Andrew Jack's Sea Voyage to South Africa, 1893

Below is Andrew Jack's diary of part of his journey from Scotland to South Africa in 1893. Andrew wrote this diary in a simple, pocket sized notebook and afterwards, as a new settler in South Africa and an apprentice farmer, he used the remaining pages for other purposes. There are several pages of Dutch/Afrikaans words and phrases he was learning, and some farming records. The latter, with dates March and April 1894, seem to be mostly numbers of "udders" (ewes about to lamb) and other sheep. Unfortunately his account of the first part of the voyage is missing. It seems likely Andrew started writing it in a different notebook which has since been lost. Perhaps he began the story on pages remaining at the end of an earlier notebook. We can see from this notebook he was not inclined to waste paper! Over the years the little notebook has lost its cover, and possibly a page or two may be missing at the beginning. It does not seem that enough pages are missing from this book to cover the missing first part of the voyage. Considering that Andrew apparently did not set great store by this diary (according to his daughter Jessie) it is amazing that it survived and remained legible -- only just -- after more than a century. Jessie has kept the notebook safe for many years, but the paper has become fragile and the writing so faint that it's likely to be illegible before long. Therefore Jules (Andrew's granddaughter) took the opportunity to transcribe the text in December 2000. The story as told here seems very matter of fact and it's hard for us reading it now to imagine the whole picture. Andrew was eighteen years old and setting off for a new life in a distant country on an ancient (by our standards!) steam ship. He was leaving behind all his family except his sister Jean who travelled on the same ship, although her name appears just once in this account. Andrew mentions time spent writing during the voyage. Presumably this refers to writing letters to family and friends. It would be fascinating to read some of those letters, if any still exist. And perhaps other family members may be able to provide some background information or may recall stories Andrew told them. Hopefully there will be more to add to this page sometime. Andrew's diary is written entirely in pencil and the first few lines (on the first page of what remains) are illegible, so we start in the middle of this page which continues his account for Saturday, October 7, 1893. [Transcription notes are enclosed in square brackets. Andrew's spelling and grammar have not been modified. The text of Andrew's diary starts directly below.] After dinner today we went through a shoal of porpoises. They jumped out of the water every few yards much after the style of a dog when he is hunting a rabbit among corn or like a salmon leaping. Didn't do much the whole afternoon. Terrible warm [sic] and quite content to exist to sit and look at the waves. It was nearly suffocating tonight at tea time. It gets dark almost immediately after the sun sets now.

This picture of Andrew Jack was taken several years after he arrived in South Africa. His daughter Jessie believes it is from some time between 1900 and 1910. At present this is the earliest photo we have of Andrew Jack. If you know of any earlier photos, please contact Jules.

Oct 8th Sunday. It was very warm last night. We slept with the porthole and the door open. I had just my panjandrums on and the coverlet drawn on my legs. We went to church this morning. A second class passenger Canon Balfour conducted the service. I did not like it. There were just two or three hymns and prayers. It was just a part of the Church of England service. I wearied for our own sober church with the good long sermon. We went in about 10.20 and came out about 11.20. I saw some flying fish again this morning. We had great excitement after dinner. We had just gone on deck when here was Cape Verde on our [missing word - corner of page torn - guess it would be "port"] bow and as if that was not enough [for] our poor nerves and hearts here [? appeared] three steamers also. One of the steamers was a British man o war, another a French frigate and the sailor did not know the other. We passed within six miles of Cape Verde. We could see the trees, the lighthouse and the signal station quite plainly. We had scarcely done with these when the return Union Line mail boat came in sight. She was signalled but I could make nothing of the signals. The time we were looking at the Mexican - the return boat - we passed through a shoal of porpoises. Fate was against us. We had not seen a single boat since we left Madeira and here were four big steamers, land and a shoal of porpoises crammed into a couple of hours. They ought to have been better spread out. I forgot to tell you a funny thing that happened. I was in church, what do you think I was doing. Flea hunting. I was sitting with my left leg on my right knee when I saw a little black insect in the [?eef or ?elf] in my white trousers. I never thought it could be a flea - who would expect a low bred flea in the aristocratic first saloon. So I touched him up with my finger. Then he jumped and betrayed himself. I got him! We all lounged about the deck until tea time. About ten minutes before the bell rang I had a constitutional around the deck. We don't need to hunt for an appetite here but a walk is pleasant. The first thing I saw when I came on deck was a sailor with half his oilskins on and the other half under his arm. I look to windward and saw a big heavy bank of black clouds. We were to have heavy rain a quartermaster told me. We watched it coming, making the waves with as it came along. It did rain. It rained bucketfulls and slackened alternately until about nine. We went on deck then for a short turn. I just then wondered what you would have thought if you had seen your humble servant strutting about the deck at half past nine at night with nothing on but flannel shirt and trousers and my jacket. I discovered tonight that the captain had put the storm we had in the Bay of Biscay down in the log as a full gale. I think he was telling a bit of a cram [sic] but I won't say it. He ought to know best. There was an evening service tonight. It happened at a most inopportune time, eight o'clock I was just sat down to supper when the bell started ringing. I stayed for supper.

