Notes of a Voyage to Halifax & Bermuda & back
Sailed 5th November 1831 – Returned 11th March 1832
Absent 18 Weeks & 1 day
James’ ninth voyage started with the Duke of York having to endure strong gales which he describes as sounding like an “Aeolian Harp, wailing and complaining like mourners for the dead”.
The reader gets the impression that James did not particularly enjoy this voyage; having to cope with the intense cold, lack of fresh meat, an unplanned dip up to his armpits in an icy cold sea and voracious cockroaches which were “so plentiful that if you are not especially on your guard, they will season your soup, or look like rich raisins in your plum-pudding”.
James did however enjoy the company of a passenger named Major Henderson, who was a veteran of the Battle of Waterloo and joined the ship on its journey to Bermuda. Of Major Henderson he could not “speak too highly for gentlemanly manners and agreeable temper”.
Click here to start reading the journal or download Voyage 9 to Halifax as a pdf.