[Thomas Waters to his parents, Captain Thomas & Elizabeth Waters]
Addressed to Mrs Capt Waters, King St, Woolwich, Kent
Barque Fawn 2nd letter
April 19 (1840) Sunday night
Dear Mother
Hoping you have received the last letter and that you and the rest are quite well I will just give you an account of the ship and men. We have 32 hands on board including the doctor, captain, mates etc. and they appear a great deal better than I expected, though some are horrid bad characters, for instance, one of the able seamen has just come out of Newgate [prison] and a landsman has been a discharged soldier after having been flogged but luckily they and nearly all the seamen sleep in the forecastle whereas the mechanics, two of the apprentices, a boatsteerer and I sleep in the half deck, where they are not allowed to come. I can’t say that I like the first mate so well as I did at first but when I get used to him I daresay I shall like him better, the Captain, doctor, second, and third, mate, apprentices, boatsteerers, I like very well especially Edward Wild the boatsteerer whom Mr Street told me of, he shows me every thing that I ask him and always gives me a share of any nice thing that he has, of course I am thankful and does what he tells me. I have a very nice bunk and my hammock comes in capitally to keep my feet warm. I have had to buy several articles out of that money which from accidental causes I did not give to the captain. Wild tells me that shillings and sixpences answer the best where we are going so I have got some. We started from Gravesend this morning (Sunday sail will never fail) at 1/2 past 3 0 Clock and I am writing this now in the channel on my knee just having come from watch at 8 Oclock and shall be out again at 12 Oclock so I must write quick as the pilot will go on shore to-morrow. we have had fair weather and as yet I am as happy as I can wish, and I hope you are the same, tell Papa that I am learning the stars from one of the seamen. My chest is the best and largest in the whole ship and I’ve lashed it to the gratings. I’ve not taken so much soap as most of the others neither so many knives, the others have bags with their clothes in and keep their chests to put trading articles in. My bunk is about 6 feet long 3 1/2 high 2 1/2 deep and over me sleeps a gentleman of a dark complexion and on one side the carpenter and on the other is the gratings. We have very good vituals potatoes soup fresh beef sometimes mutton and biscuit with as much beer as you choose to draw, the same for dinner and tea, we have bought, that is to say, our mess, those who belong to the half-deck, a baking dish and a kettle to make the things warm in. Remember me to Mrs Mercer and say I am much to her [sic] for her kindness also to Mrs Nichols Bissett etc.and tell H.Watson I am sorry I could not see him or send him a letter as I am very tired and sleepy having been up from 4 AM to 9P.M. working hard and the same the day before and shall have to be up again at 12 Oclock till four AM Monday.
N.B. this letter is the last you will have I expect for some time