Monday 9th Oct. There were two or three drops of rain this morning but it cleared up in a short time. We had rather an eventful day today. We had a bit of an adventure which happily came all right but might have been different. Indeed when one thinks of it, it might have been dreadful. We were sitting about the deck some little while after breakfast when we felt a slight lurch. I thought a nasty wave had lifted the screw out of the water so did not mind. In a couple of seconds we felt a succession of bumps and then the engines stopped. Everybody jumped up. The sailors started running and the firemen and engineers put their heads above deck and cried what was the matter. We had stuck of a sandbank. It was one of those drifting sandbanks not marked on the chart. The engines were put full steam astern and we slowly got off. Very few of the passengers knew what was wrong until the whole thing was over but some of the sailors at first had rather white looking faces. They kept heaving the lead for a good while after we got [off]. I suppose that for a good bit we had only three feet of water below the ships keel. At twelve o'clock we were at Lat 11 degrees 4 N Long 17 degrees 9 W. The run was 259 miles. After dinner we were sitting smoking on deck and watching the flying fish when we saw a denizen of the deep a little bigger than the ones we were watching. A whale rose about 50 yards from the ships side. It was not a very big one. I think it would be less than 20 ft. We saw a steamer today crossing our track. It was a good bit ahead though, looking as if bound for the West coast of Africa. We did little the whole afternoon but sat and read. After supper I went on deck and watched a thunderstorm away in the distance. The lightning must have been grand in the place where it was. I think it would have licked the Friday night's lightning last summer.

Tuesday 10th. The days are beginning to get monotonous now. We enjoy them though. The only thing we do is to sit on deck and read or watch the flying fish. At times for a change I played quoits. The right quoits were all lost overboard so we have to play with pennies. I'll describe the game some other place. We were Lat 6 degrees 43 N and Long 14 degrees 36 W at twelve o'clock today. The run was 302. There was the usual sweepstake. Sat up on deck until bed time. I nearly forgot to tell you that I had gone down to see the engines today. It is not nearly so hot as one would imagine. It is bad enough though. I had only my shirt and trousers on and sweat was running down my face the whole time. The engines are triple expansion. That is all I can say about them. All engines are much about the same to one who knows little about them. It was curious to see pipes encrusted with snow in the midst of such heat. They belonged to the refrigerator. It was fine to rub your hand on them and then pass it over your brow. The fellow - Benford - who was with me and I had to give the stokers something to drink our healths in for our sightseeing. Wednesday 11th Oct. This morning the steward wakened my cabin chums and myself about six to tell us we could have a bath then. We told him we never did have any baths in the middle of the night. We then fell fast asleep again. The next thing we were half conscious of was the ring of a bell. I lay and listened quite contentedly until Morgan asked what bell that was. It was the breakfast bell and neither of us up. You should have seen the way we got into our clothes. By good luck we had few to put on. We managed to be at breakfast before some had finished their porridge. We do nothing now but eat, sit on deck and sleep. I played quoits and read alternately the whole day. There is to be a concert on Friday night. We had a game of whist tonight. While we were playing [we] were amused by some of the third class singing on deck. The singer told that he "wasn't intoxicated though he looked so queer, he had only had a bucket of rum, some whiskey and some beer" and a whole lot of other drinks. Then he told them "he hadn't had time to wet his lips when they chucked him out". I went to bed thinking of that man. It must have been interesting though perhaps not beneficial to have had his acquaintance. I was nearly forgetting to tell that we were in Lat 2 degrees 39 N Long 11 degrees 21 at twelve today. The run was 312 miles. Thursday 12th Oct. If I made a mistake yesterday morning in getting up I made a worse one this morning. It has been preying on my mind and harassing me the whole day. I cannot forget it. Morgan and I were lying half awake when he asked me what time it was. I pulled out my watch from underneath my pillow and told him it was time we were up, it was a quarter to eight by the ship's time. We got up dressed