My Emigration

I was born in England, just south of London. A quite countryside, it was such a pleasant place, beautiful scenery, lush green fields, warm summer days. To my young mind life was idyllic.

Then there was a change, my family was to move. I am not sure that the move was initiated by my parents and we were not just moving district but emigrating. Our travel plans were all made for us, I had no comprehension of how far it would be nor how long it would take. Much preparation was necessary to ensure our security during this anticipated journey.

We travelled to our departure point, I was only very young and did not understand the procedures for embarking on such a journey. I was well aware that our sleeping arrangements were not so comfortable as those to which we were accustomed. Our food was also somewhat different and we still had not embarked. There was delay after delay, there seemed to be a problem with the crew or was it the catering.

Eventually all was ready and we were away. Departure was smooth, hardly even noticeable. Then not long after we set off things got a little rough. Was the whole journey going to be like this?

Time passed, we were fed, we slept, we were mostly left to ourselves. We became aware that we were not the only family on this emigration journey. I had never travelled before, neither had any of our family. We were all together. Us little ones we played some games to pass the time. We slept a lot but as time passed we felt very confined. We were accustomed to relative freedom, to move about, to run and play, return home if anything looked at all threatening. This was a luxury that we had to forego for our journey.

How long before we would arrive? We had no idea really. What conditions would we find ourselves living in? How well had this plan for us to move to a new country been thought through? Was it a wise decision? There were so many questions in my young mind. My parents just seemed to be going along with the arrangements all made by others. It must be OK. We would be OK.

Time passed ever so slowly, sometimes the ride became rough but mostly it was smooth, just a gentle rocking. Then it became obvious that we were stopping. Yes we had definitely stopped but we did not disembark. Had we reach our destination or was it just a stop on the way?

It was clear that even though we had not disembarked that there were fresh supplies of food, our diet was much better, fresh food tastes so much better.

We were off again, travelling again, just like before except now it was getting hotter, conditions were less comfortable, they had not been great but this was much worse. It seemed like hours dragged into days, days into weeks.

The days became cooler, the ride rougher, it seemed like this journey would never end. Another stop, more fresh food and off again. Weeks of relentless rocking, would this journey ever end? We must be going half way around the world.

Eventually we stopped again and we were prepared for disembarking. Had we really reached our destination. We were in Australia, southern Victoria, an undeveloped country, they said with lots of opportunity.

I was much bigger than when we set out but one could not say that I was in good condition. It was good to feel the ground again, fresh food, sunshine, all the luxuries of life had returned except this place was quite different to "home". We felt that we were free again, we got to know the others that had travelled with us to this new land. They were OK we would get along fine with them although we had not mixed on the journey. Colonial life was quite different to our former life but we were establishing ourselves as a community.

My life was not long in this new country so I must pass over to a descendant of mine many generations down to finish the story

My ancestors arrived in small numbers and populated this vast country, not always without conflict but nevertheless we were quite successful. My great ancestor asked a question about the wisdom of the emigration decision. I now ask was there a benefit to our new country from our immigration.

Industry grew around our increasing population. This must be good but there were also indicators that maybe it was not such a wise decision. Barriers were established to prevent our free movement, various campaigns have been conducted against us. Decimation of our population has occurred at times but we survived. We are after all survivors and very independent.

Halfway around the world in a square rigged sailing ship, set free into an environment so different to that from where we came from, yet to survive and prosper is remarkable.

Was the decision of our emigration a wise one? I see a farmer wearing an Akubra hat. "Rabbits bloody rabbits who decided to bring them to Australia", said the farmer while wearing the National Icon that depends on us rabbits.