Letter from Henry May, Atlantic Ocean, to his mother Emily May, 1858 December 21 : autograph manuscript signed.

Writing that they are all well on board, despite encountering heavy winds in the Bay of Biscay, remarking that the ship is very heavily laden and sits low in the water so the deck is continually washed by waves, noting that despite the various drawbacks, he is happy as a man might be in his workshop, "particularly when that workshop is a floating one & bearing him away from dear old England & its allurements"; describing the skipper as a "really worthy old man," although his agonising attacks of what he refers to as rheumatism (but which crew attribute to gout) have forced him to "yield sole charge to two young fellows" of whom he knew very little, and adding that Providence nonetheless delivered them from a potentially hot and dangerous position; instructing her to assure "Baby" that the cat (nicknamed "Dusty Bob") has maintained a healthy appetite and sending his regards.