Page 60
Friday April the 1, 1842
These 24 hour comences with fresh breases at NNW.
At 5 AM turnd the reefes out and the topgallant sails, fli jib, and the gaft (gaff) topsail. Laying our coarse E b N.
At 9 AM took in the fli jib. Brease freshning.
At 10 AM wind N b E. Brased up the yards heading along E b S. Ship leakin very bad and has ever since we left Matanzes. She is very heavy loaded and labours very heavy in a gale of wind.
At 6 PM saw a large barque under reefs and past her very fast. She made sail but could not keepe up with us.
At 8 PM sat the fli jib.
At 12 PM got a pull at the weather brases. Wind NNW. Fresh breases continues to the last.
At 3 AM caried away the fli jib sheets and weather guye and took it in. And so ends this days work.
Page 61
Saturday April the 2, In the year off our Lord 1842
These 24 hours comences with fresh gales and squaly weather.
At 6 AM took in the spanker and gaft (gaff) topsail. Wind increasing and very squaly.
At 8 AM took in topgalant sails. Wind increasin fast.
At 12 AM mordrate. Sat topgalantsails, spanker and gaft (gaff) topsails.
At 4 PM took in the fore topgalant sail. Squaly.
At 6 PM soot the fore topgalant sails again. More mordrate again.
At 8 PM calm and plesant. All hands employed in repaired sails or studansails. Calm all day.
At 3 AM light brease from the SE and fine weather.
And now tis Saturday night again thank God. So Ends this days Work.
Page 62
Sunday April the 3, 1842, David Poor
These 24 hours comences with light wind at SW and fine cleare weather.
At 7 AM sat the coarses and spanker and jibs and gaft (gaff) topsail, main royal, and at 9 AM sat the fore and main top galant studansails. Light breases .
At 12 AM sat the fore topmast studansail and squared the yards a bit.
At 3 PM sat the Looer Studansail and then calld the watch.
At 5 PM lay the yards squair.
At 6 washd down the deck.
At 7 bells got brackfast.
At 8 PM trimd sails and pumt (pumped) her out and went below the watch.
At 12 PM wind WSW. Coarse ENE goin 5 knots.
At 2 AM jibed ship. Wind W and shifted the looer (lower) studansail and
At 4 AM jibed ship and shifted the looer studansail. And so ends this day.
Page 63
Monday April the 4, 1842
These 24 hours comences with plesant winds and fine weather. Wind WSW fine brease about 5 knots.
At 6 AM increases, ship now goin at the rate of 6 ½ an our.
At 8 AM still increasing, steering ENE. It is a 7 knot brease. It fine weather this. If we have such weather as this all old women would go to sea.
At 12 AM went to jibe ship and the wind hauld back again, so it saved the job.
At 8 PM sat a spare topgallantsail for a looer studansail. This afternoon we got a watch belo and so did the starboard watch.
At 4 PM fresh gales from the WSW and fine weather continues to the last. Employd in ships duty and so ends this days work.
Page 64
Tuesday April the 5, 1842
These 24 hours comences with fine weather and fresh gales from the W Sow W steering ENE 8 nots brease.
At 6 PM swaid up the studansails and got super (supper).
At 10 PM sat the spanker. Fresh gales continue. Now she is agoin 9 nots towards Rutia.
At 12 PM braild up the spanker and squard the yards. The starboard watch went below after dinner. Fresh gales continue and it is so delightfull that any won would wish to be at sea all the time. Well it is now 4 o’clock and i must nock off spining this yarn. All hans employd in ships duty.
And so ends this days work.
Page 65
Wensday April the 6, 1842
These 24 hours comences with fresh gales and squaly weather.
At 8 AM took in topgallant studansails. Squaly. Som rain.
At 10 AM took in the main royal.
At 11 AM took topmast and Lower studansail. Brease freshning.
At 12 AM took in topgalant sails. Cloudy weather and squaly.
At 8 PM furld the mainsail, wind W by S.
At 9 PM sat the fore topmast and looer studansails and top galant studansails on the larboard side.
At 11 pm took a squal from the NW and took in the studansails, gaft (gaff) topsail and royal and spanker, topgalant sails and double reeft the topsails. And so ends this day.
Page 66
Thursday April the 7, 1842
On our passage from Matanzes to Rusia, Thursday April the 7
This 24 hours comences with heavy gales from the NW and squaly.
