| ⚪ | Saturday, 30th | This morning we sighted Staten island, about 7 miles off. All the tops of the mountain were covered with snow. Splendid day, hardly any wind. Put ship round four times. In afternoon it fell a dead calm. We remained stationary for about four hours, and about 10 p.m. a splendid breeze sprung up, and we are once again going ahead about 9 or 10 knots. Sighted two outward bounders yesterday. 72 days out. | |
| NOVEMBER 1897 | |||
| Monday, 29th | In the last seven days we have sighted nine outward bound ships. Spoke to one, and gave the longitude to another. About 30 miles off Trinidad. | ||
| DECEMBER 1897 | |||
| Saturday, 4th | Sighted about 20 miles off Fernando Noronha the Pyramid, named after a carious shaped mountain it has. | ||
| Sunday, 5th | Crossed line. Sighted 3 steamers and 3 ships in the last 3 days. | ||
| Tuesday, 7th | S.E. trades only lasted thirty six hours. Tonight had a heavy squall from N.E. No sign of N.E. trades yet though. | ||
| Friday, 17th | Last of N.E. Trades. | ||
| Saturday, 18th | Bending sail. | ||
| Sunday, 19th | Calm. Large quantities of Gulf weed passing, | ||
| Monday, 20th | Wind S.W. but we are going too fast to catch any. | ||
| Tuesday, 21st | Wind N.W. | ||
| Thursday, 23rd | Wind aft. Heavy seas coming aboard. First of the sea gulls today. First signs of nearing home. | ||
| Saturday, 25th Lat 39°N |
Christmas. 12 oclock today we were about 30 miles off Flores (Azores) Distance from Falmouth 1,282 miles. She was not very often on her course. We are rushing along under square yards pretty well. We each got a cigar from the mate, so we are quite the toffs again. I wish you all a good dinner and a very merry and Jolly Xmas. Tonight a huge steamer past quite close to us. | ||
| Sunday, 26th | Bad weather setting in. Furled Royals, Topgallants, Main Sail and Staysails. | ||
| Monday, 27th | Glass falling. Gale expected. Sea getting up. | ||
| ⚪ | Tuesday, 28th | 10 a.m. Started taking in sail, and by noon there was only the two lower topsails and Foresail left. Just after we got nicely turned in, it was “All hands on deck” to take in the Foresail. It then began to blow and rain. A very large sea got up, and all night she was continually shipping heavy seas. Sea right aft. At noon a dense fog came up and shifted the course from N.E. to E½ N. to keep clear of the islands. Plenty of work instead of a holliday. First thing this morning Fore Royal sheet carried away, and I was therefore up on the Topgallant yard for a while. A good lot of water was coming aboard now. Then we were hauling yards round, staysails up, etc. For dinner we had Salt Junk, Fresh meat, Petrified spuds, Plum duff. Being accustomed to one thing a day, and then getting such a lay out, we feel very indisposed to move. When at the wheel from 2 to 4 p.m. I was thinking of you all at home. Two hands at the wheel and I was on the poop watching the binacle lamps the whole 4 hours. I lit them about 50 times and then dumped the oil out of them and they had to burn candles the rest of night. | |
| BACK | 34 | NEXT | |
Duncan Linklater © 2025