Account of a Voyage: the "Orwell", 1855

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“Y rhai a ddisgynant mewn llongau i’r môr gan wneuthur eu gorchwyl mewn dyfroedd mawrion, hwy a welant weithredoedd yr Arglwydd, a’r ryfeddodau yn y dyfnder.”

“They that go down to the sea in ships, that do business in great waters; These see the works of the Lord, and his wonders in the deep.”⁴⁰

MORDAITH Y LLONG “ORWELL”

CADBEN MAURICE

o PORT PHILLIP heibio i CAPE HORNE i LUNDAIN.
1855.

Mawrth 2.—Cychwynasom ar foreu hyfryd o Hobson’s Bay, a thynwyd ni allan gan agerfad, am fod y gwynt yn wrthwynebus; ac yr ydym yn morio yn Bass Straits, ac yn ngolwg y Cape Otway, braidd trwy y dydd.

THE VOYAGE OF THE SHIP “ORWELL”

CAPTAIN MAURICE

from PORT PHILLIP past CAPE HORNE to LONDON.
1855.

March 2.—We started out on a pleasant morning from Hobson’s Bay, and were taken out by a steamboat, for the wind was contrary; and we are sailing in the Bass Straits, and in sight of Cape Otway, for most of the day.

4, Sabbath.—Yn Lledred 39 gradd; Hydred 142 gradd.

4, Sabbath.—At Latitude 39 degrees; Longitude 142 degrees.

5, Dydd Llun.—Y boreu heddyw, gan ei bod yn ddiwrnod tawel, yr ydym yn gweled llawer o’r pysgod gwangcus hyny yn canlyn y llong, sef y shark. Cymerodd un o’r morwyr hen het wellt, a thaflodd hi i’r môr; yn ddioed, gwelem un o’r creaduriaid gwangcus hyn yn rhuthro iddi, ac yn ei chymeryd i’w safn; barnodd nad oedd werth ei llyngcu a thaflodd hi o’i safn eilwaith. Yna cymerodd y morwyr fachau mawrion ac abwydau blasus ar y bachau, a chyn haner dydd, yr oeddynt wedi dal naw o honynt.

5, Monday.—This morning, it being a still day, we can see many of those rapacious fish, the sharks, following the ship. One of the sailors took an old straw hat, and threw it into the sea; directly, we saw one of these voracious creatures rush toward it, and take it into its jaws; it decided that it was not worth swallowing and threw it out of its jaws again. Then the sailors took large hooks with tasty worms on them, and before midday, they had caught nine of them.

6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11.—Y gwynt yn hollol deg.

6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11.—The wind quite fair.

12--Yr ydym heddyw yn gyfochrog ag ynys fawr New Zealand; yn cyfeirio yn union am y Cape Horne.

12--Today we are sailing alongside the great island of New Zealand; and heading directly for Cape Horne.

14.—Cawsom ystorm rymus o wynt, ac nid oedd ein llong yn abl cario llathen o liain, yr oedd yn huricane pur am 24 o oriau.

14.—We had a strong windstorm, and the ship could not set a yard of sail; it was a true hurricane for 24 hours.

Dwy o ynysoedd yw New Zealand, yn cael eu gwahanu gan Gulfor Cook. Pan diriodd Tyreman a Bennet i’r ynysoedd y tro cyntaf, gydag achos y Gymdeithas Genhadol, y pryd hwnw yr oedd y brodorion yn hynod farbaraidd a chreulawn, yn gymaint felly, fel ag y bu agos i’r dynion duwiol hyn golli eu bywydau. Pan gyntaf y daeth y llong i’r harbour, amgylchynid hi gan luaws mawr o’r brodorion yn eu canoes, a dringasant i’r llong, ac oni buasai i ymwared dd’od iddynt yn fuan o’r lan, diau y cawsent eu lladd a’u bwyta. Yr oeddynt yn fwytawyr dynion (cannibals) o’r fath greulonaf. Ond y mae Efengyl y tangnefedd erbyn hyn wedi dysgu iddynt well manners. Mae hanes taith Esgob Sydney trwy yr ynys, ar ymweliad crefyddol, yn dwyn tystiolaeth fod golwg ddymunol a gobeithiol iawn ar ranau helaeth o’r ynys mewn ystyr naturiol a moesol.

