| ⚪ | Friday, 26th | The gale has abated a little, but still that horrible sea running behind us. The seas are pouring over both sides at once. The seas are so large that our ship just seems to fit in between them. Like a mountain at the bow and another at the stern, and we to be in the valley. The man at the wheel is afraid to look behind, for every sea you would think was going to come crashing on your head. The Captain told us not to look behind, always ahead. If one did come aboard, it would be goodbye British Princess. We are in the Indian Ocean, and curious to say I have not been washed about in it yet. The North and South Atlantic, the North and South Pacific, the English Channel, the Irish and North Seas, the Forth and last but by no means least the Bay;-of-Biscay, all these I have sampled. | |
| Saturday, 27th Lat 37°34’S Long 66°27’E |
Sea after sea breaking over us. The decks are nearly always full. Very pleasant! Did another splendid day's work of 230 miles, which is an average of over 10 knots for the 24 hours. This was done under three topsails and a Foresail. We are running straight before the wind, and sea, the yards being square. Have seen nothing for a month. I have been sampling Indian Ocean all day. | ||
| Sunday, 28th | Fine day again. Sea and wind have gone down a lot. Now and again a sea will come aboard and wash us all to different places, just to remind us of the past few days. Rolling and pitching very heavily yet. Last night we caught the men broaching cargo. So three of us are in the pie now too. Last night 19 bottles of whiskey were stolen and the men are all “half on”. There will be a terrible row when it is discovered. Ths penalty is five years in prison. | ||
| Monday, 29th | Fine breeze again. Wind right aft. Fore Royal and Topgallants fast because they won't draw. Scraping masts. Did another run of over 200 miles. | ||
| Tuesday, 30th | Abreast of St. Paul's rocks. Standing by all day. In the first watch we had a very lively time of it, the men being all half drunk, and they were falling all over the place and kept falling on the deck which was three parts full of water the whole night. While hauling up the inner jib, a very severe squall struck us, and very nearly took away our main topgallant mast. The topgallantsail being set. While we were coiling up the braces a little later, an enormous sea came over the lee rail, and washed the whole lot of us away. I picked myself up on top of the life-line and could see nothing but rushing, foaming water, and thought the watch had been washed overboard. Of course our house had its full share of it. | ||
| Wednesday, 31st | Under topsails again. Sea coining on the quarter now, decks under water. Hailing, raining and snowing, to say nothing of blowing a gale. Very cold! A tremendous sea came over the boats and filled our half-deck half full. My bunk is ringing, and all the photos that were hanging there are spoiled. Of course this is winter down here, and this weather is to be expected, but all the same it is curios weather for August. Several times last night the men wished the second mate to come on deck and fight. | ||
| SEPTEMBER 1898 | |||
| Thursday, 1st | Good breeze. Nothing special happened except the usual amount of rows with the officers. | ||
| ⚪ | Friday, 2nd | Wind right aft. Going along fine. Another man laid up in our watch. Terrible argument with the second mate. | |
| Saturday, 5rd Lat 36°22’S Long 93°22’E |
Wind same. Going ahead “Good oh”. Large sea running as usual. The second mate was going to “Smash my head in” by his way of it tonight, but I told him I was ready for him as well. So he fell back on cursing, a favourite pastime of his. We'11 have a “scrap” soon. | ||
| BACK | 45 | NEXT | |
Duncan Linklater © 2025