Arthur David LINKLATER

His ’Journal’

Apprenticed aboard British Princess

10.xii.1895 - 13.iii.1900

Sunday, 16th
Lat 19°12’S
Long 76°21’W
Dist. 96 miles
I was a treat at the wheel tonight. Fine moonlight, sea right aft, and to feel the ship speeding along 10 knots after standing still for a week. Discovered a nest of rats in my clothes box.
Monday, 17th
Lat 19°13’S
Long 76°21’W
Dist. 96 miles
Getting bulwarks ready for painting, scraping life-buoys. Smashed mate's [- ? -] glass. He was very good, he said it could not be helped. Poor chap has to burn candles now.
Tuesday, 18th
Lat 18°53’S
Long 78°25’W
Dist. 125 miles
Scraping bulwarks. Mates helping me in navigation a lot today.
Wednesday, 19th
Lat 17°22’S
Long 80°2’W
Dist. 70 miles
Took off wire wheel pennant, and put on the chain again. Tonight thick fog.
Thursday, 20th
Lat 16°32’S
Long 82°23’W
Dist. 70 miles
Chipping and painting bulwarks. Fine night. Saw some dolphins and bonetars.
Friday, 21st
Lat 15°37’S
Long 84°10’W
Dist. 113 miles
Painting gig. Tonight it is raining and blowing hard.
Saturday, 22nd
Lat 14°56’S
Long 88°10’W
Dist. 122 miles
Sand and canvas. Tonight did navigation, also a lot in mate's room.
Sunday, 23rd
Lat 13°56’S
Long 88°10’W
Dist. 122 miles
Reading most of the day. Cape pigeons left us today. Good day.
Monday, 24th
Lat 12°51’S
Long 89°59’W
Dist. 125 miles
Painting gig. Exchanged four pairs of socks with Mr. Ritchie.
Tuesday, 25th
Lat 12°1’S
Long 91°35’W
Dist. 100 miles
Burning off paint off the houses. Port and Starboard watches not on speaking terms just now.
Wednesday, 26th
Lat 10°46’S
Long 93°12’W
Dist. 108 miles
Same work. Gape pigeons left us today.
Thursday, 27th
Lat 9°36’S
Long 94°56’W
Dist. 124 miles
Caught a lot of bugs in mate's room. I was compeled to turn out of my bunk tonight and sleep on deck through the bugs.
Friday, 28th
Lat 8°27’S
Long 95°52’W
Dist. 78 miles
Hundred upon hundreds of flying fish about. Also dolphins and bonetars. Second mate almost speared a sleeping turtle.
Saturday, 29th
Lat 7°12’S
Long 96°52’W
Dist. 102 miles
Sand and canvas the order of the day. Rigged up a good awning on Fo'c'stle head and dossed there.
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