Birds of Passage

by Henrietta Clive

  Ever your

  very affectionate,

  H. A. C.

  Charly’s journal provided a running account of their voyage: ‘April 10th. We spoke to a Company’s ship going to Madras, and Mamma and Mrs Baker, sent letters by her.’ ‘April 12th. Sufficiently calm, for Mr Thomas to read prayers on deck. The calm prevented our making progress till the 17th and then a little breeze sprang up, and we made a degree a day.’ ‘April 19th. We had a hard gale, as Captain Cummings called it, and three of our sails were split, but though we had to alter our course, no other harm was done. The weather tolerably favourable til the 23rd when we crossed the line.’ ‘April 27th. A violent squall. Mrs Baker much frightened. Signora Anna lost her pillow to our great diversion, and every article, not lashed, fell down to the ground. Our swinging table was most useful.’ ‘April 29th. A hard squall in the night, and the ship pitched so, that I struck my head against the bed. The wind died away towards morning, and on May 1st we found ourselves six miles nearer Madras than the day before.’ ‘May 4th. The sea like a looking glass. Captain Cummings and Mr Torin went on board the Prince William Henry. The ship’s company had some grog, as it was the anniversary of the taking of Seringapatam.’ ‘May 5th. A little breeze, and then we saw a very large shark, but could not catch it. We also saw three pilot fish.’ ‘May 6th. We caught a very large shark.’ ‘May 9th. Continued squalls. The ship laid over very much. Captain Cummings said he was sure we had got the East trade winds.’ ‘May 11th. So hard a squall that the mainsail split. The Prince William Henry made a signal that they saw a large ship sailing to the northward. A signal was made to chase her, but as she appeared to get away fast from us, we resumed our course.’ ‘May 14th. In the afternoon, the Prince William Henry made a signal to speak to us, and Captain Basket desired Mr Torin would come and see Col Torin as soon as the sea would permit, he being seriously ill.’ ‘May 15th. Spotted the Prince William Henry; the sea so high no boat could go on board.’ ‘May 16th. A signal to change our course, and steer South-west by west.’ ‘May 17th. In consequence of a signal from the Prince William Henry, we lay to, for Mr Torin and Mr Thomas to go on board her, on account of the illness of Colonel Torin. Mr Thomas returned, leaving Mr Torin behind. We killed a bullock, and sent part of it to the Commodore.’ ‘May 20th. The Prince William Henry signalled a death. It was Col Torin. About 2 o’clock a poor man fell overboard. He was tying up the highest sail, when the rope under his feet slipped. He fell first on the anchor, and then into the sea, and must have been dead before he reached the water. A boat was lowered, but they did not find the body.’ ‘May 30th. Toward evening Captain Urmston, Mr Grant and Mr Hardgrave came on board. The wind more favourable.’ ‘June 2nd. A fairer wind in the morning and about the middle of the day the Commodore made a signal to steer west. In the evening, but little wind. Until June 14th no event, except slight changes of wind, but on that day, we had a shower of hail. Captain Cummings said some of the stones, were the size of a large nut. The wind foul, but suddenly changed and the sea came in so much through the stern windows, that all Mrs Hart’s things were wetted. The deadlights were put in, but the motion of the ship was so great, that we could not dine in the cuddy.’

  June 6th, Latitude 27°21´, Longitude 43°21´, Henrietta to Lord Clive

  I am not sure, my dear Lord, if this letter will reach you but as there is a possibility of Captain Cummings going into the Cape, I shall tell you how we are. The voyage has hitherto been very favourable and good and we are all well. Scarcely any sickness and the girls improved already in looks, health, and spirits. Harriet has been well except once about ten days ago, I believe, owing to the cold and going out before breakfast. But I can scarcely call it an indisposition. She only complained of a pain in her head and as soon as she lay down and took some castor it was over. She is really stout and well. Charlotte is perfectly so and has been the same. I suffer as usual a great deal from the motion, but no sickness. Instead of that my stomach is much affected. Signora Anna quite well. The Captain perfectly attentive and our situation much better than in either of the other ships. We have every reason to be satisfied. Various are the suspicions going to the Cape since Captain Urmston spoke to the other Captains who refused to go there. Whenever the wind has been good he has constantly tacked or done something to obstruct our going on. We are now tossed a great deal in consequence of it. I am very anxious to get on and am afraid there is now no chance till the end of September.

