Australian
Scottish
Heritage
Scottish
Heritage
These stories are readers contributions sent to me.They have kindly allowed me to share them with you.
Donald Macqueens voyage on the Nerbudda - 1882
Mrs Mary Rose Akins (nee Macqueen) of Casino NSW,daughter of the late Donald Macqueen
who last resided at Woolners Arm some 25 miles north west of Casino till his death on 17.02.1960. writes a very brief account of Donald Macqueen's voyage from Scotland,his
arrival and journeys overland in Australia as taken from a diary he kept and a letter he wrote to his father and later as told to her,when he was in his 96th year.
On the 17th December 1882,we sailed from Plymouth on the "Nerbudda" a large vessel being
268ft in length and 42ft broad,a slow sailboat making her second voyage.
I was on board for only 24 hrs before becoming sea-sick,which lasted one week,during this
period it was most difficult to even swallow water.After recovering from this illness I enjoyed
good health for the remainder of the voyage.
The weather was very pleasant till we approached the equater when the heat was very intense,
very little clothing was required day or night,I even slept one night without a sheet on,this was a
big contrast to the weather in Strathdearn.
There was comparatively little sickness among the adults,but the children suffered a great deal with
measels and other sicknesses;19 died and 5 were born during voyage.
It requires one to be very fixed in ones ways on board as they are an ungodly lot,using profane
language almost continually.
There was nothing to indicate the Sabboth,but about one hour divine service was read.On this day fiddles,flutes and accordeans were played more than other days.We had a concert once a week
and a prayer meeting twice a week.
We sighted Maderia Apade Islands and we were within a little over one hundred miles off the
coast of Brazil,South America.
There were some very nice and respectable company on board,but there were those of the
lower grades of society.
There were about 487 people on board,113 single men,73 single women,54 married men,
58 married women,131 children,56 of a crew,a doctor and matron;they were of all ages some
being over 60 years paying their own passage.
This voyage,although long was a very pleasant one.There were some God fearing men among
them.Although I supposed at first that all my mates were Irishmen there were 2 Scotchmen,one
from Kileythe and the other one from Caithness,two nice and honest fellows.
We arrived on the 28th March 1883 after being 101 days sailing;we had to cast anchor about
6 miles from Sydney and we were kept there in quarintine for 4 days till the ship was washed
all over with Carbolic Acid and fumigated with sulphuric acid on account of the measles being
on board for part of the voyage.
The following letter was taken from his diary;-
Dear Father,
I write to you these few lines to let you know that I arrived here safely on sunday night the
ist of April.
I left the ship on Saturday morning and spent the day in Sydney Head,I was met by Mr Smith,
Stamps Officer,Sydney,a friend of Mrs McGruer who helped me greatly and showed me a great deal of the town.I left Sydney on Saturday night and came to Cootumundra (about 290 miles)
then to Gundagai by Cobb & Co Coach a distance of 35 miles,I was met there by Mr &Mrs McGruer.This seems to be a wild country as it is bush in every direction as far as the eye can see
on both hill and dale.The trees at some distance are not unlike the birch at home.I have not seen
much of the place yet,but I shall be able to tell you more bye & bye.
Arrived at Brungle on the 1st April,1883,
Dear Sir,
I take this opportunity to write this note to you to let you know how I am getting on in
Australia.I am now almost six months in this Colony,but I cannot say much about it yet,it differs
from the Old Country in almost every respect.The climate is all that could be desired since my
arrival in the Colony.They say the summers are very hot,but I shall be able to judge for myself
bye and bye.I have not seen any snow since I went aboard ship at Plymouth,though there are
several inches of it at present within seventy miles of this place.This is a very beautiful part
of the country and there is an abundance of good water.Scarcity of water is the cause of
drought,far back in the bush they have to sink tanks and catch rain water in the winter.
I am in employment with my Uncle since arrival.
We had a church service last Sunday from the Rev.Mr Jack,a Presbyterian who has just arrived
from Scotland and has his charge here.There is every possibility that he will get a call.
Ministers have a hard life of it in the country,the stations and some of the homesteads are
seventy or eighty miles apart,and he has to travel very bad roads to preach a sermon.I hope
you will excuse bad writing as I did not practice since I left school and as you know I was a very
poor hand then.
