I am happy to say that William & I arrived here safely and well on Sunday the 15th and feel very grateful that we have been carried in good health and comfort across the stormy oceans. We have much pleasure in looking back on our voyage and we really enjoyed it exceedingly, all the passengers were so agreeable and seemed like one large family. There was not a single quarrel on board and every one tried to make the others happy. We used to amuse ourselves by playing on the piano, singing, games on deck or saloon & dancing on the poop. The Captain was a very pleasant person, quite a gentleman, (as were the officers, seven in number) and used to join us sometimes in anything that was going on. We had a very long passage, 72 days, and fearful storms after rounding the Cape, which was the cause of our late arrival, for about six days altogether we had to lay to at the mercy of the winds & waves….

After leaving the Cape de Verdes we saw no land until the lighthouse of Cape Otway. Australia was seen from the mast head at 10 o'clock on Saturday night within a quarter of an hour of the time that the Capt said we should see it. So wonderfully correct are the instruments, and the calculations of seamen nowadays. The two last days of our voyage were sort of gala days. On Friday the Capt treated us all to champagne & drunk healths all round. We had singing in the evening & were up till twelve o'clock, lights being permitted by special licence for two hours longer than usual. On Saturday at dinner Mr Donaldson in a speech proposed the Captains health and presented him with a purse containing $40.10/- accompanied with a letter signed by all the passengers. I have sent a paper with the letters and one also from the 2nd Cabin passengers. In drinking the Capt's health Mr Solomons sang He's a jolly good fellow, & we gave all the honors. The band played Rule Britannia & the Capt replied. Then my husband proposed “the officers” to which Mr Clark, the chief, replied. In the evening we had dancing & singing and when the light was visible from the poop we all went up to see it, and finished off the evening with sandwiches & grog made in silver soup tureens. On Sunday morning we were astir early to see land. The entrance into the heads of Port Phillip is very like that of the Mersey, sandy & covered with trees, which at the distance we saw it from looked like whins. A Pilot met us outside & steered us safely thro’ the narrow opening (about 2 miles across) into this splendid bay. It was at ten o'clock we entered the bay and we cast anchor at a quarter past 2 o'clock. An inspector came on board to see if we were all in good health, and as we passed well thro’ that ordeal we were allowed to land when we chose. The poor passengers of the Great Britain, had to lie in quarantine 28 days outside the Heads, as they had measles on beard; which must have been very annoying after having made a quick voyage of 65 days. We should be very thankful that we were all so well on board, none of the passengers were ill except from sea sickness, & neither William nor I were in bed half a day even. The chief stewardess was very seriously ill for several days with congestion of the lungs and liver complaint and was only able to sit up in her cabin on our arrival. Some gentlemen came on board to see if William had come out and John Thomson told us that both Mr Ross & the Macarthurs were expecting us to stay with them. We left James on board with our luggage and we went on shore, where we met Mr Ross coming out to meet us, so we went home with him in his gig. On the way out to his house (about 4-½ miles from town) we did not pass thro’ Melbourne but the suburbs looked very like a large fair, wooden cottages, a few tents, planted down among trees & grass. There is a beautiful road out the whole way, very broad & well made. Miss Spowers, Mr R's sister in law was waiting to receive us. — did not see Mrs Ross as she had not been downstairs since her last baby was borne a fortnight before. Mr R's house is a very neat cottage with a verandah. It has a beautiful garden at the side & the paddock in front. It is beautifully furnished, with a great many knick knacks laid out, and the bedroom that we occupied was like a little drawingroom, it was set out so tastefully with scent bottles, pictures, books, china ornaments, wax fruit etc. I was quite astonished at dinner to see the display of silver plate etc. that was produced, as I had fancied all these things should be secreted in some quiet corner of the house. Mr Ross is a very pleasant man, & Miss Spowers a nice frank middle aged lady.

Next morning I went into town as we were to go out to Elizabeths. It was a very warm day and the first of the hot winds, which made the dust fly in clouds. The gentlemen were all going about with veils tied round their hats.

