The SKIOLD / SKJOLD arrived at Port Adelaide on 28 October 1841

DIARY - FROM PRITTAGE TO TSCHICHERZIG - 1841
Saturday, 1st May After many delays the day of assembly was fixed on this day. The meeting place would be Tschicherzig, using three barges on the River Oder to transport the emigrants to the port of Hamburg. The people from Posen boarded a barge; those from Zullichau and Schwiebus and Meseritz in Posen the second, and the third was filled with emigrants from Grunberg Province Silesia, totaling about 270. The journey was some 600km along the rivers and connecting canals of eastern and central Germany, following the route taken by their follow believers in 1838.
Thursday 6th May the barges left, amid loud prayers and hymnes, for fear of the police was no longer necessary.
10th Maythe barges turned into the Friedrich Wilhlem Canal, a channel about 25km long linking the Oder and Spree rivers. Progress was slow, because the canal was less than 9.5 metres wide at the bottom and only 1.5 metres deep. They negotiated seven locks as they were lifted a total of 18 metres up the Spree.
13th May reached Berlin, then on into the Havel and to Potsdam.
Wednesday 19th May Reached Wittenberg on the Elbe - the last Prussian town, and paid their export dues.
Saturday 22nd May the barges arrived in Hamburg at 7.00 pm. The rain is falling in torrents; but despite the awful weather our good pastor, though looking very ill, is there to welcome us. As our eyes, after such a long period of separation, behold the good man, who for five years had endured such awful privations to minister to our wants, our hearts go out in love to the beloved and devoted servant of God. Some of the old people embrace and kiss him, and we all feel that we should like to follow their example.
The two representatives of these emigrants who have been engaged in the preliminary negotiations, Emanuel Klar and Dienegott Weinert, were also in the welcoming group. From one of the small boats Pastor Fritzschke delivered an earnest but comforting Ascension sermon, the festival day itself having fallen on the previous Thursday.
24th May a meeting was held to organise the groups into one congregation, coming as they had from various parishes in Posen, Brandenberg and Silesia. Six elders were elected, two from each of the three areas: Emanuel Klar and August Grosser (Grunberg), Louis Grocke and Gottlieb Felsch (Zullichaw), and Gottfied Bormann and August Hensel (Posen).
Wednesday 26th May five baptisms took place - Carl Gottlob Heppner, Wilhelmine Ernstine Roehr, Johann Gottlieb Geue, Johanne Pauline Schultz and Gottfied Traugott Klar. Three days later August Weinert's wife gave birth to a son.
The chartered SKJOLD, a hurried replacement to the Mary Stewart had not yet arrived in port, and when it did arrive a fortnight later it needed repairs that took about four weeks to complete. The emigrants had to stay on the barges as the authorities of the Free City of Hamburg would not admit them into the city, until convincing evidence was given that they did not intend to remain in Hamburg, but would go to Australia.
2nd June the Weinert baby was baptized at the Stadtdeich (town pier).
The delays and the renting of premises created financial difficulties for the people who still had to supply all their daily needs. There was not sufficient money in hand for the passages on the ship, because 274 persons had to be provided for instead of the 200 provided for in the contract of 11,00 thalers. If the requested funds were not secured there was a grave possibility that they would all be transported back to Prussia.
11th June the group was overjoyed to receive a letter from Mrs. Richardson in Newcastle UK with £270 (1800 thalers) and Pastor Frizschke's future mother-in-law Madame Nehrlich, who was also to emigrate, loaned the necessary balance of 1127 thalers.
14th June the chests were loaded on the SKJOLD, but the emigrants themselves had to remain in their rented quarters for another 15 days until they embarked on 30th June.

THE VOYAGE (Part as collated by Pastor Henry Proeve from all available sources.)
June 30 Although the emigrants embark on the day, the SKJOLD does not yet leave port. When it sets out it progresses no further than Altona.
July 2 Wilhelm Hampel's 2-year-old daughter died at 2.30 pm. The body is taken this evening to the mortuary in the Altona cemetery for burial at 3 pm tomorrow.
July 3 The 'SKJOLD' unexpectedly is towed out by a steamer at 1 pm and the sorrowing parents and their friends therefore cannot attend the burial.
July 4 and 5 We lie becalmed.
July 6 With a favourable wind we set sail at 6 am as far as Cuxhaven. The pastor is very weak so that he cannot give a sermon. When we have left Cuxhaven behind us several miles, a strong wind combined with heavy rain drives us back to Cuxhaven. Gottfied Kliche's 2-year-old daughter dies and is buried at Cuxhaven.
July 7 to 10 The stormy weather rages all these days. Mrs. Eleonore Gay dies at 5 pm on June 9 and is buried at Cuxhaven next. day.
July 11 At 5 pm we leave Cuxhaven for the second time. Pastor Fritzsche is heard to pray: 'O Lord Jesus Christ, be our compass, rudder and mast; and your breath speed us on our way.' At 10 pm we pass the island of Heligoland.
July 17 We catch sight of the cliff of Dover. There is severe stormy weather as we pass down the English Channel.
July 31 The 'SKJOLD' has reached the Canary Islands and passes Tenerife. Grieger's 6-year-old daugher dies, and is buried in the evening of the same day near the island of Palma.
August 1 We pass the Islands of Feroe, the westernmost of the Canary Islands.
August 19 The 'SKJOLD' crossed the Equator.
October 26 The 'SKJOLD' passes Kangaroo Island. Mrs Reich dies at midday and is buried the last to be buried at sea, in the strait.
October 27 The 'SKJOLD' arrives at Holdfast Bay in the morning, a Wednesday. At 7 pm it reaches the harbour at Port Adelaide. As soon as the anchor has been cast the emigrants gather for a thanksgiving service, with Pastor Fritzsche conducts with the words of Psalm 107; 23-31 to guide them in their thanksgiving. 'O that men would praise the Lord for his goodness, and for his wonderful works to the children of men.' During this service F Kavel and A Fiedler, from Klemzig, arrive on the vessel. The elders from the 'SKJOLD' and a few others still walk to Klemzig, some 15km distant, this same night.
The voyage of the 'SKJOLD' had an aspect that was tragic. To lose about one in five persons was a high price to pay. Fever, dysentery and puerperal infection spread though the steerage section of the ship and resulted in some 55 deaths, many of them children.
There was great joy and excitement now among the passengers. Even though they experienced some severe storms theirs was a non-stop voyage of over 20,000 km and 117 days, the the 'SKJOLD' anchoring off-shore at Port Adelaide on October 27, 1841.