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Fateful Voyage

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Revised Aug 28 2021

Portlock's Assistant Logbook Sep 23-27, 1792

Remarks on board His Majestys Brig Assistant

September [1792]

Sunday 23  Moderate breezes & fine Weather PM hauled our Wind Tacked & Wore Ship Occasionally at ½ past 6 In Top Gallant sails 1st & 2nd reefs of the Top sails & 1st reef of the Fore & Aft mainsail AM Fresh breezes & hazey Wore Ship Occasionally per Signal during the Night at 5 bore up out reefs of the Topsails & set Top Gallant sails saw some [?] porpoises some Bonettas & Cuttle fish Shell & 2 Turtle served Mustard & Portable Soup at Noon Fresh breezes & Cloudy In Company with the Providence

Monday 24  Moderate breezes & open Cloudy PM at ½ past 6 in Top Gallant sails 1st & 2nd reef of the Topsails Wore Ship Occasionally AM Fresh breezes & hazey at 5 out all reefs & set Top Gallant sails & Studding Sails carried away a Main Topsail Tye at 8 saw an appearance of a Shoal right a head in Studding Sails & Top Gallant sails & hauled our Wind to the NE & Made the Signal to denote danger at ½ past 8 bore up to the North [?] as the appearance found it to be a Scum or [?] on the Top of the Water hove to & Sounded made the Signal to follow without danger set Top Gallant sails & Studding Sails People employed cleaning Small Arms At Noon Moderate breezes & fine Weather in Company with the Providence

Tuesday 25  Fresh breezes & Clear PM at 6 hauled our Wind to the Southward at ½ past 6 brought too & Sounded 85 Fathoms Muddy bottom in Top Gallant sails 1st. & 2 reef of the Topsails & 1st of the Fore & Aft Main Sail & bore up AM Moderate & clear at 5 out all reefs set Top Gallant sails & Studding Sails People Employed Splicing the Cable Saw several Boobys Gannets Dolphins Porpoises Small Turtles & Albecore at Noon Fresh breezes & Clear in Company with ye Providence

Wednesday 26  Fresh breezes & fine Weather PM People employed as before & Coiling the Cables below at 6 Double reefed the Topsails & took a reef in the Fore & Aft Mainsail AM Moderate & cloudy saw a large Flock of Birds at 5 out all reefs & set Studding Sails caught a Bonnetta at 8 I went on board the Commodore on duty People employed pointing the ends of the Cables AM Moderate & Cloudy in Company with the Providence

Thursday 27  Moderate & fine pleasant Weather PM Employed as before at 6 Answered the Signal to come within at ½ past I returned from the Providence In Top Gallant Sails & 2nd reef of the Topsails & Fore & Aft Mainsail AM Moderate & Cloudy at 5 out reefs & set Top Gallant sails People Employed Variously caught a Bonnetta Saw a [Fishing?] Hawk some Butterflies Sheerwaters &c Broached the 10th Butt of Water in the Ground Tier at Noon Moderate & hazey a Swell from the Eastward In Company with the Providence


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