At 6 AM close reefd the topsails and reeft the mainsails. She is now agoin 10 nots through the water and after her that is runing mountains high.
At 7 AM took in the fore topsail and furld the mainsail. The gale still increaseing.
At 10 AM a heavy gale of wind and tremendious squalls from the NW.
At 4 PM more modrate.
At 7 PM let out 2 reefs and sat the topgallants and mainsail spanker.
At 1 AM made all sail and the watch went belo.
At 2 AM calm and weather again.
At 4 AM light brease from the WNW. The sea has not gon down much. All hands employd in ships duty. And so ends this days work. David Poor of Portland Maine.
Page 67
Friday Aprill the 8, 1842
These 24 hours comences with light breases from the westward and fine cleare weather for the presant. Wind west n west.
Asa is hard at it mending his old shirts and John is grinding water for the captains ducks and Levi is a-setting up the topgalant bobstays, and I have got nothing els to do but to write all this down about them as it is my watch below.
At 8 AM sat studansails fore and aft, loo and a loft.
At 2 PM took in topgalant studs, main, royal. Fresh gales.
At 4 PM took in looer studs. Squaly.
At 6 PM took in topgalantsails, spanker and gaft (gaff) topgalantsails and topmast studansails.
At 9 PM double reeft the topsails.
At 12 PM close reeft the topsails and furld the reeft mainsail. Blowing a heavy gale.
At 2 AM took in the topsails and scud under our fore sail.
At 3 AM rove off new wheel ropes.
At 5 AM when scuding a squall struck a-back. Wind N. Hauld up the foresail and sat the fore topmast stasail and main spencer. Reeft the foresail and so ends this day.
Page 68
Saturday Aprill the 9, 1842
These 24 hours comences with heavy gales from the north and squaly under short sail and a heavy sea runing.
At 4 PM let the reefe out of the foresail.
At 6 PM sat the jib and spanker.
At 8 PM leet 2 reefs out off the topsails and sat the main sail. Wind East by South. Heavy gales and rainy with squalls. Our watch is to work making sinnet* as there is nothing else to do.
At 4 AM a gale off wind is a coming on we expect by the looks of the weather. And so ends this day.
*Rope to be stored was often made into a chain sinnet, or sennit, a series of loops much like crocheting.
The Banks of the brandy Wine
It was on one morning Early
in the Plesant month of may
as i Walked forth to take the air
all nature being gay
the moon had not yet veld (veiled) her fase
but through the trees did shine
as i wandred for amusement
on the banks of the Brandy Wine<*>
Portland Me
D Poor
<*>Th journal contains only this fragment. Entire text of a version found online is given at the end of this month’s entries.
Page 69
Sunday Aprill the 10, 1842
These 24 hours comences with heavy gales from the SE and heavy squaly and rainy.
At 5 AM close reeft the topsails and furld the mainsail, jib and spanker being stoed.
At 6 PM took in the fore topsail. The gale still increasing.
At 8 AM clewd up the maintopsail and furld it. The gale is ragin and sea roaring. Wee are now under the main spencer and foresail and the fore topmast staysail.
At 12 AM heavy rain squalls. Ship very leaky. She dose Leak upwards of 800 strokes in 4 hour.
At 8 PM the gale seems to be still increasing. Wee are near the banks of Newfoundland. The weather is very cold and disagreable.
The wind at 12 PM is SE.
At 2 AM seems more modrate.
At 3 AM it increases again and heavy gales continues to the last.
So ends this day.
(Another scrap of a song.)
At such an erly our
I was surprised to See
A lovly made with down cast eyes
upon those banks so gay
i modestly saluted her
she new not my desine
and requested her sweete company
on the banks of the brandy wine.
Page 70
Monday April the 11, 1842
These 24 hours comences withe heavy gales and cloudy weather and rainy.
At 11 AM saw a ship to the windward and shortly after saw a light to the windward and suposed it to be a fishermans light to anchor on the grand banks.
At 8 PM gale increasing . Now under double reeft topsails.
At 12 PM hauld up the mainsail. Gale increasing. Cald all hands to take in sail and close reeft the topsails and furld the mainsail. Ship very leaky.
At 2 AM clued up the fore topsail and furld it.
At 5 AM cald all hands to shorten sail and took in the main topsail and hauld up the fore sail, reeft it and furld it, then laid down and sat the main spencer and hove the wheele down and hove the ship too. And so ends this days work.
