| Sunday, 25th | Went over to Berkley. Spent a very enjoyable day. | ||
| ⚪ | NOVEMBER 1896 | ||
| Sunday, 1st | One of the men ran away today. Left yesterday morning at 8 a.m. and went to Berkley. | ||
| Monday, 2nd | Processions and display of fireworks in the town. | ||
| Tuesday, 3rd | Watching crowds of excited voters who were anxiously awaiting results, for this is the great election day. Great excitement prevails all over the city. | ||
| Sunday, 8th | Had to stay in bunk as I had my toe lanced. Robbery was committed last night. The thieves took 2 suits of the mate's and a suit belonging to the second mate. | ||
| Thursday, 12th | Finished discharging, having taken in sufficient stiffening a couple of days previous. Started for Port Costa up the Sacremento, in tow of the ‘Sea King’ shortly after 3 p.m. and arrived about 8 p.m. When mooring we lost a good length of mooring chain overboard. | ||
| Friday, 13th | Lining the hold with canvas. Went to the Institute in the evening at Eckley, a short way down the line. It is made of wood. Facing the line, when expresses and other trains pass, you can feel the place shaking like a tree. Several of the vessels that were in Frisco with us are up here too. Port Costa is a small place more like a settlement than a town. The buildings are all made of wood. No roads here, only enough room for the railway line with ths mountains right behind. There is an enormous ferry boat, the “Solano”, which can take about at one time 4 trains, with their engines. She has 4 funnels, and is very powerful. | ||
| Tuesday, 17th | Old steward has been paid off, and we have now a (Yankee) one. | ||
| Saturday, 21st | Finished loading. | ||
| Sunday, 22nd | Tug came alongside a little after one p.m. We got clear at 1.30. On our way down we were cheered by the vessels ‘Bermuda’, ‘Windermere’ and ‘Cambusdoon’, Arrived in Frisco bay shortly after 5 p.m. when the ‘Rescue’ cast off. Anchor watch. | ||
| Tuesday, 24th | Got into beastly scrape today. I did not turn up for the boat. It twice went away without me. | ||
| Wednesday, 25th Sailed for Sydney |
Called at 5 a.m. Tug ‘Sea Witch’ cast off soon after breakfast leaving us with two thirds of our sail set. Wind freshened very suddenly and became a gale. Vessel shipping water very much. Inner jib staysail carried away. Fore topgallant sail burst asunder. Main topmast staysail rent right open. Hatch on Fo'o'sle head was washed away. Very heavy sea in bar, before long we were under lower topsails. Very high sea running. Cargo shifted. Ship got a fearful list to leward. Water on deck up to the rail. I have been washing about the decks like a bit of wood. | ||
| Thursday 26th | Ship got heavy list. High sea running. | ||
| Friday, 27th | Put cargo right. | ||
| DECEMBER 1896 | |||
| Wednesday, 2nd | Thousands of porpoises about. | ||
| Thursday, 3rd | Mate lanced my hand in three places. | ||
| Wednesday, 9th | Had a lot of rows with old man for dumping rope yarns. | ||
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