  I wrote to you on April 10 by a Mosslman’s vessel. We have only seen one vessel besides supposed to be an Armenian, but it did not stay to speak to us. Col Torin died about a fortnight ago, which was expected when we left Vizagapatam. The old General is quite alive playing with Harry. In short we are as well off as we could be and much more so than our neighbours. I shall write from St Helena and send this to Captain Urmston’s ship the first opportunity. The plants are well. The Sultana in great health and all the other horses and cows and birds likewise.

  I wish you could feel the cold wind that is now blowing upon me. The Therm was this morning at 68. I shall keep this open till late as I can that you may have a little more. We think and talk of you very often and sincerely wish you were with us and that we were all at the end of our voyage. Mrs Baker has been unwell but is now revived and quite alive. She is a most pleasant person to us all. Mrs Hart often ill but much improved. Adieu for the present.

  June 7th, Henrietta to Lord Clive, continued

  We have a fine day and very fair wind and are therefore in good spirits as to the passage if it continues. I wish you could see the two dear faces I do at this minute. They desire a great many loves to you and would have written but I have not given them time and there was a great deal of motion yesterday. I have no doubt of being able to send you good accounts of them after we are once settled in England.

  God bless you my dear Lord.

  I hope you will write by every opportunity

  to your very affectionate

  H. A. C.

  On June 15th Charly’s journal spoke for the travellers: ‘June 15th. The same hard gale, the waves rose mountains high, and the ship rolled and pitched dreadfully, a wave taking us up, when we could see the other ships plainly, and then dashing us down again, so that we could not even see their masts.’ ‘June 16th. The wind as foul as ever, and perfectly against us.’ ‘June 18th. The wind not quite so high. Three strange sail in sight, supposed to be the Ceylon fleet. The Commodore (who is on the Sir Edward Hughes) made a signal to bear down, but afterwards we resumed our course.’ ‘June 21st. Fresh gales and, later in the day, cloudy.’ ‘June 24th. More moderate.’ ‘June 27th, 28th, 29th, and 30th. The weather still bad, but occasional moderate winds.’ ‘July 1st. The Commodore fired 3 guns. We lost sight of the other ships, and put up blue lights. Captain Cummings thought there must have been some mistake in the signal. He tacked again and spoke to the Commodore. It blew rather hard, and contrary to our expectations the current had carried us 70 miles to the west. We were on the bank in the evening, and when they heaved the lead it was 12 fathoms. At 10 o’clock it was again heaved, and was 33 fathoms. We had been quite under the influence of a gale, such as the Cape of Good Hope generally produces, and this very severe one lasted the whole of the moon. All the portholes being closed made the cabins very dark.’ ‘July 3rd. Early in the morning a fair wind sprung up, and at 12 o’clock two ships were in sight, supposed to be the Commodore, and the Prince William Henry. At the same time land was sighted, which was thought to be Cape L Agulhas and later in the day we saw it plainly from the quarterdeck. At 12 o’clock at night the wind changed, and in the morning, we were off the bank.’ ‘July 4th. We saw an American ship, and had a shower of hail.’ ‘July 5th. Still stormy. It was settled that we should go into the Cape. The ship rolled more than ever. We saw Cape L Agulhas.’ ‘July 6, 7, and 8th. Hard winds.’ ‘July 11th. Landed at Simon’s Bay, Cape of Good Hope. Signora Tonelli painted a watercolour.’

  * Once a chief port and town in
the district

  Simon’s Bay: The Cape of Good Hope, South Africa

  ‘The most melancholy news.’