Page 71
Towords Rewsia, April the 12, 1842
These 24 hours comences with tremendious gales and heavy squalls from the south.
At 6 AM now lying too under the main spencer and fore topmast staysail.
At 7 AM sat the main topsail close reeft and braild up the spencer and hauld down the staysail. Got a preventer brace on the main topsail yard and got a takle from the mizenmast head to hoist the sturn boat up and sent down the royal yard. Shiped a number of heavy seas and expected to loose our water as it was all stoad on deck. She is all under water. The sea makes a clear breach over her fore and main yard.
At 10 AM gale still increasing.
At 12 AM man at the wheel was throne over it and hurt bad.
At 4 PM more modrate sat the fore topsail and fore sail.
At 8 PM made single reef and sat the topgalant sails.
At 12 PM sat topmast st. And so ends this day.
Page 72
Towards Rutia, Wensday Aprill the 13 1842
These 24 hours comences with fresh gales from the SW and rainey thick weather this day.
At 5 AM past the grand bank.
At 6 AM sat looer studansail steering E.
At 8 AM fresh gales.
At 12 AM took a squall from the NW. Took in gaft (gaff) topsail and spanker and studansails. Hauld up the mainsail and furld it.
At 1 PM wind W mordrate.
At 4 PM heavy rain.
At 7 PM wind S brased forward the yards and sat jib, spanker and gaft (gaff) tops, and hauld a board the main tack.
At 8 PM rainy. Sat fore top studansails and squard the yards.
At 12 PM sat loore studansail.
At 1 AM fresh gales.
At 2 AM hauld up the mainsail and reeft it, and furld it, and took in spanker and gaft (gaff) topsail.
At 3 AM caried away topmast studansail helyards and took it in.
And so ends this days work.
We have experienced very bad weather for the last ten days gale after gale.
Page 73
Towards Rutia, Thursday April the 14, 1842
These 24 hours comences with heavy gales.
At 4 AM took a squall from the NW and cald all hands to take in sail and took in topgalantsails and clewd down the topsails and hauld out the reefe takles and hauld up the fore sail. Then furld the top gallantsails and fore topsail and fore sail and close reeft the main topsail and furld it and hove her too under bare poles.
At 6 AM wore ship and sat the fore topmast staysail.
At 7 AM more modrate. Sat double reeft topsails.
At 12 AM modrate with squalls. Sat the mainsail and turnd the reef out of it.
At 8 PM sat the topgalantsails spanker and gaft (gaff) topsails and fore topmast studansail.
At 12 PM sat the fli jib and trimd sails.
At 4 AM mordrate and a heavey swell from the NW and wind north, and modrate to the last.
And so ends this 24 hours.
(Another verse)
Answer to Caroline of Edingborotown
So a way to sea went Henery
no comfort could he find
for deceivieing of young Caroline
And a leaving her be hind.
Page 74
Friday Aprill the 15, 1842
These 24 hours comences with modrate gales and cloudy weather.
At 5 PM brased up yards.
At 6 fresh gales and squaly.
At 8 AM took in the topmast studansail and tortend the weather braces.
At 10 AM brased up sharp. Wind NNE and rainy and
At 12 AM calm
At 1 PM fresh gales at NNW.
At 4 PM light breases.
At 8 PM wind NE and very light. Hauld home the topsail sheets and trimd sails and got brackfast.
At 10 PM calm and a fine clear sky.
At 1 AM sat the fore topmast studansail and sqard the yard. A light brease from the SW.
At 2 AM sat starboard fore and main top galant studansails and looer.
And so ends this days work. April the 15.
Page 75
Saturday Aprill the 16, 1842
These 24 hours comences with fresh gales from the WSW and cloudy weather.
At 6 AM wind W and brease freshning and chilly.
At 8 AM fresh gales.
At 10 AM gray and squally.
At 12 AM squard the yards.
At 4 PM took in top galant studansails and caried away studansails tack block straps and took them in.
8PM sat the topmast studansails.
At 10 PM fresh gales and rany .
At 12 PM took a squal from the NW and braild up the spanker and gaft (gaff) topsail and hauld down the topmast studansail and jibed ship.
At 2 AM sat the topmast studansail. Fresh gales continues to the last of these 24 hours.
And so ends this days work.
