WCP5573

[1]

Ship Pera.

Lat[itude] 18.30’ S. Long[itude] 30 18’ W

July 16 1849.

My dear Mother.

I will now commence a letter to you as I shall m [sic] most probably have an opportunity of sending it from the Island of St. Katherine [Santa Catarina Island] where we are going to call for water. We are now about 1000 miles from it, but shall probably get there in about a week. The letters that I se [sic] send you must do for all my English and Welch [sic] friends, as I cannot write to anyone else before I get to the land of promise which is still at a long distance. The number of delays we have had both at Plymouth and Gibralter [sic], have kept us back a great deal, and the wind and weather have not been so propitious as it might have been. The vessel too does not sail so fast as it was thought she would, so that of course our voyage will be a long one. At the very shortest we shall be six months from leaving London, till we arrive at San Francisco, and most probably it may be more. But however it is no use to repine. Here I am, and here I shall remain till the vessel either gets to San Francisco, or the bottom of the sea, or somw [sic] other place of rest, and I shall hold to the ship as long as she holds together.

I must premise that you received the letter all safe from Gibralter [sic], so that you have the news to that time and place. Since that time nothing very particular has happened. I have felt no further effects from the motion of the vessel, and I suppose shall not now, as I feel quite used to it. We have not, however, had any rough weather since the Bay of Biscay, but we shall yet have plenty of it in going around Cape Horn. I have not yet found the time [to] hang heavy as I expected, and the days and weeks now seem to pass very fast. We amuse ourselves in the daytime by reading, smoking, laying [sic] in the sun, eating[,] drinking and sleeping. In the evening we play at draughts, dominoes and cards, but we do not gamble or play for money. One reason is that many of them have no money to play with, and those who have are too wise to risk in play.

I forgot to tell you that while we lay at Gibralter [sic] two of the cabin passengers had a quarrel, and could not settle it without a duel. They accordingly went on shore [2] attended by their seconds, and when they were placed ready one of the pistols went off by accident, and the party shot himself in the leg, the ball entering in the calf of the right leg and lodging in the instep. This of course brought on a reconciliation, and both parties were perfectly satisfied. They took the wounded man to a hotel in the town where he was laid up untill [sic] we sailed. He was brought on board and keep [sic] in bed for three weeks. He is now enabled to walk about, but the ball has not been extracted, and still remains in his foot, and most likely always will remain in the same place.

About four days ago, during a calm, a large shoal of porpoises came round the ship, rolling about in a very lazy manner. There must have been several thousand of them. We immediatelygot [sic] the harpoonready [sic], and a man stationed out in the bows of the vessel, ready to strike one as soon as an opportunity occurred, while we were all ready to haul up the rope as soon as he was struck.. It was some time before one came near enough, but presently three abreast passed just in front of the ship on top of the water. The harpoon was immediately hurled at one and burried [sic] itsel [sic] in its back. "Haul, pull away" was the immediate cry, and we ‘all pulled’ away at the harpoon ropes [.] The animal was pret [sic] pretty strong, but about 20 of us pulling at the rope soon brought him too, and hauled him out of the water. A rope noose was then thrown over his head and passed under his fins, which safely secured him. He was then soon brought up on deck where we had an opportunity to examine him[.] He was just 8 feet long, and his weight was about 4 hundred weight [sic]. We had him cut up, and had some of him fried for supper, and found it very good and something like beef but rather drier, but without any taste of fish. The liver was just like pig’s liver, and the heart and kidneys were also very much similar to those of a pig. A week or two before this we caught a small shark about six feet long but we did not have any of him cooked, so I could not know the taste of shark[’]s flesh, though they say it is eatable. One evening when near the equator, we had a regular tropical rain, when it came down in torrents for about two hours. A great number of us were soon on deck for the purpose of d catching it for washing and other purposes (as fresh water on board ship is too presious [sic] to use for washing.) We obtained a great number of casks and tubs, and baled it off t<he> decksinto [sic] these vessels as long as the rain lasted, till we had them all full. Of course we only had a pair of old [3] trousers or drawers on, as it was very hot, and some were floundering about in it, perfectly naked, as it was very cool and refreshing. For the next week there was nothing but washing and drying clothes all over the ship, as nearly everyone here is obliged to wash for themselves. I find it not at all pleasant, even with rain water, but when we are obliged to use salt water and that of course cold, and no soap, it is terrible work, and nearly rubs my fingers off, besides not making the things clean.

