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Fateful Voyage

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Revised Aug 28 2021

Portlock's Assistant Logbook Sep 18-22, 1792

Remarks on board His Majestys Brig Assistant

September 1792

Tuesday 18  Fresh breezes & open Cloudy Weather [at 2?] PM saw 3 Canoes coming towards the Ship with a number of Natives in them at ½ past 3 anchored within a hundred yards of us & made a number of Gestures & upon a Musquet being fired over their heads they weighed & made towards the Shore at 4 PM weighed & came to Sail in Company with the Providence at ¼ past 6 Anchored in 6 Fathoms water with the Small bower over a bottom of Coarse Sand the extreams of the Islands in sight from S12°E to S40°E Struck Top Gallant yards & masts at Noon Moderate & hazey Weather

Wednesday 19  Fresh breezes & hazey Weather PM People variously employed broached [?] Butt of Water at 9 Struck lower yards per Signal AM Fresh Gales & dark cloudy weather at 10 [? ? ?] .. at ½ past 5 weighed & came to Sail the Whale boats a head Sounding at 7 made the Signal to follow without danger & hauled our Wind to the Southward Tacked Ship Occasionally at 8 made sail & bore away Rove new [?] fore & Aft People Employed upon the rigging at Noon Moderate & pleasant Weather in Company with the Providence

Thursday 20  Moderate breezes & fine Weather PM made & shortened sail Occasionally & Wore Ship & hauled our wind Occasionally AM Moderate breezes & open Cloudy Weather at 6 bore up & made Sail saw several Bonitas & [Porpoises?] made & shortened sail Occasionally to keep in our Station the Providences Whale boat & Cutter a head Sounding at Noon Moderate breezes & open Cloudy Weather in Company with the Providence

Friday 21  Light breezes & open Cloudy Weather at ¾ past 4 PM hauled our Wind to the Southward at 5 bore up at 6 Double reefed the Topsails & handed Top Gallant sails Wore Ship Occasionally per Signal AM Moderate & cloudy Wore Ship Occasionally per Signal at ½ past 5 bore up & made Sail out reefs & set Top Gallant Sails & Studding Sails the boats a head sounding at 9 took the boats in Tow they not being able to keep way with the Ship saw great quantities of Cuttle Fish also a number of Flying Fish served Portable Soup at Noon Moderate breezes & fair weather . In Company with the Providence

Saturday 22  Moderate breezes & Clear Weather PM at 4 In Top Gallant Sails & Studding Sails at 6 Double reefed the Top Sails at 7 sent the Commodores boats that were sounding a head on board Wore Ship Occasionally per Signal AM Fresh breezes at ½ past 1 William Terry 2nd [Masters Mate?] one of the Men that was wounded by the Savages in the Straits departed this Life at ½ past 5 bore up & made sail Out reefs & set Top Gallant Sails at 10 Committed the Body of the Deceased to the Deep at ¼ past 10 the Commodore made the Signal to Steer WNW at Noon Moderate & Cloudy in Company with the Providence


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