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Title: Beale, Joseph Sr to Beale, Margaret, 1852
ID4469
CollectionThe Earth between them: Joseph Beale's letters home to Ireland from Victoria (1852-1853) [E.Beale]
Filebeale/3
Year1852
SenderBeale, Joseph Sr
Sender Gendermale
Sender Occupationemigrant
Sender Religionunknown
OriginShip Sarah Sands, near Cape Town
DestinationMountmellick, Co. Laois, Ireland
RecipientBeale, Margaret
Recipient Genderfemale
Relationshiphusband-wife
Source
Archive
Doc. No.
Date
Partial Date
Doc. Type
Logunknown
Word Count625
Genrestopping at Cape Town, visiting the town
Note
TranscriptSarah Sands off Cape Town
11 mo: 8th 1852
[8 November, 1852]

My dearest Love,
I concluded my last letter on the 6th and went ashore with
Jos'h Frs D. Kennedy and his son. Frs and I went to the post
office more than half a mile, we met three gentlemen in one
of the streets and enquired our way. They said we are strangers
like yourselves, having only landed last evening from "the Australia"
bound for Melbourne from St. John's New Brunswick.
I told them our story and that a young man from New Brunswick
was the only person who died on the voyage. The person
I spoke to was the next door neighbour to the young man who
died, he was well-known there, and much regretted by all the
passengers on board the Australia. This ship has 105 persons
on board, nearly all Irish born, or born of Irish parents. When
I told them I was Irish they clasped my hands as if I were an
old acquaintance. We posted our letters and then took a walk
in the botanic garden. It appeared like a sort of dream to me,
walking amongst tropical trees, hothouse plants, the walks
border'd with dwarf myrtle clipped like box with us at home,
oranges, lemons, limes, bananas, etc. etc., roses in full bloom.
I saw few plants except roses common with us. I recognized
an orange lilly, and some white lillies, the latter far finer in the
size of the blossom than I ever witnessed before. We spent a very agreable hour or two in these splendid grounds, and then
proceeded with our new friends to their hotel. Their vessel was
built for the passengers, they bo't their own stores, have their
own Capt'n and crew, and have every comfort within themselves.
We are to dine with them to-day on board the Australia.
I like the climate of the Cape very much, it is not at all too
warm for me, and the air is so clear and pleasant—fruit in
abundance, and no poverty. There are a great mixture of race
here, negroes, Malays, Dutch and Eng'h. One sees nothing like
the poverty of Ireland. We remained in Cape Town from 7th
day morning until the last even'g. Nearly all our passengers
are on shore, so I have a quiet hour to enjoy conversing with
thee my best beloved. My last left by mail on the even'g of the
6th, but another vessel is daily expected from Australia, which
our mate told me would most likely reach England before the
one which left on the 6th as the latter was disabled, so I thought
it better lo have the two chances. We expect to leave this port
for Melbourne on 5th day the 11th inst, and will likely be 36
to 40 days on the voyage, then our anxieties begin, but I humbly
hope we may be provided for comfortably and so soon as we
are I shall prepare to receive thee and all my dear family. Oh
how I long to hear from you all. The more I reflect the more
I believe our leaving Ireland is a right s[tep?] but the time to
be separated appears so long and dreary-—the voyage is nothing
almost, [I] should think it nothing to go back if advisable to
have the pleasure of thy company on the voyage out—but I
believe that pleasure I cannot have. Farewell, my dearest Love
and with unabated affection for each of my dear children and
all my friends and old neighbours,
am thy attached husband
Joseph Beale

I sent 12 shirts to be washed to-day, for which I pay 3/6—the
mate pays 3/6 a doz, for all things round.