Thursday, June 9th, 1898, SS Chingtu, Pacific Ocean
On board the SS Chingtu, So. Pacific Ocean, Queensland coast, Thursday afternoon, June 9th, 1898, 4:15 o’clock. We ran into a wavy sea last night & continued so till after 1 o’clock today. The sea is much smoother but a long swell of waves. Very lovely overhead, & the coast view all day. This afternoon it put me in mind of the Goswick coast from Berwick to Holy Island, rather higher land, & a neck of land running out, much like the island & sand banks on the coast at intervals. We had the “fiddles” on the tables at lunch today. I expect by dinner time we will be through it.
Our position at noon was: Lat. S. 25.27 – Long. E. 153.23, run 290. The best day’s run so far. One of the officers said we had a strong current all night in our favor. From noon today we have 116 miles to Brisbane, so 10 p.m. ought to find us near port. This will be the finish of writing on board this steamer & will add before posting at Brisbane. The passage from Hong Kong has been very pleasant, & the ship very comfortable. Finis.
Thursday night, 10:45. We dropped anchor in Moreton Bay at ¼ past 10. We got the pilot, 25 miles away, just at 8 o’clock. It is a lovely night & for the first time I have seen the moon rise on the horizon at 10:30. Oh, what a lovely picture. Had we arrived here earlier, the lighter would have come along side & ship got away midnight. I am glad it is otherwise, & save me a night’s rest. It wouldn’t have been comfortable landing up at Brisbane at 4 a.m. & probably no comfort going up. I shall now see [4:36] the beautiful scenery going up tomorrow morning. The passengers for Sydney are disappointed as they won’t get into Sydney now till early Sunday morning, & they wished to get there Saturday afternoon. I got all packed up after dinner tonight in case the lighter would be here, & now I will turn in & hope to rest peaceably