New Zealand consists of two islands, separated by the Cook Strait. When Tyreman and Bennet ⁴¹ first landed in the islands, in the cause of the Missionary Society, at that time the natives were singularly barbarous and savage; so much so, that these godly men almost lost their lives. When the ship first entered the harbour, it was surrounded by a great host of the natives in their canoes, who climbed aboard the ship, and had they not received speedy assistance from the shore, they would no doubt have been killed and eaten. They were cannibals of the cruellest kind. But the Gospel of peace has by now taught them better manners. The account of the Bishop of Sydney’s journey through the island, on a visitation, bears witness to very pleasing and favourable prospects over a great part of the island, in both the natural and moral senses.

15.—Yr ydym heddyw yn wrthdroedwyr i bobl Llundain, a’r môr fel bryniau uchel.

15.—Today we are antipodes to the people of London, and the sea like high hills.

Hawdd ydyw dweyd, gwrthdroedwyr i bobl Brydain—peth arall yw bod felly. Ond yr ydym ar fwrdd y llong Orwell felly mewn gwirionedd heddyw, y 15fed o Fawrth, 1855. Pan y mae yr awrlais (clock) yma yn taro haner nos, y mae y clock yn Llundain yn taro haner dydd. Y rhai sydd yn cychwyn o Brydain, ac yn hwylio heibio Cape of Good Hope, ac yn dychwelyd i Brydain heibio y Cape Horne, y maent trwy hyny yn amgylchu y ddaear, ac yn enill diwrnod ar amser Brydain; ac er mwyn cael y diwrnod a’r awr yn gywir yn mhen y fordaith, cadwasom ddau ddydd Iau, sef dau 15fed o Mawrth, wyth diwrnod yn yr wythnos; a thrwy hwylio i’r Gogledd, a chyrhaedd Brydain, yr oedd amser pobl yr Orwell a phobl Llundain yr un fath.

It is easy to say, antipodes to the people of Britain—another thing to be such. But we aboard the ship “Orwell” are so in reality, this 15th of March, 1855. When the clock here strikes midnight, the clock in London strikes noon. Those who set out from Britain, and sail past the Cape of Good Hope, and return to Britain via Cape Horn, thereby circumnavigate the globe, and gain a day over British time; and in order to have the correct time and day at the end of the voyage, we had two Thursdays, that is two 15ths of March, eight days in one week; and after sailing north, and reaching Britain, the time for the people of the “Orwell” and for the people of London was the same.

17.—Heddyw collasom un morwr; bu farw yn sydyn iawn. Yr ydym bellach yn nghwr Môr Mawr y Deau, a’i ynysoedd aml a phoblog ar ein chwith, yn mhlith pa rai bu y llafurus John Williams yn taenu yr Efengyl. Pegwn oer y De ar ein Deheulaw, New Holland a’i hynysoedd mawrion, wedi eu gadael o’n hol.

17.—Today we lost a sailor; he died very suddenly. We are now on the edge of the Great South Sea, with its many populous islands on our port side, amongst which the tireless John Williams ⁴² has been spreading the Gospel. The cold South Pole on our starboard, New Holland and its great islands left in our wake.

20.—Yr ydym heddyw o fewn 3,000 filltiroedd i Cape Horne, yn Lled. 54 gradd, 30 munyd, Dehau; Hydred 148 gradd, 42 munyd, Gorllewin.

20.—Today we are within 3,000 miles of Cape Horn, at Lat. 54 degrees, 30 minutes, South; Longitude 148 degrees, 42 minutes, West.

22.—Heddyw teimlasom rym un o’r Equinoctial Gales. Mae yr hin yn dechreu oeri, ac yr ydym yn cael cawodydd trymion o eira. Mae llawer o bysgod mawrion yn ein golwg.

22.—Today we felt the power of one of the ‘Equinoctial Gales’. The weather is beginning to cool, and we are having heavy falls of snow. There are many large fish on view.

28.—Lled. D. 56 gradd; Hyd. Gor. 106 gradd, 10 munyd. Tywydd trwm ac yn oeri.

28.—Lat. S. 56 degrees; Long. W. 106 degrees, 10 minutes. The weather heavy and growing cold.

Ebrill 1.—Ystormus hynod, a’n llong yn orchuddedig gan rew ac eira. Lleuad yn llawn, yn nghanol cymylau duon llawn o eira.

April 1.—Remarkably stormy, and our ship covered with frost and snow. A full moon, amid black clouds laden with snow.

3.—Yr ydym heddyw yn union gyferbyn a’r Horne, a 63 milltir allan iddo, yn nghanol rhyferthwy ac ystormydd dychrynllyd; ïe, dyma gedyrn dónau y môr.

3.—Today we are directly facing the Horn, and 63 miles out from it, in the middle of a tempest and frightening storms; yea, behold the mighty waves of the sea.