Page 76
Towards Rewtia in 1842, Sunday April the 17
These 24 hours comences with fresh gales from the NW and cloudy weather with rain, a heavy swell from the west ward and strong breases.
At 6 AM heavy rain in squalls.
At 8 AM fine again.
At 12 AM brased up the yard and hauld down the topmast studansail and brased up sharp up wind NNW.
At 4 PM modrate and fine.
At 8 PM wind ENE modrate gales.
At 10 PM calm and fine.
At 12 PM modrate gales from the southward and a heavy swell from the NW.
At 2 AM fresh gales and squaly.
At 4 AM fresh gales from the S and all aperance of a storm. Saw 2 ships this day, one bound W and one bound East. And so ends this days work.
Page 77
In the Barque Nautilus, Monday Aprill 18, 1842
These 24 hours comences with fresh gales from the South and cloudy weathr.
At 5 AM took in topgalant sails and gaft (gaff) topsails.
At 12 AM reeft the topsails. Fresh gales from the S and rainy.
At 4 PM reeft the mainsail and the watch went belo.
At 8 PM furld the mainsail and close reeft the topsails.
At 12 PM took in the fore and main topsails and forsail and hove them too under the main spencer. It is now blowing a severe gale of wind and the ship labors heavy and leaks very bad.
At 4 AM the gale still continues with heavy squalls.
And so ends this 24 hours.
Page 78 [daily entries interrupted here by the following, pages 78-81]
Saturday January the first 1842
Comenced duty on board the barque Nautilus, Capt. Dyer, at the rate of 17.00 dollars per month. Received in Portland 17 dolars in advance. Had off Capt. Dyer 3 yards of duck
in Riga of Capt. Dyer 5 Rubles that is 400
Had off Capt. Dyer in Riga 160
A man in my room to work too days
Had of Capt. Dyer in Riga 20-00 D
I was on shore 3 days of are duty.
In Riga of Capt. Dyer 5 rubles
In Riga of Capt. Dyer 2 Rubles
We have ben out from Matanzes 44 days when we was put on a alowence of bread. 3 biscut a day to each man and when we was 47 days out our vinegar was stopt all to geather and the potatoes are all gon. The 10 of May we got into Elsenore and the Capt. went ashore and got som bread so that we have a plenty to eat now.
Tuesday May the 10 I had a row with Mate a bout turning too. I have had 2 or 3 jaws with him before.
[in margin] In Riga the number of days on shore 7 days.
Page 79
December the 25th
John Griffin detr* to David Poor
December 25th to money lent 8.00
for soap 0.15
For his part of one lamp 0.08
For maches 0.12 ½
For hauling cloaths 0.12 ½
to cash in Havannah 0.12 ½
9.34
Received of John in Riga 6 Rubles
That is 480 4.80
Received in Riga one Ruble 0.80
*detr - appears to be an abbreviation for "debtor".
Page 80
Blue Eyed Mary
Come tell me blue eyed stranger
Say wither dost thou rome
Ore this wide world a ranger
Hast thou no friends nor home
They call me Blew eyed Mary
When friends and fortune smild
But ah how fortune varies
I now am sorow child.
Come here ile buy thy flowers
And ease thy haples lot
Still wet with raining showers
Ile buy forget me not
Kind sir then take those roses
Their a fadeing like my youth
but never like those roses
Shall weather Marys truth.
Once more ime happy Mary
Once more has fortune smild
Who neer from fortune vary
May yet be sorrows child
On board off the Barque Nautilus Bound to Rutia from Matanzes in the isle of Cuba from Portland.
Page 81
David Poor
(Fragments of songs)
When I was young and in my prime to the seas I was forst to go
My friends to geather did combind for to part me and my love
To Belfast quey they me conveyed and there with out delay
In the Union my passage paid bound for America.
2 It was on the fourteenth day of may from Belfast we sat sail
And down the Louch we bore away with a sweete and a pleasant gale
At 12 o’clock on the third night we got a dreadfull shock
Adue to bleak Winter
Ile sing and be merry since I no my love is lost
Ile sing and be merry when a casion I do see
Ile rest when ime weary
Let him go fare well hee
Let him sink or let him swim
For since he has deceived me I do not care for him
I wish him beter fortune
My self some beter grace
And I hope to be provided for in a far beter place
Page 82
Tuesday April 19, 1842
These 24 hours comences with heavy gales of wind WSW and thick rany weather.