  July 11th, Simon’s Bay, Henrietta to Lord Clive

  We are now in the act of anchoring where you will be surprised to hear of us in Simon’s Bay after a most tedious passage of fourteen weeks from Vizagapatam and the last four in almost a continual gale. We are all well now and rejoicing at the prospect of land tho’ we have suffered a great deal and have not slept quietly or well above four nights for this last month by which as you may suppose we are much affected. I shall give you as the most interesting the history of our healths and then with our adventures. Harriet has had a complaint once in her bowels from the motion of the ship and some alarm at the weather and was much reduced and nervous but nothing alarming but is now reviving. You will receive the first part of our voyage in a separate letter which will bring you to June 6 as the ship by which it was sent is not yet come in here.

  Charlotte has been well in great spirits except for what I am now going to tell you. Signora A has had her ague a little which it now appears was owing in great reason to her having starved herself ever since we came down the country for an eruption unknown to Dr Thomas and which has ended in a violent not Scotch but Malabar Gaul* which Charlotte has caught and from which she is now recovering though her hands are not pretty. I have lived in some alarm of its spreading as there was difficulty in explaining the disorder. I have in general been much better than I expected but from the want of rest and much anxiety am as nervous as possible and weak. However, I trust a few days on land will revive us. Mrs Baker has been ill, not alarmingly so but suffering a great deal. She is now better and tho’ this has been the case, Thomas says, and I am persuaded of it too, that her indisposition is likely to be the means of producing good health hereafter and of being essential to her. Mrs Hart suffers a great deal and has now been a month with the ports shut and dead lights with the water continually passing through the cabin in damp and darkness. So much for the females.

  Our voyage was prosperous as far as the end of Masulipattam. And as it is the opinion of all in this ship and I believe all in the Prince William that Captain Urmston was determined to come in here and certainly as they declare shortened sail when he ought to have gone on and done several things that appear either to have been done from ignorance or design. The former is not likely. In short he is in great disfavour with everybody.

  On the 14 June we had the most violent storm of lightning I ever saw. The whole night there was a complete illumination with terrible thunder and hailstones of an immense size from the time till today we have had continual gales, some tremendous. In one on 4 July, we were separated from the other ships owing to the mistake we suppose of a signal at 12 at night and we are now anchored and find them now coming into the Bay. Everybody is tired to death of it and upon our being alone and with a fair wind for a few hours Captain Cummings determined to go on to St Helena, but in less than twenty-four hours a gale came on and after three or four days we were obliged to come in here. We have great reason to be satisfied with the Captain. Tho the table was very bad at first it became after Vizagapatam very tolerable and by far the best of the three. Captain Urmston’s the worst and, by all we have heard, we were lucky in not coming in his ship. Captain Cummings is indefatigable in his attention to his ship and never quits the deck day or night if there is anything to be done. He is perfectly disposed to be obliging and that we should all have every thing that the ship can produce or that can be contrived for us.

  July 13th, Henrietta to Lord Clive, continued

  Mrs Cartwright came back with the sad account that there were neither lodgings, fruit, milk, butter or bread to be had. A most dismal prospect. We had Mr Goodwin, who you remember of the Tremendous, who came on board with news, which astonished us of the changes in the administration. All we could do yesterday morning was to go on shore [and find] all to be had, which by the greatest civility of the Admiral and the storekeeper I have got two excellent rooms sufficient for the necessary servants. Mrs Baker and Signora Anna are to establish themselves there today or tomorrow. This suits both of us. Mrs Baker is unable to bear much moving. Indeed has not left her great chair except to come to us. But perhaps it is as well not to say so to Mrs Baker. And Signora Anna’s state requires a warm bath and various other things, which could not be so well done in the ship, and she was very anxious to be on shore and wished not to go to Cape Town.

  I have had a great deal to do to arrange myself. Everybody is civil and attentive. General Dundas, the Governor, wrote to me directly to offer carriages for my removal, which I have accepted, and we go tomorrow to Chussenburgh, where the girls, myself, Sally, Mr Cartwright, and Dr Thomas will remain tomorrow night and perhaps the next day as we feel. (Dr Thomas going backwards and forwards to the sick) I am really so weak and shaken by the long voyage and bad weather that I can scarcely walk. At least I could not without great trembling and I feel it all over me. Harry, too, will not bear much therefore we shall go as quietly as we can.