6.—Cawsom lawn olwg, yn agos atom, o’r lefiathan a ddarlunir yn y Beibl;—ei lwybr fel pe taenesid olew arno; a’i ymruthriad i’r dyfnder yn peri i’r môr ymddangos fel crochan berwedig, a chanoedd o adar yn dilyn o’i ol, ac yn casglu y brasder.

6.—Today we had a full view of a whale, the leviathan of the deep described in the Bible;—its path as if oil had been spread in it; and its dive into the waters causing the sea to appear as a boiling cauldron, with hundreds of birds following in its wake, gathering the spoils.

Dydd Mawrth y Pasc.—Lled. 45 gradd D.; Hyd. 40 gradd, 10 munyd, Gor.

Easter Tuesday.—Lat. 45 degrees, S.; Long. 40 degrees, 10 minutes, W.

14.—Wele heddyw yr Anfeidrol yn dwyn y gwynt o’i drysorau, y mellt goleu, a’r taranau cryfion. Yr ydym gyferbyn a’r afon fawr La Plate yr America Ddeheuol.

14.—Today the Immortal One has brought forth the wind from his treasures,⁴³ and the bright lightning, and the mighty thunder. We are beside the great River La Plate in South America.

18.—Boreu tawel, a’r hin yn poethi. Y môr fel y gwydr gloyw.

18.—A still morning, and the weather growing warmer. The sea is like clear glass.

20.—Gwynt teg a chryf; Lled. 26 gradd, 40 munyd, D.; Hyd. 20 gradd, 4 munyd Gor.

20.—The wind fair and strong; Lat. 26 degrees, 40 minutes, S.; Long. 20 degrees, 4 minutes N.

22.—Yr ydym wedi cyraedd y Tropic of Capricorn, ac wedi cael gafael ar y Trade Winds. Yr ydym allan i’r Brazils.

22.—We have reached the Tropic of Capricorn, and caught the Trade Winds. We are off the coast of the Brazils.

24.—Heddyw yr ydym yn gweled cyflawnder o bysgod yn ehedeg yn dra thlysion, o liw arianaidd a dysglaer; ehedant am lawer o ffordd, ac ymgladdant drachefn yn nyfnder y dón.

24.—Today we see an abundance of fish flying most prettily, silver hued and brilliant; they fly a long way, and bury themselves again in the depths of the sea.

26.—Lled. 10 gradd, 18 munyd, D.; Hyd. 26 gradd, Gor. Y mae llong yn cario baner y Twrc yn ein pasio, a’r Llong Jura, o Lundain, am India y Dwyrain.

26.—Lat. 10 degrees, 18 minutes, S.; Long. 26 degrees, W. A ship bearing the flag of the Turk passed us, and the Ship “Jura”, out of London, bound for the East Indies.

28.—Pasio y John Bell, o Port Phillip, am Lundain, yr hon oedd wedi cychwyn oddiyno bedwar diwrnod ar ddeg o’n blaen.

28.—We have passed the “John Bell”, out of Port Phillip, bound for London, which set out from thence fourteen days before us.

29.—Croesasom linell y cyhydedd am 10 yn y boreu yn Hyd. 25 gradd, Gor.

29.—We crossed the equator at 10 in the morning at Long. 25 degrees, W.

30.—Wele long yn cario baner Bremen, yn llawn o ymfudwyr o Madeira i Brazil, ac yn dwyn y newydd i ni am y tro cyntaf am farwolaeth Nicholas, ymherawdwr Rwsia, yr hyn a effeithiodd ar ein hymfudwyr i beri bloeddiadau o lawenydd.

30.—We saw a ship carrying the flag of Bremen,⁴⁴ full of emigrants from Madeira to Brazil, and bringing us the first news of the death of Nicholas, Emperor of Russia,⁴⁵ which produced cries of joy among our emigrants.

⁴⁰   Psalm 107:23-24.
⁴¹   The Reverend Daniel Tyreman and George Bennet, active in the South Pacific during the 1820’s.
⁴²   Of the London Missionary Society, led its first expedition to Samoa in 1850, and was responsible for the introduction of the first Polynesian missionaries to the Cook Islands, amongst other things.
⁴³   Cf Matthew 13:52.
⁴⁴   At that time an independent member of the German Confederation.
⁴⁵   In 1854 Tsar Nicholas I, something of a despot and an active campaigner for autocracy in Europe, brought an Anglo-French declaration of war on Russia over his anti-Ottoman policies, which led subsequently to the Crimean War.