December 1792

Monday 17  Moderate & Cloudy PM at 5 in Top Gallant sails at 6 Answered the Signal for seeing Land & saw the Island of St. Helena bearing W½S distant about 7 or 8 Leagues Top 11 in 1st & 2nd reef of the Fore Topsail & 1st of the Main Topsail AM Light breezes & open Cloudy Weather hauled our Wind to the SW made & shortened sail Occasionally [?] the body of the Island bearing West distant 8 or 9 Miles at 6 bore up & made Sail at 8 the body of the Island WbS 4 or 5 Miles distant Employed working into the roads at 10 the Fort Saluted with 15 Guns ½ past the Providence returned the same Number came too with the Small bower in 21 Fathoms water James Tower bearing East ½ a Mile Sailed hence a French Slave Ship at Noon Moderate & open Cloudy Weather Ships draught of Water Forward 8..00 Aft 9..8

Tuesday 18  Moderate & hazey Weather PM at 3 Veered away & Moored to the SE & Westward ½ a Cable each way The Church bearing S21°E the East point W63°..30′E & the West point S63°..30′W received on board Water for present use AM Moderate & hazey with Small rain at times rowsed up the Small bower Cable & opened a Cask of Beef Mark RH No. 269 Contents 66 Double pieces Received a Turn of water per Launch Scraped the bends Coiled the Cables below & Carpenter employed repairing the Bill boards of the Anchors at Noon Moderate & Cloudy Weather

Wednesday 19  Fresh breezes & open Cloudy Weather PM Employed getting the empty Water Casks out of the Forehold Sailmaker repairing Sails & Corporal of Marines cleaning Small Arms received a turn of Water per Launch AM Fresh Gales & Cloudy rowsed up the Best bower Cable broached a Butt of Bread Started the Contents into the Bread room Employed as before got up the Swivels & Mounted them Received a turn of water per Launch likewise received on board 52 pounds Fresh Beef

Thursday 20  All this day Fresh breezes & Squally PM Employed Watering Coiled away the Cable, Sailmaker employed on the Fore Topsail AM mending Sails .. The Governor visited the Providence & us & on his coming on board was Saluted with 15 Guns from each Vessel

Friday 21  Fresh breezes & open Cloudy Weather PM Employed as before AM Fresh breezes & fair . Launch Employed watering compleated the Ground Tier Sailmaker repairing the Fore Topsail Received on board 52 Pounds of Beef