‘Going to the East.’
From the fair copy of Charly’s journal made by W. H. Ramsey in 1857
On April 2nd 1798 Henrietta’s journey East got underway when she, Lord Clive, their daughters Harry and Charly, along with the girls’ governess, Italian artist Anna Tonelli, boarded an Indiaman, the Dover Castle, at Portsmouth. An Indiaman usually was outward bound in January or March and returned by June or July of the following year. As most East India Company ships, the Dover Castle weighed four hundred and ninety-nine tons, a weight deliberately chosen, as a vessel of five hundred tons and over was compelled to carry a chaplain. The Clives, who were not particularly religious, made do with Mr Thomas, their surgeon, who held church on deck and officiated as necessary.
Other passengers on board the Dover Castle included, Mrs Wodehouse, Major Grant, Captain Brown, Mr Thomas, Mr Cartwright (Secretary), Mr Richard Strachey, Messrs Smith, Keen and Malton (cadets), three ladies maids, five men-servants, two cows, four goats, Friskey, a terrier, the Ship’s Officers – Captain Sampson, Mr Champion, Mr Rymer, Mr Cowls, Mr Trimmer and the Mates. Their fleet consisted of – the Leopard, Captain Surridge; a frigate, the Good Hope, Captain Hilton; the Walpole, Captain Butler; the London, Captain Looking; the Princess Charlotte, Captain Butler; the Dover Castle, Captain Sampson; the Henrietta, a Danish ship; and two little whalers.
In the ship’s cramped space, the Clives stowed themselves and their gear as best they could. Henrietta had her own cabin carved out of the dining room. Lord Clive had the roundhouse to dress and sleep in. In the stern gallery, pots of geraniums hung before the windows. Lord Clive, Charly, Harry and Henrietta had most of the great cabin. The rest of it was for their maids.
Henrietta began, soon after departure from Portsmouth, to chronicle her voyage in letters. Indeed the sending, receiving and waiting for letters would be of great importance throughout the journey. Charly, too, wrote the occasional letter but she also depicted the fabric of their daily lives throughout their travels in a journal which she began on board the Dover Castle. Henrietta would later record her 1800 travels in South India in two small paper-backed, Indian notebooks (one multicoloured, the other a brick-red) which she acquired after her arrival in Madras.
April 2nd, Henrietta to her brother, George Herbert, 2nd Earl of Powis
At four o’clock in the evening we weighed anchor, set sail, and proceeded as far as Cowes, but afterwards laid to for fear of shoals.
Undated, Henrietta to George Herbert, 2nd Earl of Powis, continued
I have a great wish to see dry land again. The waves are so great and so various that I confess I do long for a little quietness. I shall finish this tomorrow when I hope to be better as I have not attempted to dine since I parted with my ‘Dear Boys’ and ‘My Good Uncle’ till yesterday. Your little box sits on the bed beside me and I assure you its motto is not necessary to remind me for I am not a little subject to penses a vous.
God bless and give you health my dearest brother and everything you wish is the wish of your sincerely affectionate
H. A. C.
Undated, Henrietta to George Herbert, 2nd Earl of Powis, continued
My dearest brother – We have taken the pianoforte out of its green cover and placed it between the doors opposite to the windows with the harp, which remains in its leather cover having not yet been uncrated. The girls will be able to practise most days and their other affairs will go on as usual. I am not yet able to work, but we read all together and are as comfortable as our circumstances will allow. The heat at present is very troublesome to us.
April 7th, Charly’s journal
In the evening, as we were sailing very fast, a sailor, who was on the yardarm, unfortunately fell into the sea. We were sometime before we could stop the ship and as soon as he fell overboard he wished his friends farewell, and said he was sure he could not be saved; some of the sailors in the anxiety to save him jumped into the boat that was hanging at the stern, and instead of allowing the people above to lower them down, they cut the ropes, and fell headlong into the sea; the boat was consequently overturned and it was with difficulty they saved themselves by catching hold of the rudder. They came in at the windows of our cabin, and came through the round house to go upon the deck. We had some plants in the boat, and one of the sailors had taken a few of them, and put them in the stern-gallery and as he passed through the room, he pointed to them and looking at us said, ‘It was I that saved these plants.’ The Whalers took up the boat, and sent it to us the next morning. The first poor man was not to be found though the boat of another vessel was sent out likewise in search of him. You may imagine how unpleasant we felt that evening and the confusion in the ship during the time of the accident.
April 21st, Henrietta to her brother, George Herbert, 2nd Earl of Powis
My dearest brother – Yesterday we had a grand chase of another sort, which Lord Clive says is better even than a fox chase and bid me tell you so. A strange sail was seen. The Walpole pursued it and brought it in. The people have every appearance of being pirateers. They had sixteen guns and only four visible with musquetry and blunderbusses charged so highly that the Captain said they would not venture to fire them off. They have besides other merchandise, twenty chests of sabres. You may suppose this was a great Event. The men, two of them, were brought here in the morning and ten more in the evening. I must say their countenances are not the most favourable to them. I never saw such a set of Banditi like visages.
We continue to be well satisfied with our Captain, but I do not know how I shall have the joy of finding myself near land. I am so entirely tired of my situation from never feeling quite well.
May 7th, Henrietta to her brother, George Herbert, 2nd Earl of Powis
My dearest brother – I shall conclude the history of our prize by telling you that Mr Petrie translated the list of things. He believed they had sabres, but from the little Spanish I know, I discovered that they were chests of nails, so they were released and with great joy proceeded on their voyage. Some of the sailors from the Walpole that was sent to remain in the ships pillaged it extremely. There is something in the name of Walpole, I think, but it was all returned and the principal offender punished on the spot. The chief mate, who was here and whose picture Anna Tonelli has painted, was satisfied with his treatment.
