This edited extract of a letter, written by a Dr Ure who was a passenger aboard the Montmorency on a voyage from Australia to England in 1863, highlights the dangers of sea travel.

The Montmorency carried migrants to Australia on her outward voyages and wool and passengers to England on the return trip.

"Dear Mr Wilkie,

"We were within 300 miles of Cape Horn on the 13th of August when there came on fearful gale of wind and snow.

"The three topsails, foresail, and mainsail were, one after another, blown away. So intense was the cold that one man had lo be lowered from the main top yard by rope, benumbed, and he died that night.

"The gale commenced at twelve o'clock in the day, and by four o'clock a fearful sea was running, and though the vessel was kept before the wind, a sea took the gig out of the davits. At six o'clock a sea broke over the poop, taking away the fore part of the man rail on the weather side of the poop.

"At eight, nine and 10, the three top gallant masts go over the side; also all our livestock, and all our water casks.

"In the night two boats resting on the poop, and a skid, are pitched on to the main deck and smashed. The ship is making water, and broaches to. At half past four on the morning of the 14th, all hands that can be mustered set fore topmast staysail which is blown away. We then set the spanker. A boat is washed off the poop and also (a) gun which in going strikes the capstan and breaks it.

"She ships a sea on the main deck so that her bulwarks are flush with the sea. The ship's mate comes down and advises that the mast be cut away or we must go down.

"At daybreak, there are ten feet of water in the hold; crew and passengers are at the pumps. After two hours pumping we find the water is still gaining on us, and the top of the ventilator to the 'tween decks is discovered to be off. A sail is found providentially halfway down and partly blocking up the orifice. Had it not been for this we must have gone down in the night. Gale moderating."