Yours sincerely
D.Macqueen
Kindley Contributed by Les MacQueen of Urunga NSW
Donald MacQueen was Les MacQueen's grandfather
Mrs Mary Rose Akins (nee Macqueen) of Casino NSW,daughter of the late Donald Macqueen
who last resided at Woolners Arm some 25 miles north west of Casino till his death on 17.02.1960. writes a very brief account of Donald Macqueen's voyage from Scotland,his
arrival and journeys overland in Australia as taken from a diary he kept and a letter he wrote to his father and later as told to her,when he was in his 96th year.
On the 17th December 1882,we sailed from Plymouth on the "Nerbudda" a large vessel being
268ft in length and 42ft broad,a slow sailboat making her second voyage.
I was on board for only 24 hrs before becoming sea-sick,which lasted one week,during this
period it was most difficult to even swallow water.After recovering from this illness I enjoyed
good health for the remainder of the voyage.
The weather was very pleasant till we approached the equater when the heat was very intense,
very little clothing was required day or night,I even slept one night without a sheet on,this was a
big contrast to the weather in Strathdearn.
There was comparatively little sickness among the adults,but the children suffered a great deal with
measels and other sicknesses;19 died and 5 were born during voyage.
It requires one to be very fixed in ones ways on board as they are an ungodly lot,using profane
language almost continually.
There was nothing to indicate the Sabboth,but about one hour divine service was read.On this day fiddles,flutes and accordeans were played more than other days.We had a concert once a week
and a prayer meeting twice a week.
We sighted Maderia Apade Islands and we were within a little over one hundred miles off the
coast of Brazil,South America.
There were some very nice and respectable company on board,but there were those of the
lower grades of society.
There were about 487 people on board,113 single men,73 single women,54 married men,
58 married women,131 children,56 of a crew,a doctor and matron;they were of all ages some
being over 60 years paying their own passage.
This voyage,although long was a very pleasant one.There were some God fearing men among
them.Although I supposed at first that all my mates were Irishmen there were 2 Scotchmen,one
from Kileythe and the other one from Caithness,two nice and honest fellows.
We arrived on the 28th March 1883 after being 101 days sailing;we had to cast anchor about
6 miles from Sydney and we were kept there in quarintine for 4 days till the ship was washed
all over with Carbolic Acid and fumigated with sulphuric acid on account of the measles being
on board for part of the voyage.
The following letter was taken from his diary;-
Dear Father,
I write to you these few lines to let you know that I arrived here safely on sunday night the
ist of April.
I left the ship on Saturday morning and spent the day in Sydney Head,I was met by Mr Smith,
Stamps Officer,Sydney,a friend of Mrs McGruer who helped me greatly and showed me a great deal of the town.I left Sydney on Saturday night and came to Cootumundra (about 290 miles)
then to Gundagai by Cobb & Co Coach a distance of 35 miles,I was met there by Mr &Mrs McGruer.This seems to be a wild country as it is bush in every direction as far as the eye can see
on both hill and dale.The trees at some distance are not unlike the birch at home.I have not seen
much of the place yet,but I shall be able to tell you more bye & bye.
Arrived at Brungle on the 1st April,1883,
Dear Sir,
I take this opportunity to write this note to you to let you know how I am getting on in
Australia.I am now almost six months in this Colony,but I cannot say much about it yet,it differs
from the Old Country in almost every respect.The climate is all that could be desired since my
arrival in the Colony.They say the summers are very hot,but I shall be able to judge for myself
bye and bye.I have not seen any snow since I went aboard ship at Plymouth,though there are
several inches of it at present within seventy miles of this place.This is a very beautiful part
of the country and there is an abundance of good water.Scarcity of water is the cause of
drought,far back in the bush they have to sink tanks and catch rain water in the winter.
I am in employment with my Uncle since arrival.
We had a church service last Sunday from the Rev.Mr Jack,a Presbyterian who has just arrived
from Scotland and has his charge here.There is every possibility that he will get a call.
Ministers have a hard life of it in the country,the stations and some of the homesteads are
seventy or eighty miles apart,and he has to travel very bad roads to preach a sermon.I hope
you will excuse bad writing as I did not practice since I left school and as you know I was a very
poor hand then.
Yours sincerely
D.Macqueen
Kindley Contributed by Les MacQueen of Urunga NSW
Donald MacQueen was Les MacQueen's grandfather