The Journey to Patagonia
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Leaving Liverpool
On 28 May 1865, 150 Welsh emigrants set out on the long journey from Liverpool to Patagonia. Departing over a month late, the passengers aboard the tea clipper ‘Mimosa’ must surely have been glad to begin their voyage after several weeks of waiting in Liverpool.
On 24 May 1865, the passengers were granted permission to board the ship. Many of them hailed from the industrial areas of Mountain Ash and Aberdare, and only a minority came from agricultural communities. As well as a number of coal miners and quarrymen, the first contingent included a schoolmaster, preachers, a builder and a doctor. Before leaving, a Council (‘Cyngor y Wladychfa’) was elected to govern the Settlement. The Council consisted of twelve members, and a president, secretary, treasurer and auditor were also elected. On 25 May, the captain of the 'Mimosa' a 25-year-old man named George Pepperell, announced that the anchor was about to be lifted. Hundreds of people, including Michael D. Jones and his wife Anne, lined the docks to bid farewell to the passengers, singing an anthem composed especially for the occasion to the tune of ‘God Save the Queen’. The Welsh banner was raised and the 'Mimosa'; left the docks. The emigrants were not on their way, however, as the 'Mimosa' was forced to wait three days for a favourable wind before the anchor was finally raised at 4 o’clock on 28 May.
A long and difficult journey
The long journey began eventfully as strong winds and huge waves struck the ship soon after it left the River Mersey. Luckily, the remainder of the journey across the Atlantic Ocean was relatively calm. Though little is known of the conditions aboard the ship, it is safe to assume that the standard of food and accommodation was poor. During the journey, several passengers were struck ill and on one occasion the captain ordered that the females should have their hair washed and shaved, presumably to prevent the spread of disease. Sadly, by the time they had reached Patagonia, four children had died aboard the ‘Mimosa’.
Occasionally, there were causes of celebration. On 11 June, Mary Jones, the wife of John Jones of Mountain Ash, gave birth to a son named John. On 15 June, a few days after the death of their 2-year-old son James, Aaron and Rachel Jenkins had a baby daughter named Rachel. The marriage of William and Anne Lewis of Abergynolwyn also took place on board the ‘Mimosa’, officiated by the Rev. Lewis Humphreys. The passengers passed the time by sharing stories and singing and there was a spirited celebration by the crew as the ship sailed across the equator on 28 June.
Land Ahoy!
On 26 July, after almost two months at sea, a member of the crew announced that land was in sight, arriving at New Bay that night. The next morning the emigrants caught sight of their new home and that evening a small crew of men went ashore, the remainder of the passengers waiting another day before setting foot on Patagonian soil and beginning their adventure in a new land.