is far from cleansed and ordered a change of diet and gave me some pills. I am thinking that seasickness is a hard way to purify the system. I have been vomiting blood and having bloody passages of stools. God grant this shall not shorten my life nor prevent my usefulness! I ask of Him the fulfillment of my Patriarchal Blessing - that "I shall live to see the Son of God come upon the earth and reign with Him a thousand years and inherit Celestial glory." God give me faith and good works to obtain it. We are shipping heavy seas - one over 200 feet long from foremast to poop, wet the sails over 30 feet high and jarred the whole deck.

Thursday, October 7, 1875

Oct. 7th. There is a gale or hurricane. The fore gallant sail was blown loose by a cable chain breaking. The main Royal sail was blown to ribbons. A sailor, reefing the main upper top, fell over 40 feet to the deck. A grand sea! Spray is blowing from the crest of the waves over the sea like a driving snow storm. The waves are so large that they are over 500 feet apart, the captain says, as large as they ever get anywhere in the ocean. When the ship is between two waves we look up at them, fore and aft several feet perhaps twenty or thirty, above our heads and the deck is thirty to forty feet above water when the sea is level. The next moment we are lifted on top of a wave, and, looking right and left, we see the waves extend as far as the eye can follow, like great mountain ridges while fore and aft the troughs look like canyons. The whole ocean is white as snow, so lashed with foam. We pass a large number of whales going with the wind. When on the crest of the wave their heads and tails are out of the water.

Tuesday, October 5, 1875

Oct. 5th. Ditto. Man's extremity is God's opportunity. I am earnestly asking God's blessing as my only preservation. Gale continues. There was a death last night from consumption and burial as sea this morning. It was a nephew of the captain. How lonely there to await the trumpet's call for the sea to yield its dead.

Monday, October 4, 1875

Oct. 4th. 302 miles, our best run. The gale continues, the screw is up and sails are shortened. It is still storming.

Sunday, October 3, 1875

Oct. 3rd. We have a cold south wind, increasing, high waves with the ship tossing and rolling heavily. I am seasick again. I dreamed of seeing Father and telling him were two-thirds over, I was tired of the voyage and wished I could spend the rest of it with him.

Saturday, October 2, 1875

Oct. 2nd. A cold south wind blows with temperature 40 to 48 degrees. A sailor asked for a lecture on our religion during his watch at the earliest convenience.

Friday, October 1, 1875

Oct. 1st, 1875. All is quiet.

Thursday, September 30, 1875

Sept. 30th. There are calm heavy rolling swells. All sails are furled. We are counseling on our future, reviewing and thanking the Lord for past blessings and prayers following us. I have more talk with the Canadian. I am to load him tracts.

Wednesday, September 29, 1875

29th. Screw down again.

Tuesday, September 28, 1875

Sept. 28th. Screw down and up again today.

Monday, September 27, 1875

Sept. 27th. More Gospel conversations. I was interrupted by one of the vile, who wished to talk with me. He and his companion were sitting one on each side of me. After asking many low questions, he told me I was a hypocrite, preaching stuff to the sailors. If he were the sailors, there would be an outside passage for me, pointing over the vessel's side, using language and making threats too low to write, about me and our people. Restraining my ire, I told him he was entirely mistaken about the people he was talking about and the one he was talking with, and, "as I always prefer the society of gentlemen, I bid you Good Night." It is thus, when liquor defies perception, that we learn those degraded souls, that know not God and respect not His laws, view us.

Sunday, September 26, 1875

Sept. 26th. Stormy. I spent most of the day in the cabin, reading and conversing.

Saturday, September 25, 1875

Sept. 25th. I had a long talk on the Gospel with a Canadian. He is pleased and wishes to read our Church works.

Thursday, September 23, 1875

Sept. 23rd and 24th. It is raining. The screw is lowered and we are a steamer again.

Wednesday, September 22, 1875

GOSPEL TALKS ON BOAT

Sept. 22nd. I had talks with my Irish and German friends and others, including Robinson, on our Gospel and other things. The ball is open now and we are known as Mormon Missionaries generally over the vessel, and polygamy and the Mormons are in many mouths. Among the vile, there are offers to become Mormons for a drink of liquor, and with the most obscene talk. I am daily observing more and more the depravity of the world. Those who cry most, long and loud against polygamy are the more vile and morally low.