  I wrote to Lady Anne Barnard when I came and she has sent me an invitation to her house which I have accepted as it is both economical and convenient. As we are few in number cannot be a great inconvenience to her. Thomas Harris refused positively to go on shore without his wife. His first message to me was improper at least. The Lady said he should not go without her after all he spoke to me and as she is in a way, he says he is afraid of her killing herself if he left her. I will not be troubled with her as we are enough for one carriage and she must have another and her child. She does nothing for the girls, is very dirty and impertinent so I go with my two gentlemen and no servant. I believe she thought by keeping Thomas to force me to take her too. But my Welsh spirit would not do it. If I write a little irregularly you must excuse it and take things as they come into my head.

  The night before last the other ships came in and were surprised to find us here. Captain Urmston having sent a note early to the Admiral to say that he had parted company with us and that we should probably be soon here when lo! We were here before him. I have seen him and Col Blaquiere. Your horse is well and the little cattle, the mango tree very sick, and I am sorry to say that tho the Sultana is in perfect health, she has not produced nor does not intend it, being pronounced not in a way. I am afraid we shall be much puzzled to get hay or oats for her. The account of the want of provisions … is terrible and Captain Urmston is abused most heartily by all his passengers and all agree that a considerable private investment for this place and while he was swearing to Mr Dick he had no thoughts of coming to the Cape he was buying cotton at Vizagapatam for this place. They have had no mutton or wine for six weeks only half a pint of water and had candles from this ship. We are to have the Star bring our old acquaintance to St Helena and England which gives great joy to the fleet as it will lead and end all our troubles sooner than they would otherwise be accomplished.

  You will have a chart of our voyage if possible by this ship. Cockatoo has picked one to pieces that was to have been prepared for you. We must get one at the Cape. This letter will be given to the charge of Captain Richardson who married one of Mrs Harris’s nieces at Madras. I saw last night a Dr Moffat who says he saw a Mr Clive in London. I was obliged to describe complexions to know which and found it to be your Uncle William in perfect health in February.

  The token of Hapsburg† will, I am afraid, be a sad affair to us and our overland dispatches and make me fear that none of ours are safely arrived concerning my return.

  Your plants in this ship are poorly from the bad weather, but I hope many will survive. I shall try to get some seeds and bulbs here. I hear Sir George Younger went away at twenty-four hours notice in some disgrace. I expect to hear a great deal from Lady Anne. I shall finish this letter when I leave the ship and go on writing and sending them till the True Britain sails which some say is to be in two days.

  Our society is very pleasant. The General, I like extremely and pick up a great
deal of information from him. Mr Sorin is a little pompous. Col Doveton talks about Persian to me and Mr Woodcock is the only person we all dislike. He is most terribly noisy and forward. Mr Cartwright does all he can but seems terribly puzzled about enjoying houses or carriages or any household affairs but always in good humour. Dr Thomas quite alive and well, giving one a little bark another a little camphor, another a little brimstone in short having a great many falls during the bad weather and a variety of little messes to mix which you know makes him quite happy. The 86th Regiment is here and very sickly. The Commanding Officer here is a Major Stuart, brother to one in Ceylon and tho’ not of the most favourable appearance has been so civil to me and so ready to do anything to assist in procuring lodgings that if the Regiment goes to Madras which they expect, pray say something civil to him. General Dundas has sent an aide de camp to me. Captain Mores, a complete Scotchman in dialect. He is to go with us tomorrow and the General Camaige is to meet me at Kalk’s Bay.

  I shall continue to write as long as the ships remain and I hope with a little less confusion. For at present, I am really in a sort of fidget having so much to arrange that I am quite worried about it. Have met with some old newspapers but cannot see anything of the Shropshire or my brother which I was in hopes would have been the case. You would be glad to feel cold as we do now. We have suffered a great deal from it since the bad weather began. The therm has been at 54 and a half. I still defy flannel but condescend to wear a shawl sometimes. Adieu my dear Lord. We hear here that Ld Glenberrie and Glouster Douglas is coming here. I could not help thinking if these changes would affect you and send you to us once more.