and then decided to go on deck. On going through the saloon we wondered at the breakfast table being so bare. When we came to the foot of the companion what was that we saw on the clock. Five minutes to seven. I sat down on the stairs to recover. I was so overcome. We walked on deck until breakfast. I had to take in my belt two or three times in that hour. I think I was about the last to finish my breakfast this morning but you know I was always a slow eater. You would not think this was the equator. There is a very strong wind dead ahead and the sun isn't out today. It is cold instead of being roasting hot as every [one] expected. At twelve today we were at Lat 0 degrees 54 S and Long 8 degrees 10 W. The run was 286 miles. You will see by that that we crossed the line some time this forenoon. I saw an awful lot of flying fish today. The largest flight was about twenty. Eight or ten fishes is the general thing though. Had a game at whist tonight. We do nothing the whole day but sit and read. Sometimes I have a game at quoits. We are all so lazy that the one who proposes violent exertion is an enemy of the public. Friday 13th Oct. Struck the happy medium this morning. Was neither to [sic] early nor to late for breakfast. Very cloudy and cold today. Nobody can understand the weather at all. We are all sitting about with our jackets buttoned. Very strong wind too. There is to be a concert tonight as I told you before. We were at Lat 4 degrees 52 S and Long 4 degrees 58 W at twelve today. The run was 306 miles. It's nothing but read, play quoits and walk the deck the whole day. The concert was something terrible. It passed the evening though. The instrumental music was passable but the singing and recitation was inexcusable. I could scarcely make out a word they said and what I did hear wasn't worth hearing. I [? lent] the Students' Song Book to the 3rd Engineer and he sang the Vicar of Bray and [? Upidee]. Saturday 14th Oct. It is just as cold as ever. Rugs and overcoats are in use by those who are sitting. It's not like the sunny south folks at home think of. Feel awful rotten. Can't be bothered doing anything. Just want to sit. See a single bird once in a while. That is the only strange thing we see. We were at Last 8 degrees 45 S and Long 1 degree 48 W at twelve today. The run was 300 miles. Jean and I had a game at whist with a fellow Benford and Canon Balfour tonight before supper. After supper we spent the time wondering what we could do to spend the time until bed time. Sunday 15th Oct. The third Sunday I have been on board the old Trojan. We are all feeling quite at home on board her now. It's a beautiful life we lead, nothing to do but eat and sleep. There was a slight rain this morning. After it cleared up it was scarcely as cold as it was yesterday though too cold for me yet. The Service today was conducted again by Canon Balfour. I didn't go today. I won't have any more Episcopal Church. I didn't go on deck much today. It was too cold to sit and read. I had a good laugh today at what our cabin steward told me. During the Service I was in my cabin for a while when the steward came. "What's wrong when you are no at the Kirk?" I asked him. Sir? he said. Seeing he was puzzled I translated to him. He then told me that I had said something one morning to him that he had puzzled over the whole forenoon. He said I had said something about bricks then seeing I was puzzled and he asked me what I called my trousers. Breeks I told him of course. He had been puzzling his brain to know what I wanted with bricks. When I am half asleep I startle them about me with my fine Scotch. I went to church tonight after all. I heard that Mr Heathcote was going to give a sermon so I went to hear what he was like. He might be better and yet not win fame. We were in Lat 12 degrees 31 S and Long 1 degree 33 E at twelve this morning. The run was 300 miles. Monday 16th Oct. It was very cold this morning until the sun broke through the clouds. It was cold again in the afternoon. Had standing jumps and quoits until dinner time. Read a little, wrote a little, lay in my bed a little until tea time. After tea I measured the deck and with another fellow walked about a mile and a half. Played whist at night. We were in Last 16 degrees 57 S Long 2 degrees 47 E. The run was 310 miles Tuesday 17th Oct. Very cold this morning when not in the sun. The wind is very strong. Sat and read the whole forenoon. Same program in the afternoon as yesterday. Read, wrote and lay in my bed until tea time. Walked nearly two miles after tea. Played whist at night. There is to be a concert tomorrow night. Today we were at Lat 20 degrees 49 S and Long 7 degrees 49 E. The run was 305 miles. We expect to be in Cape