Charly’s journal entry about the ship that was ‘almost a prize’ added the final details: ‘The sailors were so happy at having had their liberty restored; that they did not wait for ropes to help them up the ship’s side, but climbed up as they could. In the morning Papa bought a cask of wine and Captain Sampson sent one of the sailors with a guinea to buy anything from them. The chief mate sent a roll of ribbons as a present to Captain Sampson and would not receive the guinea. Captain Sampson gave the ribbon to be divided between my sister, Harry and me. We wore it last Sunday. They were out of sight on the 23rd.’
May 7th, Henrietta to her brother, George Herbert, continued
We have suffered a good deal from heat lately. The cabins are close in spite of all the doors, windows, and portholes being open, but we are all well and no sickness in the whole ship.
I am much better lately. I believe from a hope of landing at Rio Janeiro. It seems we have a small leak which, though of little consequence, it is not thought safe to pass the Cape in that state. The Captains are to meet this morning, if the Wind will allow them to come on board. Captain Sampson is in hopes they will go on and leave us to go into Rio Janeiro and they will go straight on. They sail much slower than we do and are a great hindrance to us as we are obliged to take down sails and wait once or twice in the twenty-four hours with the fast winds. Lord Clive has a great longing to go into the Cape which will I hope not be done. We have orders not to stop anywhere unless for absolute necessity. All that can be wanted we may get at Rio much better than at the Cape. As to provisions though, in reality, Captain Sampson told me last night he had water and provisions for sixteen weeks more.
I am quite delighted with the thoughts of landing anywhere and particularly in such a beautiful place as Brazil. I hope, too, we shall meet with some ships going to Europe that you may know we are alive. We are now busy in finding out what plants or animals we can get there, which is something to do. Lord Clive is quite well except now and then a bilious day or two. I believe much from not having exercise except in boxes in the boat. The girls are quite well and as anxious as myself for land. I hope it will be decided today.
May 8th, Henrietta to the Dowager Lady Clive
My dear Lady Clive – No vessel has appeared consequently no letters are gone. We have had a most prosperous voyage with only a few squalls and are all in good health. I am much improved lately and can now work and read. We are all a good deal tired of our confinement and are most anxiously wishing for a little dry land.
When there is a calm evening Richard Strachey insists on dancing upon deck. Our band comes forth and the girls dance with our damsels and gentlemen dancing together make seven or eight couples. It is exercise for them and amuses them much.
We have lately seen some albatross and pintada birds, which are a great delight as they are seen as objects not a little scarce. At one time we had some sharks taken and I fished for dolphins, but I must say without success. I cannot help thinking of England with much anxiety and wishing most ardently for letters from you and everybody else there. I do not know when we shall have the sight of a letter.
May 30th, Henrietta to the Dowager Lady Clive
My dear Lady Clive – We have had uncertain weather: sometimes going quick with hardly any motion; sometimes calm and yesterday a great deal of wind. Today it is better. Yesterday evening we had an eclipse of the moon. We were sitting after dinner and Captain Sampson did not know it was to be till he went out. He came directly to tell us and we went upon deck. It began at six o’clock we were to learn. When we saw the moon it was more than half hid and was not entirely clear again till seven minutes before eight. We looked at it through telescopes. We wished much for Grandmama who would have explained all about it to us. I do not think I ever saw one so complete before. By Captain Sampson’s observation the timekeepers are within a minute or two right.
We are now within two hundred miles of the Cape and it is not quite certain if we shall land. We are preparing letters. The girls are preparing theirs for Grandmama. You will excuse them if they are not just like Madame Anna because I let them write them without letting letters be made for them, which I hope you approve. I hope to hear news from the Cape or something to tell you. Therefore I will not waste my paper with the vacancy of sea news. I am almost ashamed to send you such a sheet of nothing.
June 1st, Henrietta to her brother, George Herbert, 2nd Earl of Powis
My Dearest Brother – It is all settled that we go into the Cape if the wind and weather will permit as the reasons are the leaks which may increase and we have only eight weeks water which they say is the least we ought to have. It is a very rough day and I cannot write.
June 2nd, Henrietta to her brother, George Herbert, 2nd Earl of Powis
The Good Hope, after refusing to go in to the Cape, and detaining us in consultations without, has determined to go in as we are within seventy miles with a great swell but a gentle favourable breeze, which this vile ship will make us lose. I hope to be there either tomorrow or to land on Monday morning.
Just after I had finished the above, a report was spread of land being seen. We put out our eyes all day and evening without being quite convinced. Before daybreak Captain Sampson came and told us it was quite visible. I never saw anything so beautiful. It was quite clear and the outline perfect. In a short time the sun was just beyond Table Mountain in the most majestic manner I ever saw in my life and I was even more pleased from our having been detained the 2nd time by the Ship Good Hope. We lost time and the wind changed. Since yesterday morning we have been tacking aft and are all in hopes of being at anchor sometime before night. Imagine how we have watched since yesterday morning. Tomorrow I hope to say that we are on dry land once more … The night was perfect but this morning we are just where we were yesterday at the same time in distance but in a better situation. I hope to land tomorrow morning.
June 4th, Henrietta to her brother, George Herbert, 2nd Earl of Powis
We lost sight of the ships in the morning, but we saw them again in the evening. We tacked twice for fear of breakers. We had a beautiful moonlight night to enter False Bay.