I awoke at 5.30 got washed and went on Deck, and took a sharp walk round the ship to get warm, for I had had a dreadful night being nearly starved to death, whilst some of the passengers had been howling like wolves all night – this makes things look very miserable.
We had breakfast at 8.30 Irish Stew, bread and butter and coffee. Everything being ready for a start we got under weigh a couple of steam-tugs being employed to convey us out of the dock. Thousands of cheering people watched her start – amongst them being dear friends, parting with dear friends, and relations, with relations perhaps, may be, never to meet again.
It took us almost an hour to get clear of the Dock, after which we soon left the great Metropolis far behind. The Cliffs of Dover soon came in sight, the sun setting at this time casting her rays upon the white cliff heads creating a magnificent sight. We could just see land on the French Coast, but could not discern what it was. Some of the passengers were by this time beginning to complain of feeling “funny” – the effects of the vessel rolling. All on Board returned below for the night, expecting to see Plymouth in the morning.