Town on Friday afternoon. Although I say it's cold I don't mean that we have blue noses. We feel the cold because of the warm weather we had to begin with. It is the strong wind that makes it so cold. Wednesday 18th Oct. Morgan and I did it again this morning. We both wakened before seven and then fell asleep again. We got up when the breakfast bell rang. He was so fast asleep that I had to shake him to waken him. I did myself out of a look at a whale by my sleepiness. Those on deck saw one immediately after breakfast and as I was finishing dressing in my cabin I missed it. The fourth officer says we struck one early this morning. Guess that whale must feel queer yet. It is scarcely as cold this morning. There were two or three short showers of drizzling rain, scotch mist, this forenoon. I saw two whales this forenoon within 100 yds from the ships side. They were not very big ones. Those make five whales in 12 hours. We were in Lat 25 degrees 8 S and Long 18 degrees 59 E today. The run was 312 miles. We are getting nearer land now. See an occasional seabird. It got very rough this afternoon. At tea a few of the ladies were feeling a little queer and retired immediately. I felt a want of appetite myself but blamed it on my smoking so much. I hurried up on deck and soon was all right. I put on my coat and waited up until half past nine. There was a very strong wind and the ship was pitching beautifully. The spray was coming over the bow and dashing on deck. It was fine to stand and hold on by something and feel the spray on my face. It stung my face at times though, when an extra strong gust of wind came. After supper we went up again. You should have seen the fine waves. They were splendid. A big trough then a big foam crested billow. On they came never two alike. The heave and the wind wasn't enough for us on the hurricane deck so we went right on to the front of the forecastle beside the watch man. We had to hold our hair on and yell in each others ears, it blew so much. The concert which was to have been tonight was put off on account of the rough seas. Thursday 19th Oct. The weather slightly warmer. Sun very strong. Strong breeze. Lay and roasted myself in the sun the whole forenoon except when I was reading. The sailors are beginning to prepare for Cape Town. In the afternoon I read a little and then wrote until near teatime. After tea I went up and smoked and talked to a farmer going back to the Cape. The concert is to be tonight. The concert began with a piece from the band. Then an address was presented to the captain. The whole of the passengers had signed their names to it. Then there were songs, recitations, banjo and mandoline solos. There was a great improvement on the last concert. A lot who were too bashful to come out at first came out this time. We had George P's favourite songs from the dark fellow Mr Abdurahman who was a medical student at Glasgow. He sang "Pretty little maidens" and gave "Polly wolly doodles" as an encore. The captain gave a terrible funny reading. The rest of the recitations were the usual - not up to much. The sea looked beautiful in the bright moonlight tonight. We were at Lat 28 degrees 51 S and 14 degrees 14 E. Long. The run was 283 miles. Friday 20th Oct '93. Splendid morning. Nice and warm. Fine light breeze and strong sun. We sighted land this morning before ten. . It was just a wee, wee bit, like a cloud on the horizon. There are great flocks of curious little diving birds about. We were at Lat 33 degrees 05 S and Long 17 degrees 41 E. We did nothing the whole day but stand about deck and watch the coastline as we neared Cape Town. We sighted Table Mountain between eleven and twelve today. It is terrible disappointing the first sight of Table Mountain from the boat. It looks bare and barren at first but as you near it gets better and only looks bold and rugged. The boat came to an anchor about five out in the bay. Almost immediately the steam launch came out with officials. Then the boatmen came out to take any passengers ashore. Along with them came Hotel touts. We were in great indecision at first as to what we should do. We wisely waited for a little. A little before six Mr & Mrs Bryson came out on a boat for us. We went in with them and stayed all night. We went down next morning for our boxes. The passing the Customs was a farce. The officials just asked us what we had in them. We told them of course that there were only personal clothing and they passed us. We have been staying with the Brysons ever since. As this is a diary of my voyage I shall not put into it what the country is like and what I have experienced since I landed. I shall leave that to my letters.

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