14 September 1859

September 14 - The vessel's head was turned northward today, the captain having found, when he "took the sun", that we had quite passed  the parallel of the southernmost portion of Tasmania.

Our Voyage to New Zealand Per the Tornado (by a Glasgow Emigrant) Glasgow Herald December 19, 1859

14th. A fine although rather cloudy morning. The breeze lighter yet in the right course. Did very little sailing about midday but began to improve about sunset and we soon had a nice breeze. The sea was very smooth. The evening starlight very pleasant. Report says we have passed that part of Van Deiman's land intended to sight and are now among our way northward having Botany Bay and Australia on our left and New Zealand on our right (a reference to Mercators (?) map would serve here).

Booth, Thomas. Papers, 1857 - 1859. Auckland War Memorial Museum Library. MS 2002/56.

13 September 1859

13th. A very dull morning with a strong steady breeze (too much ahead). Doing well. Light rain fell nearly all day. In the afternoon it was said we were fast approaching Van Deiman's Land and as a rock stands out at some distance in the sea, a strict look out was kept for it was intended to sight this island but the wind blowing strongly from the shore kept us (it is said) about 20 miles further to sea than as intended (no doubt providential). Some passengers sat up all night thinking to get a sight of land but were disappointed. Had the wind been in the opposite direction bearing us to instead of from the shore it is just possible we might have seen too much of it.

Booth, Thomas. Papers, 1857 - 1859. Auckland War Memorial Museum Library. MS 2002/56.