Dec 18, 1788 Home Logbook Dec 20, 1788
Revised Jun 29 2021
121)
Moderate and fair Wr. with some squalls of Rain. Wind from ESE to ENE and the Thermr. from 79° to 82°.
Employed as yesterday. Completed stowing the Spirit Room. In the morning got all chests into the Launch to clear them of Cockroaches having a Breed of the small kind making head, which there is no way of preventing but by such method.
Towards morning a long swell began to set into the Bay and by noon broke across the Dolphin Bank altho the Wind fresh off the shore the sky also became very cloudy. This Bank altho 2 fathoms water on the shoalest part of it creates a great swell in the Bay with the Wind from the NE (which I apprehend is the direction of it at Sea) and makes this a very unpleasant place to lye in at this season. I had supposed untill what I have now seen that a Ship might ride smoother here with the Wind at North or even NNW but I am very much mistaken and I shall therefore as I find the weather to be so little depended on, sail for a Secure Harbour as soon as possible.
Both yesterday and to day I have had dancing Heivahs given me at the Tent. They differed in nothing from those already described except in the interludes. They performed a rowing scene with much humour representing our management of our Boats, and the Officer finding fault if any thing was wrong.