Transcript of Robert Melrose's Diary, 1854
JANUARY

1854

1 - Drouthy New Year. New Year's Day, a day above all days for rioting in drunkenness, then what are you to expect of this young, but desperate Colony of ours; where dissipation is carried on to such extremities; my readers will be expecting to find something in my Almanac, from Christmas, till past the New Year, but such one drunk, and so on; how different is the scene, then what must I attribute the cause of al this, too, must I prescribe it to the good morals of the people; no! no! my friends, no such thing could be expected here; the grog hops were drained of every sort of liquor, not a drop to be got for either love or money, had it been otherwise the case, there is no saying whither the small Almanac would have contained them or not; it would almost take a tone of packet ships, running regular between here, and San Francisco to supply this Island with grog, so great a thirst prevails amongst its inhabitants.

2 - Holiday given. Brig "Rose arrived for San Francisco. Very wet day.
3 - Brig "Recovery" arrived from the Sandwich Islands.
4 - Tremendous hard frost.
5 - Screw Steamer "Otter" sailed Bellview Island. Indians dropped work.
5 - More Indians started to work.
7 - Slight fall of snow. Barque "Fanny Major" arrived in Port.
8 - Rain
9 - John Russel removed to the Farm. Rain
10 - Brig "Rose" sailed CoalMines. Signed a Petition to throw off Judge Cameron.
11 - Brig "Archimades" arrived in Port. Showers of snow.
12 - Frost and snow.
13 - Severe Frost
14 - One dwelling house finished. Mrs. Cooper gave birth to a female child.
15 - Andrew Muir and Isabella Weir proclaimed for marriage.
16 - Brig "Archimades" sailed. Screw Steamer "Otter" sailed.
James Wilson and the Author whole drunk.
NOVEMBER

19 - Barque "Prince Albert" arrived from Nanaimo. Wet day.
20 - James Tait paid his passage money. Rain.
21 - Barque "Prince Albert" sailed for England. Rain.
22 - Lecture from Romans 5 Ch. 19V by James Deans. Rain.
23 - Barque "Princess Royal" arrived from England with Miners. Rain.
25 - SteamBoat "Beaver" and Brig "Recovery" sailed Nanaimo with Miners.
26 - P. Bartleman and Author 3/4 Drunk.
28 - One sheep killed.
29 - Lecture on the "Invention of Man", by Jas. Wilson.
One pig killed.

DECEMBER

1 - S.S. "Otter" and Brig "Cadboro" arrived from Nanaimo.
2 - Monthly ration pay due and settled. Two pigs killed. Frosty.
4 - Ship "Mason" visited port. Duncan Lidgate 3/4 drunk. Frosty.
5 - Brig "Recovery" sailed Fraser's River. Frosty.
6 - Geographical description of Denmark by the Author.
J. Stewart 1/2 drunk. 7 - More cattle got for the farm.
8 - Schoolmaster got a house. Burking (?) Machine invented.
9 - James Wilson taking money for his rations.
10 - Mr. McKenzie whole drunk.
13 - Lecture on the Atmosphere by William Veitch.
15 - One sheep and two swine killed.
16 - Celebrated feasts of Bacchus. J. Russel taken money for his rations.
19 - SteamBoat "Beaver" sailed Nanaimo
20 - Tales of the "Cloth-Merchant of Selkirk",
"Paddy gone to the West Indies" and Mary-Martin", recited by James Downie.
22 - Two swine killed. Store broken into. Rain.
23 and 24 - Rain..
25 - CHRISTMAS - celebrated by fiddling, dancing, singing, eating and drinking.
Rain. Brig "Recovery" arrived in port.
27 - Rain. Scientific meeting postponed till after the daftdays.
28 - Rain also.
29 - Rain.
30 - Monthly ration pay due and settled. Frosty.
31 - Frosty. Steam Boat "Beaver" arrived.

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