February

Feby. 4.
I wrote Colonel Marsh by this day's Post acquainting him that I was to embark with my Party in a few days on board of a Lieth [sic] Trader, and that I hoped to join the Regiment soon at Dover Castle their Head Quarters; – I sent him a Return of Nineteen Recruits including Whitelaw my last Deserter, whom I had then hopes of apprehending. —

Feby. 5.
I made two very good Recruits – Barnside and Cochrane – the latter was an old Brother Soldier of my own in America in the late 71st. Highland Regiment, and was very well settled as a Taylor in Edinburgh.

Feby. 7.
Having settled all my Business in Edinr. and having received notice that the Ship was ready to sail, I marched off my Party (now consisting of Twenty Recruits) down to Leith, accompanied by a Piper playing for them on the March, and after having given them a good Refreshment I embark'd them on board the Livingston commanded by Capt. Mackie then lying in Leith Roads; the Men embark'd with great chearfulness, [sic] and were in very high Spirits.

After having sent off the Party in Boats for the Ship under care of my Recruiting Serjt. Donald Rose & Duncan Mc.Lean, with a Piper to Play them on board; I return'd to Gibbs coffee House on the shore of Leith, where my Uncle Lochbuy had kindly order'd a most excellent Farewell Dinner, for himself and a number of very respectable Friends who were so obliging as to accompany me from Edinburgh to Leith to see me embark vizt. Lochbuy, Drimnin, Kinlochaline, Scallastle, Invercastle, Capt. Lundin of Auchtermerny, Mr. Donald Maclaine, Mr. Hugh McLean Coll, and my Brother Charles;

Having dined and spent some very agreeable moments with my Friends at Gibbs, I took my leave of them all and accompanied by my Brother Charles, and Volunteer Murdoch Macquarie, I took Boat and went on board the Livingston, where I found my recruits all in good Spirits; – my dear Brother staid [sic] for some Hours on board with me, the Ship not being able, as was expected to sail this Evening, owing to the winds dying away, — I examined the accommodations for my Recruits and after finding them pretty tolerable I procured some Porter from the Captain to which I treated them before they retired to rest — I then examined my own accommodations in the Cabin, and found them, as well as the Society I was doomed for some time to live with, not at all so agreeable as I could have wished. — I hired and took a Birth [sic] in the Cabin for my young Friend Murdoch Macquarie; I wrote some letters to Genl. Maclean at London which I gave my Brother to forward — we then Embraced each other tenderly and took leave and Parted — he went on shore (in the same Boat that brought us to the Ship) about Eight OClock at night. — I went early to Bed.

Feby. 8.
It gave me no small measure uneasiness to find, when I awoke this morning, that the Wind was foul and would not admit of our sailing.

Feby. 10.
I staid on board during the 8th. and 9th. in hopes that the wind would prove favourable every moment, but it being still contrary I went on shore early this morning in the Ships Boat to Leith and having left directions with the Captain where I was to be found whenever the wind should prove favourable for Sailing, I went up to Edinburgh once more to see my Friends there – after visiting my Friends of the Scallastle Family, I waited upon my Uncle Lochbuy, Breakfasted with him and took up my Quarters at his Lodgings during my stay in Town. — I must not omit mentioning here, that it was not, till now, that my Uncle and myself settled our cash accounts; he had with uncommon Generosity (ever peculiar to himself whenever my interest was concerned) furnished me with whatever money I required to raise my Quota of Men, as well as to enable me to fit out myself for an East India Voyage; I embraced the opportunity I now had, of making up a State of my Acct. with Lochbuy, and I found (including Debts that he engaged himself to Pay for me at Edinr. whenever my Bills there became due) that I was One Hundred and Twenty Seven Pounds, Seventeen shillings Sterling indebted to him – I signed the Acct. promising to pay the Ballance [sic] as soon as I was able; – I found on enquiry, that my Brother Charles had set out for Mull on the Day before I went on shore. — I spent two very agreeable Days with my Uncle, and other Friends in Edinr.

Feby. 12.
On this Day (being Tuesday) about Ten OClock in the morning the Captain sent me notice that the wind was fair and that he would sail immediately, – I went off directly for Leith, hired a Boat and got on board in good time – we weighed anchor in the afternoon and set sail with a Fair wind down the Firth of Forth.

Feby. 17.
The wind continued fair for us for the first three Days after leaving Lieth [sic] Roads, but it shifted on the fourth against us, grew very tempestuous, and to avoid being drove Back, we were forced to run for the Harbour of Shields, in the mouth of the River Tine, Eight Miles below Newcastle in Northumberland, where we anchor'd on Sunday. Here we remained in Harbour in a very unpleasant anxious situation indeed for Ten Days wind bound. — My situation was particularly distressing – it being a great chance whether I should be able to get to Dover Castle before the Regiment embark'd for India; – our Ship being close to the wharf, I had also reason to apprehending that some of my Recruits might seize so any favorable an opportunity of Deserting, the more so, as the Captain began to stint their allowance of Provisions about this very time, which conduct, gave them reason to complain, and upon which, I was obliged to expostulate with him very seriously before I could get him to treat them according to his Engagements; I was, however, agreeably disappointed in my apprehensions – my men behaved remarkably well during our whole voyage and tedious delays, and not one of them ever once attempted to leave me – I was at the same time much indebted to, and extremely pleased with, the vigilance of my Serjeant and Corporal, Maclean and MacNeill, both of whom paid great attention to my orders on this occasion. — An other very unpleasant circumstance contributed to make my present situation extremely unpleasant – which was the detestable and low society I was under the necessity of eating, drinking and living with; out of Sixteen Cabin Passengers, there were only three that I could with any satisfaction, either speak to or converse with vizt. a Lieut. Cuming belonging to the East India Company's Service, his wife, and a Mr. Mc.Gregor; (a young Edinburgh Writter. [sic]) all the rest, were Gentleman's Footmen, Boys, and Wh—res, going to hunt after their Fortunes in London; I staid [sic] some few days on shore at Shields in company with Lieut. Cuming and his wife; we visited Tinmouth Barracks and the Castle, but could not walk into the Country owing to the Badness of the weather; my anxiety about my men kept me most of the time on board; especially after Lieut. Cuming and his wife left us; who tired of waiting for a Fair wind, at last set out by Land for London, which I was very sorry for, as they were very genteel agreeable People. One of my Recruits named Waddle being seized with a Fever about the time we arrived in the Harbour, I was under the necessity of sending him on shore to Sick Quarters at Shields and had a Surgeon to attend him there during our stay in Harbour — it cost me some money, but I had the satisfaction to find that the man got pretty well again and was able to come on board before we sailed.

As the Passage between Leith and London is commonly Four days, with a fair wind, I knew my Friends would naturally be all anxious about me, I therefore wrote letters at different times from Shields to my Uncle Lochbuy, my Brother Charles, General Maclean, and also to Colonel Marsh, acquainting them all with my then very disagreeable situation.

Feby. 27.
On the morning of Wednesday, the wind kindly Shifted round at last in our favor, and we weighed anchor and sailed out of the Harbour of Shields with a vast number of Colliers and Coasting Vessels bound for London.

Our fair wind that we set out with soon failed us – it barely continued favorable for Twenty Four hours from the time we weighed Anchor, when our Evil Stars again crossed us with not only, a Foul wind, but a violent Tempestuous Gale, which commenced the second day after leaving Shields. —

Source
Macquarie, Lachlan. Journal No. 1: 15 December 1787 - 24 March 1792.
Original held in the Mitchell Library, Sydney.
ML Ref: A768 pp.18-27. [Microfilm Reel CY299 Frames #15-19].