| Title: | McMahon Glynn, Patrick to Glynn, Ellen, 1880 |
|---|---|
| ID | 4357 |
| Collection | Patrick McMahon Glynn: Letters to his family (1874-1927) [Gerald Glynn O'Collins] |
| File | glynn/7 |
| Year | 1880 |
| Sender | McMahon Glynn, Patrick |
| Sender Gender | male |
| Sender Occupation | migrant |
| Sender Religion | unknown |
| Origin | Ship Orient |
| Destination | Gort, Co. Galway, Ireland |
| Recipient | Glynn, Ellen |
| Recipient Gender | female |
| Relationship | son-mother |
| Source | |
| Archive | |
| Doc. No. | |
| Date | |
| Partial Date | |
| Doc. Type | |
| Log | unknown |
| Word Count | 729 |
| Genre | account of passage |
| Note | |
| Transcript | Orient S.S. Off Folkestone 3rd September 1880 My dear Mother, As you see by the above we have set sail and are at present rounding the coast for Plymouth. I got on board yesterday and we left Gravesend at 9 a.m. this morning expecting to reach Plymouth about 7 a.m. tomorrow. We remain in Plymouth about 6 hours and then sail for Melbourne, touching at Cape St. Vincent and the Cape. I have not got the list of Passengers yet, but there are between six and seven hundred on board. It is a magnificent vessel. The first and second Saloons are like the coffee Rooms of first class hotels, and the board first-class. There are six births [sic] in my cabin—four men and myself up to the present—not much Room to move about. One is a very nice fellow—but the other fellows are like Darwin's monkeys, animated with Kangaroo's brains. A great number of the passengers are apparently on the return voyage after seeing their friends, but there are plenty of emigrants as well. I have just been talking to a young fellow and his wife, who (I mean the husband) is going to try the bar abroad. He is going to Hobart town, and is an English barrister. The girls seem all to have got a million or two of friends if I were to judge by the letter writing. One girl right opposite me just now, is making an attack upon a ream and a half of paper, and judging from her energy she promises to display her art in caligraphy over a considerable area. I have just manufactured a pen for another. On the whole I think the voyage ought to be pretty pleasant. The breakfast is at 8—this morning it consisted of hashes, curries, steak, tea, coffee etc.—the dinner about 2 I think—the other meal or meals I have not had yet. Lights out at 11 p.m. There are bath rooms etc. on board. However, as I have not had sufficient experience in shivering my timbers as yet, I can't give you a nautically precise description of the vessel—but in writing from Melbourne I will be able to tell you more about it. I should have brought a chair for deck—if possible to land, I will buy one at Plymouth, but that is not probable. Before I left London I made several speeches at the old debating Societies. They gave me a splendid reception, especially on Tuesday last, when I delivered a lecture by request on Primogeniture, entail, and fixity of tenure. The Chairman and others on behalf of the Society delivered a fairwell address to me and bid me goodbye, individually all Round. Any friend of mine that Passed down Fleet Street and looked up at the Restaurant window would have laughed to have seen Printed in big letters on a placard. "Lecture followed by a discussion to be delivered on etc. etc. by Patrick Glynn B.L." I brought one out with me as a sort of trophy. I suppose you will hear from James about London. I am sorry to hear poor Dick Molony is so bad—a matter of a few days I suppose. They are going to lay the table cloths now, so I must close. I can't write any more from this side of the world and can only wish you all goodbye again and with love to all remain, Ever your affectionate Son P. McM. Glynn 9 a.m. There is a squall on now, but the wind is coming from the mouths of some kids of the human species. It's a species of music I always had a partiality for. There is a melancholy Scotchman and a suicidal old gentleman in my cabin, and, unless my power of observation of physiognomy is defective, they will both commit suicide before we are far off. Well here's sanity to them, but I have only another fellow's ink bottle to drink from. We have all Nationalities on board, and a great variety amongst the Steerage Passengers. The sail along the coast was rather pretty, as we passed a lot [of] places such as Ramsgate, Newhaven, Brighton. Cliffs all chalk. I must look out for a cross fellow, to borrow an Envelope. So, good bye to you all again. I will write from the Cape. |
