The voyage of the Harbinger
The voyage of the Harbinger
George Griffith and his family left Plymouth on 16 October 1848 on the Harbinger, arriving in Sydney 119 days later. This report appeared in the Sydney Morning Herald on 13 February 1849, the day after their arrival
The Harbinger has been 119 days on her passage from Plymouth. She has on board 283 immigrants, of who 48 are married couples, 69 single men, 36 single women, 39 boys and 42 girls from one to fourteen years of age , and six infants. One female died of disease of the heart on the day the vessel sailed from Plymouth. Three deaths of infants, and five births, occurred on the voyage. The immigrants by this vessel are principally English, and all appear in good health.
Inspection
On Saturday Mr Wood, Chief Commissioner for Emigration, visited and inspected the four emigration ships lying in Plymouth Sound: the Harbinger, Trafalgar, Candahar, and Thetis. Mr Wood was accompanied by Mr Carew, the local Government emigration agent, by the Rev Mr Wellesley, and by the Rev T C Childs, minister of St Mary's, Devonport, an indefatigable clergyman, who takes a lively interest in the spiritual and temporal welfare of all emigrants, English or foreign, leaving the port of Plymouth, and voluntarily ministering to their comfort.
The Harbinger, of 750 tons, belongs to Mr Chapman of London, is a fine new ship, having 7 feet 6 inches between decks, usefully and substantially fitted throughout with swinging stoves, and all modern improvements. She brought 161 emigrants from London, has embarked 103 here and will take about 20 more. The single women are placed aft under the cabins, and have a portion of the starboard quarter of their compartment screened off for an infirmary. The married people and young children are midships, and there is a compartment forward for the single men.
A dietary scale is stuck to the mainmast. Adults have half-a-pound of beef or pork, and three quarts of water daily; bread, flour, rice, raisins, etc, in proportion. The list of medical comforts, at the discretion of Mr Barnes, her surgeon, includes arrowroot, sago, lemon juice, brandy, wine, porter, and preserved milk. The emigrants appear healthy and happy. An addition was made to the number on the passage off the coast of Foreland, by the birth of a boy, which has been christened by Mr Childs.
School
The most interesting sight on board this ship was a school of 69 of the children of the emigrants under a course of instruction in reading and writing, by a clever teacher named Palmer Kemp. These children were ranged in classes and, among other things, were actively studying the elements of geography, a science in which they were about to take an extensively practical lesson on their journey to Sydney. Mr Wood expressed himself highly gratified with the condition of the Harbinger.
The dietary and most of the arrangements on board the other ships are similar to the above. Those on the Harbinger” came from Yorkshire and the West of England. It would be more economical to the Government and more convenient to the emigrants, if all were to depart at Plymouth. The above four vessels made average passage from the Thames of nine days, during which they have to be led. A difficult passage down Channel sometimes disgusts emigrants so much that they sometime abandon the more extended voyage. At Plymouth there are clean, airy and substantial depots close by the waterside, and after leaving port the land is usually cleared in about 24 hours.