After going over Westgarth Ross & Co's new counting houses and stores (which by the way are the handsomest buildings in Melbourne — the front of whin stone, finished at the windows, doors & sides with sand stone) we went back to the Calcutta to bring Jane & the luggage away. I must say I was rather sorry to take leave of our abode for the last two months, and especially to say goodbye to many of the passengers. I liked Miss Paterson extremely, she was such a nice, amiable, warm hearted girl, and was a favourite with every one. There was also a Mrs Macdonald a cousin of the Weirs in Albany Street, a very nice person going to join her husband in Sydney. She & I found out we had a great many mutual acquaintances, the Spences, Mr Duff, Browns etc. She had been educated in Edinb. and was at the same classes as myself, but I think a year in advance; had been at Ben Rhydding and knew all the worthies of that place. I saw very little of Mrs Donaldson, she suffered a great deal from sickness, & was almost constantly in her own cabin, except for when she came up for a short walk on deck with her husband. She seemed a very sweet person, and in appearance is very like Annie & as Robert would say somewhat about her breadth. We had a great measuring on deck one day among the ladies, and she was the highest being 5 ft 6-¾, myself being the next in height half an inch shorter. On returning from the steamer we drove out with Mr Macarthur to Merri Creek and found Elizabeth waiting for us. She has two very pretty little children, the youngest 9 months old. We have been staying with her ever since. Mr Ross had taken a house for us for 5 months, but as it is unfurnished we are going to give it up & have advertized for furnished lodgings. Jane assists in the house here, and between times washes up our clothes used on the voyage, which is a great thing to get done in the country where we can get plenty of water, in town that indispensible commodity sells for about 9/ a load. It is a curious phenomenon that they cannot sink wells here, as it is only salt water that they can get by that means, & every cottage in the country is provided with a large tank into which the rain runs in the wet season, and remains sweet & good for use all the summer months. It is very dark in the color but very well tasted. This cottage is built of wood, and you enter at once into the drawing room from the verandah. The kitchen is built outside of wood also — Elizabeth is such an excellent housewife, she has always her children so neat & tidy, superintends most of the cooking, as her present servant altho’ giving herself out as a good plain cook understands as much about it as a porridge ladle, she also looks after a great stock of poultry and chickens and is able to go about to receive her visitors as if she had nothing at all to do. We all dined on Thursday at Dr Macarthur's at Arthurton. He is a nice old man, and Mrs McArthur such a ladylooking person. I have had a good many callers, and others have sent their cards to the office as they do not know where to find me. Among these the Colonial Secretary, Mr Leslie Foster & his wife & Mr Palmer the speaker & his wife. On Sunday we went into Mr Hetheringtons church and Elizabeth had such a dressing of me up to make my first appearance. I liked Mr Hetherington very much, after church we went into the manse, where William was received in open arms by all the Mrs Bells’ & Susan Napiers’ of the congregation. Among these I was introduced to Mrs Dr Turnbull, who asked for my sisters. On Monday there was a grand public meeting in the open air about the Convicts Prevention Act, at which the gudeman had to appear, and make the first speech. I have sent a paper about it to Robert. Elizabeth and I went into town one day. Melbourne is a most curious place it is like a city of cottages, very few of the houses being built higher than one storey. The streets are very broad and look very handsome with some very good shops. They remind me of the entrances into London, some low built shops next to high houses — the latter taking the places of the former as they are burnt down — Omnibus driving up & down the streets and a great many gigs, and gentlemen on horseback. We also saw a great number of ladies out riding, very smartly dressed. The principal streets are now paved. The country around Melbourne is very pretty being richly wooded, and the grass as smooth as a gentlemans park. At present it is looking in its best, as the sun has not burnt up the grass yet. On looking out of the window here you see a beautiful extent of smooth ground studded with trees. We walked over to Maryfield the other day to see Williams old place. All the parcels I brought out have been delivered. Alex Goodlet told Wm that Mr Nish is now preaching at Ballaarat, but I sent his parcel to Broadfoot & [Briars?] Tell Annie that I now wear my hair a la Joan d'Arc. It was one of the amusements on board ship for the ladies to do each others hair and we all at last had come out in the new coiffure. I have finished my chair and have only the [grounding?] to do now. You must excuse this [? ?] letter, as I had so much to say that I did not know where to begin, and have not told you half yet. William & I found the days pass very quickly on board ship. We breakfasted at 9, walked on deck or sat in the cabin till luncheon 12 o'c. Went down to our own cabin & read solid books, & worked until dinner 4 o'c. after that till 6 ½ I read aloud light reading then we had another walk on deck till tea time, when we read, worked or heard the music till 10, when we retired for the night. We both kept a sort of journal which we will send home by some opportunity.

I will be very anxious to receive letters from home to tell me how you all are & where you have been. By the bye Wm. got a letter from George Murray the other day asking for employment and his principal recommendation was that his brother was married to a cousin of his lady's the daughter of Mrs Macfie of Grangefield. Robina Macfarlane will be amused to hear this, as we used to notice him last year leaning over the Greenoch Cemetry wall. This letter is to go by the Great Britain and I hope you will receive it about Christmas. Give our united kind love to all our friends, Robert & Robina & her household, May's[?], Annie, John & William, etc. and Believe me dearest Mama your ever affectionate daughter,

I am called upon every now & then to tell what are the newest fashions, if stiff petticoats are still worn & if the bonnets are really so small. There was an invitation waiting our arrival, for a party at Mr Wilsons, but we were rather late for it as it came off on the 10th. I believe there were 200 present.