Diaries of Alexander Strathern of Blantyre, 14 October 1871-08 July 1872

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File 1

Content Summary:

Diary of Alexander Strathern on a voyage from Glasgow to Melbourne on the cargo ship Loch Tay, 14 October 1871-8 January 1872 and on the return voyage on the Loch Tay from Melbourne to Liverpool, 28 March-8 July 1872.

The entries for the outward voyage, which are mostly brief, refer to the weather, seas, accidents, sightings of other ships, church services, concerts, Crossing the Line ceremony, sighting of Cape pigeons, albatrosses, porpoises and whales, deaths of passengers, Christmas dinner, and the sighting of Cape Otway. At the end is the text of a letter of appreciation from the saloon passengers to Captain Alexander Scott, followed by lists of the crew (35) and passengers (41). There are a few pages describing Strathern's short stay in Melbourne, which included visits to Beechworth and Albury. The entries for the return voyage via Cape Horn are very brief.

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M985

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