meanwhile i had gone to hear a man who was lecturing. he dealt with all the colonies in turn, and when he referred to south australia and adelaide, so pleasing were the pictures he drew of the country all round, that they made a deep impression on me. i knew no one in adelaide, and i knew no one in that lecture-hall, but as i sat there my mind was made up to come to south australia, having the choice between it and either melbourne or queensland. i told the rev. a. n. somervill, when i showed him the papers, that i would like to come to adelaide, and he said that a college friend of his was in the city of adelaide. his name was dr. gardner, and they wrote to each other. from dr. gardner's account he thought it would be a nice place to live, and when i left glasgow mr. somervill gave me a letter to dr. gardner, who was minister of chalmer's church, north-terrace.
i was healthful, sound of body, and free from disease, and i did not think so much of the trouble of the voyage.
it seemed, such a short time after the papers were sent away till i had an answer back to say that i was to hold myself in readiness to sail from liverpool or birkenhead in a ship called the morning star. that was near the end of october. i had not told them at home what i had done in regard to applying for a passage, and i was to be at the place of embarkation not later than november 2. with a fluttering heart i went to slamannan. they would not believe me. then they did not want me to go. i was sorely tried. i wondered at the maze of difficulties; the only thing which determined me was that it was too late to draw back. i craved for their sympathy, and asked them to let me go. i overheard a man speaking to my father. he asked if it was true that i was going out to the colonies. my father said "yes." he replied, "surely you will not let your daughter go." my father said "yes." the man had some family himself, and he then said, "if it were a daughter of mine that wanted to go to that wild, outlandish place i would take her to the plantation and take a gun and shoot her rather than let her go to such a place."
i heard it all, and had a cry. i did not know enough to realise the distance or the time i would be on the sea. the morning star was a sailing vessel.
in spite of my impulsive nature it was hard to give up all the humble joys of youth, and i thought i could face the future better in scotland. what would a strange land hold for me? it is no use to tell how the colliers and their wives and friends crowded to see me, as they said to mix up the sour with the sweet. we were living in the main street of slamannan then, and my sister and her husband, as well as the colliers and others,[pg 45] gathered together and got the large hall and arranged a concert on my behalf. i felt grateful to many whom i had never seen before. all round i was asked such strange questions, and was told i was rushing to destruction. some thought i would get eaten when i got out here.
the final morning came. it was dark and cold on november 2. all my own relations travelled with me to glasgow, but at the railway-station at slamannan there were the people again with their hearty farewells. i told them i would come back and see them some day, and i did so. the brave spirit which sustained me gave way, and i went in tears to say good-bye to my friends in glasgow. oh, the bitterness of that hour! to see the old scenes of my daily life and say the last word. i saw dr. reily, and he gave me some useful advice for ship life. in scotland the days are short in november. the train left at 5 p.m. it was dark, and every familiar object grew dim. there was no one in the train whom i knew. i was told that it would be 7 o'clock the next morning before i would get to liverpool. all night the train journeyed on, and at some of the stations we picked up some more weeping passengers. it seemed to console me when i saw others who i learned were going to adelaide in the morning star.
when we got to liverpool we were taken to birkenhead. there was a queer-looking building where we were taken. i soon found that plenty of people were there to the appointed time for the voyage, and they did not seem afraid to travel to the fair land beyond the sea. such a mixed lot of strangers i saw. there were welsh and english married couples with their families. there were welsh and english single young men and welsh and english single young woman. then there were scotch and irish married couples, and also their families, and single young scotch men, and single young scotch women. i can still remember how many single women there were altogether. there were 105. we had nothing to complain of. there were separate divisions for all the young women in a department by themselves with the married couples next to us. then the young men were at the other side, and in the ship the same plan was carried through all the way on the voyage.
we did not sail till november 19, but there were no unreasonable restrictions. we went in and out at will. i went about with some of the married people, and clung to them all the way out and after. i go and see some of them at this date when i can find the time. the ship was brought alongside of the depot, as this place was called, and i thought it looked so splendid, so clean and nice; but, for all that, more than i thought it might be our last resting-place. the touch of kindness in it all was wonderful to me. one lady, also a free passenger, was elected as matron. she was an english lady, and she endeared herself to all. the doctor had all our names on a roll, and he called them[pg 46] over every evening and morning, and we had to answer to our names to see that none of us got lost. the doctor acted as chaplain. he was a bachelor, and had many years' experience of sea life. there was a punt that went to and fro from birkenhead to liverpool, and vehicles of all kinds with horses attached passed over on this punt. it cost a half-penny for each individual. we often went in companionship in that way, and we saw many things to surprise us in liverpool.
we were watching to see when the morning star would sail, and wondering why we were there so long and were provided for, without payment, with good as well as suitable food. the last afternoon before we sailed we had our tea on board the ship. some were skilled in music amongst the men, and they formed in a harmonious way and marched on board in order playing some lively tunes with flute and fiddle. only to think that we must gradually get settled and be pent up within the walls of a ship for three months and not see land in that time! we girls were arranged so many for each table, and the table had a number. we took it in turns to keep the utensils and vessels that we used clean. the sleeping convenience, too, was adjusted for sleeping only. there were comfortable hammock-like beds, and two shared a compartment together. a young english girl came to me and said her name was put with mine for sleeping in the same division. i had not seen her before, as she came on board only in time to sail, as her home was in liverpool. she cried bitterly at leaving home and mother. she was about 20 years of age, and so beautiful and pleasing, and she could sing. we went to sleep, and in the morning when i awoke i found the ship moving gently. we were being towed out of the dock by a steamboat.
