See pages 159 and 160 of "White Already to Harvest" November 1, 1899 via the SIM Archives website http://archives.sim.org/ (clickon CIGM PIVM ICF 1892-1895, then scroll down to the November issue) where Florrie Storrie describes the outward trip via Colombo in fantastic detail.
Some snippets to pique your interest:
..."We finally left Australia on September the 21st. We ladies certainly had the best of the bargain, for we were in the second class, while the gentlemen with Mr Reeve went steerage. It was not easy for them there with about 30 Afghans and others who did not reckon that "cleanliness is next to godliness" but as one of the party said, "It's alright, Praise the Lord!"...
...Both the captaiin and officers made our way very pleasant by their attention and sympathy, and all the passengers accepted in a kindly spirit our interest in them. The only word we heard in the shape of an objection to the services, etc. was spoken by a facetious young fellow, who, overhearing a passenger ask if we were going to have a meeting that day, chimed in by saying "Oh yes, of course they'll be at it, they're always at it." Well, praise the Lord we know HE was "always at it" on our account and so we reckon it is our duty and privilege to be "always at it" in the service of others"...
..."We reached Colombo on Sunday evening October 1st at 11.30...It was deemed advisable for the ladies to land at once and so amidst hurried goodbyes to the passengers we started off. It was a wierd experience to be launched in catamarangs, in company with dark skinned Singalese, and as we listened to their unintelligible jabber, many and varied were our feelings and questionings..."
..."We stayed indoors all morning until our topies or helmets arrived, and then Mr Lover took us through his garden, where we tasted the cocoanut in all stages of its development and growth, and were much amused in watching a native climb a palm, some 50 or 60 ft high, and not a single branch until he reached the top"...
..."We seemed to be in a new world with so much to see both people and place; and the natives were a constant source of interest to us with their bare, gleaming, bronze skins, their dark liquid eyes, their odd clothing - or the lack of it - their quiet foot-falls, and their strange tongue..."
..."Mr Reeve had been successful in taking our passages in the B&I.S.S "Lawada" and we accordingly made our way to that boat...we left Colombo with the sun kissing the waters and the wind wafting a cool air around us, and once more we settled down to ship life...our journey to Bombay was very pleasant indeed"...
In the same issue is comment from Amy Lowe, and Mrs Charlotte Lowe (with whom Jessie was travelling) about their first impressions of Poona (p161).
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