alt="image"/>
A.M. Wind veering northwards 6 AM Trimmed yards60 and set lower and <top> mast studinsails.61 9 A.M. W end of Anticosty in sight. Light bore SE distant about nine miles. 4 1/2 points variation. Noon wind going westward with clear weather Remarkable hill bearing S. by west about 8 miles off. <2> 2 P.M. abreast N point beacon. Breeze freshening. 6.30 W cliff and beacon bore SW. by W. distant 7 or 8 miles. <3 P> Barometer 30.10 at 3 P.M. symp 30.15 Therm 58 1/2°. 8 P.m. Barom 30.10 symp 30.5 Thermo 58°
Only passed one ship and two schooners all day. We took the Canadian channel62 N of Anticosti intending to run through the straits of Belle Isle, the wind being favourable. It has been very cold all day. Passed down mid channel to far off to see anything but the outline of the Labrador and Antacosti coasts. Ship roaling and pitching a good deal and some water coming in by the scuppers. Saw some of the splendid cliffs on the N coast of Anticosti through the glass. Had the mackerell lines over in the morning but caught nothing. I tried <on> the towing net, but the ship was going too fast. 8 P.M. wind began to go [‘rount] towards N.E. 10 P.M. Wind about N.N.E. ship going 12 1/2 knots 10.30 wind went round a few points more yards had to be braced up.
Sept 16th. 1869
Fresh breezes and clear weather. 10 A.M. Wolf Island63 bore NE by N. distant about 10 miles. Noon, strong breezes 3 P.M. Barom rising & a head sea coming. Breezes being contrary we gave into Belle Isle straits, and bore away for Cape Ray Latitude at Noon 49° 55’ Long 59° 17’ All stunsails out. 8 P.M. Barom 30.475 Therm 58° symp 30.275. Fresh breezes and clear weather. S.S. Very cold.
Friday 17th. Sept
6 A.M. Hauled up for cape Ray in all stunsails braced up. Set fore and afters.64 Several ships under the lee bow coming up the Gulf. Barom 30.5 Therm 56° symp 30.4. Noon fresh breezes from the East. Barom 30.5 Thermom 55 1/2° symp 30.9. All sail set. P.M. Light winds and variable. 8 P.M. Cape Ray bore NNE distant 8 miles. Water very phosphorescent where disturbed by the ship. Had over the towing net and got several rich hauls. Entomostricans65 Jelly-fish &c. [illustration in diary] S.S. most of day.
12. P.M. Light winds and variable
Saturday 18 Sept
A.M. Light and variable winds. 5 A.M. wind chopped up from N.W Trimmed sails. 8 Wind veering NE and E Barom 30.530 symp 30.4 Therm 56°. Noon light winds and clear weather. P.M. Employed washing down. 4 P.M. Wind veering SW [ous] starboard stunsails. Lat at noon 47° N Long by chronometer 58° 54’ W Saw [severas] ships schooners &c. A number of small birds, some sparrows, but mostly a small olive and grey flycatcher were about the ship all day; also a hawk which, caught and ate one of them. Caught several of the flycatchers and put them in the cabin where they flew about catching flies for some time. Tried the tow-net this A.M, and had a good haul of very small red bodies with protruding spicules. Watched the sun go down over the edge of the ocean, not a cloud intervening at the moment of contact it appeared thus, [illustration in diary] and also fore some moments afterwards. A {bright} projection seeming to rise out of the water to meet it. After the upper limb had dissapeared for some moments a small conical light remained visable pointing upwards. When the sun was just on the horison the strata of thin mist in the atmosphere made it to assume exactly the {banded} appearance of Jupiter, through a telescope.
Sunday 19th Sept
A.M. Wind veering SW, Trimmed in port stunsails set all fore and afters. 8.30 passed a light ship bound westward. Saw several large whales blowing. 10 A.M. passed a schooner at anchor on St Peters Bank. Noon Breeze freshening. Latitude obs 46° 24’ Long Chronom 56° 58’ W. 6 P.M. ship sailing 9 1/2 knots sea getting up. 6.30 passed a schooner running to westward. 7 P.M. commenced raining weather beomming thick. Barometer slowly falling since morning. At 7 PM Barom 30.25 symp 30.25 Therm 60°
Monday Sept 20th. 1869
Breeze still freshening with hazy weather and passing showers. 5.30 A.M. Passed Cape Race bearing NNE distant 5 or 6 miles, in main top gal studinsails.66 Noon, strong breezes and hazy, with a rising sea Barom 29.9 Therm 59 1/2° symp 29.9 Lat by acc 46.53 Long 51.8 W
6 PM Breeze <freshening> falling and weather becomming thicker. Had cabin fire lit for first time. Blowing fog horn. 9 P.M. sounded and got bottom at about 45 Fath 11 P.M. Breeze almost gone. Tried tow net, and got a lot of the usual luminous entomostricans some jelly fish of this shape [illustration in diary] and some curious transparent animals of this form [illustration in diary]
Tuesday Sept 21
A.M. threatening to blow by sudden puffs and hazy in all fore and afters and light sails.67 3 A.M. blowing hard, close reefed the three topsails reefed and furled cources and furled topsails.68 8 AM strong gale wore ship Bar 29 symp 29.7 Noon strong gale with a very heavy topping sea. Ship making very bad weather of it. Wore ship to SE. Cabin filled with water first from sail locker, afterwards on the port side large quantities of water continually on deck rushing from side to side as the ship rolls. <ship> Sometimes shipped several heavy seas in succession and righted with great difficulty. Cargo shifting. Cabin stove broke adrift. Mate was nearly washed overboard.
Wednesday Sept 22nd.
{A.M.} More moderate but a heavy sea an barom rising set lower mizen top sail69 and reefed fore sail 8 A.M. More moderate, set the three reefed up topsails whole fore-sail and reefed main cource.70 Noon strong breezes, and passing cloudy weather with showers Lat obs 47° 48’ Long by chronometer 50.4 W
Bar 30 symp 29.75. 7 PM Breeze freshening in up mizen top sails
Thursday 23rd. 1869
Set sail. Daylight more moderate but very heavy head sea.
Set whole top sails courses staysail and main top sail.71 Tried to catch
