My husband's family are very fortunate as his great grandfather, Jacob Scheef travelled on holiday to Germany from Armidale, NSW from May to September 1885. While visiting remaining members of his family he sent many letters back to Australia and kept a diary of his time away from home.
John Elder
Port Said
the 22 June 1885
Dear Wife
As I thought to get this letter away yesterday
and so concluded it I was disappointed as we only left
Ismalia about 2 o’clock on Sunday and we were the
sixth vessel in going so we did not get very far
when the vessel in front of us ran on sand and so we had to
stop till it got off again which was more than 1 hour
consequently we did only go about 10 miles on Sunday
today we will be in Port Said if we have luck as we
can only go very slowly about 4 miles an hour
We haven’t seen and passed the spot where the
accident was which was the consequence
of our delay of 6 days, There are various rumours about me
getting to Naples through the loss of time we had
the ship they say is not going to call there they are
going to take me to London and then send me from there
to Naples but I don’t believe anything of the kind
however if it should be the case I will let you know
the land is improving fast now as there is a good deal
of vegetation here and the immense lot of salt that
is laying here you can have no idea of it looks the
same as if there were a heavy fall of snow lying on the
land you see nothing but salt as far as the eye can
see miles and miles I only wish we had 1/2 an acre
of it in Puddledock.
I am always in good heart when the ship is
going however slowly. For the present I say goodbye
and hope you keep yourself well.
Yours truly and affectionate
The following link is to a photograph taken by H Arnoux at Port Said on 19 June 1995. It's wonderful to be able to find a photograph taken at the exact time Jacob was travelling up the Suez Canal.
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| Jacob Scheef's voyage so far |
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