| Title: | David McCullough, New Zealand, to Family, Co. Down. |
|---|---|
| ID | 1689 |
| Collection | Irish Emigration Database |
| File | McCullough, David/38 |
| Year | 1876 |
| Sender | McCullough, David |
| Sender Gender | male |
| Sender Occupation | labourer |
| Sender Religion | unknown |
| Origin | New Zealand |
| Destination | Co. Down, N.Ireland |
| Recipient | McCullough, Sam and Margaret |
| Recipient Gender | male-female |
| Relationship | son-parents |
| Source | Copyright Retained by Sandra Gilpin, 15 Windmill Hill, Comber, Co. Down |
| Archive | Ulster American Folk Park |
| Doc. No. | 9702289 |
| Date | 04/06/1876 |
| Partial Date | |
| Doc. Type | LET |
| Log | Document added by LT, 24:02:97. |
| Word Count | 1031 |
| Genre | |
| Note | |
| Transcript | Dunedin June 4th 1876 Dear Father & Mother and sisters I am pleased to inform you that we arrived safely at the above port on the 19th May after a very tedious and long voyage of 123 days from London you will see by this that we did not leave early as we expected but our time was pretty well occupied in London sightseeing and of these there were plenty We had a pretty comfortable lodging close to the railway station but at last we got orders from the ship owners to be on board the "Andrew Reid" on Saturday January 16th and accordingly we bid good bye to London we had plenty of room on board as there were only 20 passengers on board and we got on very comfortable together when we started we expected to get at our journeys end by the 20th April 13 weeks but through bad weather we were more than 17 weeks you will like to hear about our voyage we had to get our meals and provisions served out once a week. Well we left the docks on the 18th at 9 o'clock and towed down the Thames to Gravesend where we took about 8 tons of Gunpowder on board we started again next day but only got to bear a very strong gale blowing at the time. here here (sic) we saw a German brig run into by a barque and it sunk almost immediately but all hands were saved on the 22nd we saw first whale on the 24th lost several sails the sea coming over her sides and filling our cabins with water 3 or 4 inches deep after this for five or six days we went on fairly till on the 29th about 11 o'clock at night we were nearly run into by a three masted schooner it was within a few inches of us next day we saw some hundreds of porpoises but could catch none nothing occoured [occurred?] till the 13 February when we passed a vessel called the whitehall which left 3 days before us then on the 17 we had the first of the sailors days called the dead horse it is this way before the sailor leaves London the [they?] generally have an allowance of one months pay and the [they?] call this the dead horse because the [they?] have to work for nothing that month like and when that month is up the [they?] make up something like a horse and then the [they?] draw him up the mast and sing a comic song and then cut him down and away he goes with the waves it was fine fun for us all this day was also the Captain's youngest boys birthday and we all drank his health in the Captains cabin on the 19 we caught some flying fish the [they?] were rather nice on the 24 came the second sailors day Father Neptune this time the seamen dress up in all kinds of dress and walk about the vessel the [they?] then call upon the passengers who have not been to sea before and shave them and give them a bath everybody enjoyed this much on the 27 we crossed the line about 12 o'clock March 1st had a tremendous thunderstorm such as is not seen on land the lightening shivered our foremast and went into the forecastle dashing the mugs out of the sailors hands who were at breakfast on the fourth one of the men drew his knife to the first Officer but was kept quiet after on the 8 we nearly caught a shark but the confounded rope slipped and we lost him on the 22 we caught 5 Albatrosses a very large bird living on the sea and measuring from 18 to 20 feet from end to end of wings on the 28 we were fortunate and caught a shark he was 16 feet 4 inches from his nose to his tail such an ugly brute the sailors dont show them any mercy the [they?] soon cut him up and we tasted him for breakfast it was not very nice on the 30 we lost more sails 12 April saw Hogg Island and had a heavy fall of snow on the 14th had some tremendous seas and come over our sides and broke away about 16 feet of our bulwarks on the 23 lost more bulwarks 27 saw another whale after this we went pretty well till the 1 May when we lost nearly every sail we had a tremendous gale coming up at 4 in the morning and continued all day till at last we were compelled to heave to at 5 o'clock on the 18 came joyful cries of land Ho land and we saw first the Mountains and then the land came in sight we were very glad to think we were at our journeys end we did not come here till next day we parted with some of our passengers as I said before there were only 20 only an old gentleman a youth steward his wife and three children in our cabin we always had a game of cards at night we learnt 2 new games cribbage and whist sandy and me is working together from eight to 12 shilling per day is paid to labouring men and we think that any amount of Agricultural Labourers & Tradesmen can find plenty of work at good pay board and lodging the best 1 pound per week three meals a day anything you call for The mails closes to day so I must say good bye. I hope you are all well let me know how all our old neighbours are getting on and all the moneyrea people uncle Robert's ones and Grandmother the gardner and missus and Mr Mehaffy Tell Johnny Frame to write till me. I Send him a paper let me hear from you all soon you will hear at the post office when to write so good bye with love to you all From your affie [affectionate?] son David McCullough please address post office Dunedin Otago New Zealand To be left till called for |