I find the eggs that I took with me keep pretty well, on [sic] only they taste rather stale when boiled. I accordingly use them in our plum-pudding, which they improve very much, as they probably would be no use by the time I get to California.

I crossed the line on July 3rd., but we did not get shaved owing to some of the passengers objecting to it. and as there were a great number of passengers (about 30)[,] it was thought there might have been some disturbance. The Captain, however, gave the sailors permission, but they declined taking advantage ot [sic] it from [sic] the reasons I have stated. I was rather disappointedas [sic] I had intended to have enjoyed the fun, and taken my share of the shaving. Our voyage, hitherto has been favorable [sic] as regards weather, h [sic] having had no violent storms, but generally light winds and calms. One evening we had a sudden squall, which came on so suddenly that before any of us were aware of it, it had the ship nearly on its side (or in nautical language, on her beam ends) pitching us all of a heap in the cabin, and slitting [sic] the main sail. We made the best of our way on deck, while the top mast and spar were being twisted and twisted about like reeds, and I expected it would have been blown away, but however they managed to furl the sail before any material damage had been done, while the ship was driven before the wind which lashed the sea into a foam, which before was quitec [sic] calm, and the sky looked b [sic] black and threatening. But all of this lasted only about half an hour and then subsidedi [sic] into a gentle breeze, which continued during the rest of the night. With the exception off [sic] this I have not yet experienced any thing like a storm, but I shall most probably be able to tell you more about [this] after I have been around Cape Horn, which is by all accou [sic] accounts a a terrible rough place.

Wednesday July 25th. We are all now in expectations of reaching St. Katherine[’] to-morrow, so that I shall finish this letter, and get ready to post it as soon as I go on [4] shore as most probably we shall not stop more than a day or two, as we only call for water, so that I shall leave a description of St. Katherine[’]s for the next letter. I shall also send a letter to Alfred¹ from the same place. I shall direct this to Neath, although I suppose you will have moved to Weston but of course it will be forwarded to you. I hope Fanny² and Thomas³ are in good health, and suceed [sic] in taking good portraits, and have plenty to take.

I have seen plenty of flying fish and other thingss [sic] [.] The flying fish are about the size of large sprats, although some of them are as large as herrings. They sometimes rise out of the water in great numbers, like a flock of little white birds, and after skimmingalong [sic] just above the surface of the water, suddenly drop into the ocean. We have not had the luck to see any dolphins, but we saw a whale one day, but it was some distance off.

I have not found it oppressively hot anywhere, even in t [sic] the tropics; There is always a kind of cool air which makes it very pleasant on deck at night. it was sometimes very opp [sic] oppressive but it is now getting cooler, and we can now have a sheet over us, but no more. During the hot weather we have shower baths in the morning by pouring buckets of salt water over one another, which is very coolaand [sic] refreshing. There h [sic] has just been a report that land is visible, and I have been on deck. I can just discern the dim outline of the coast at g great distance. This is the coast of South America, and we shall not reach St. Katherine[’]s till tomorrow evening. However I must now close this letter, but I am afraid you will find i [sic] it very dull and uninteresting, but there is after all very little change on board ship, the same daily routine after all[.] The reason that the time does not seem very long. I must now conclude, and hope you continue to enjoy good health, and that all our friends are the same, and believe me

Your ever affectionate Son | John Wallace

July 30th. I have now an opportunity of sending this one to Alfred to the town of St. Katherine [Santa Catarina]. We are stopping about 12 miles from the town, and getting water from the South American coast. I have been on shore but cannot tell you any thing about it now, but will let you know all about it in the next letter. It is winter time here but is much warmer than o [sic] our summer in England. This will go to Rio Janeiro [sic], and from thence to England.