At 6 AM sat the main topsail and fore sail close reeft.
At 8 AM sat the fore topsail close reeft.
At 12 AM more modrate.
At 4 PM clear weather and fresh gales.
At 8 PM let too reefs out of the topsails and made a hole foresail and sat the fore and maine top gallant sails and sat the fore topmast studansails.
At 9 PM sat the lower studansail.
At 10 PM sat top galantstudansails.
At 12 PM turnd all the reefs out and sat spanker and gaft topsail.
At 4 AM jibed ship and set the larboard studans and sent the main royal yard a loft.
So ends this day. David Poor of Portland Maine.
Page 83
Wensday April the 20, 1842
These 24 hours comences with modrate gales and fine clear weather. Winds WnW. A heavy swell from the W.
At 8 AM took in studansails. Fresh gales from the NW.
At 1 AM reeft the topsails and stoed the topgallant.
At fore PM I double reeft the topsails and furld the mainsail and jib, took in the spanker. Gale increases.
8 PM fresh gales.
At 12 PM took in the fore topsail and reeft the foresail.
At 4 AM more modrate and so ends this days work.
Page 84
Thursday April the 21 1842
These 24 hours comencd with fresh gales.
At 8 AM set the fore topsail and turnd the reef out of the foresail.
At 12 AM modrate. Made all sail and at 4 pm sat studans.
At 12 PM I was taken sick and confine to my bed. I have not ben well for more than a weeke past.
At 4 PM cald all hands to take in sail so they ? her from topgalant under close reeft topsails.
At 12 PM the gale still increases.
At 4 AM took in fore tops and fore sail. And so ends this day.
Page 85
Friday April the 22 1842
These 24 hours comences with heavy gales.
At 8 AM more modrate. Saw a sail a head bound East.
I am worse to day that I have ben. A voialent head ache and feverish. Took a jolop*. Yesterday I took 4 brandith pills**.
At 12 AM modrate gales and heavy sea.
At 4 PM made all sail and sat studans.
At 8 PM wind south. Took in studansails.
At 12 PM took in topgalantsails.
Run past the brig Tuscany of New York under reefs and could not speak her the weather being so bad. We have chased her for 48 hours careing (carrying) whole sail and she under reeft tops.
At 4 AM gale increases. Reeft topsails. Wind south.
So ends this day. April the 22.
*Jolop – could be jalap, powdered morning glory seeds used as a purgative.
**Brandith Pills were a patent medicine, a cure-all.
Page 86
Saturday Aprill the 23 1842
These 24 hours comences with heavy gales and thick weather.
At 6 AM double reeft the topsails and reeft the coarses and furld the mainsail.
At 8 AM took in the jib and spanker.
At 12 AM heavy gales. Ship very leaky.
At 4 PM more modrate.
At 8 PM sat jib, spanker and mainsail.
At 10 pm turnd one reef out the tops. Rainy and modrate wind.
I took another dost (dose) of pills and caster oil and I feel much beter to day. There is no medicin on board the ship except one dost and a half of jolop for a 9 months cruise. What a Doctor Shop she is for sick men. Thank god I have got smart and I shall go to work at 12 o’clock to day.
At 12 PM made all sail and sat fore topmast studansails.
At 4 AM modrate gales and heavy swell from the south. So ends this days work.
David Poor HPH*
DP HPH DP HH
*HPH are the initials of Hannah Parsons Haskell, David Poor’s future wife.
Page 87
Sunday April the 24 1842
These 24 hours comences with modrate gales and cloudy weather, some rain, and heavy swell from the SW. Wind WSW. Steering E by S with a 4 knot brease.
At 4 AM the starboard watch has gone to sluching* the masts.
At 6 AM modrate gales. At 6 am squally and rainy.
At 12 AM modrate gales and clear.
At 4 PM was struck a back with the wind NW and caried away spanker sheete and vangs**. Brailed up the gaft top sail and got the boom over and squard the yards and hauld up the main sail.
At 7 PM sat top studans on the larboard side.
At 8 pm sat top galant studansails. Wind NW.
At 12 pm saw a sail a head and one asturn.
At 4 AM past a English brig. Modrate gales continues to the last of this 24 hours. So ends this days work.
*Slutch is a northern English word for mud. Some mast makers claimed that burying timbers in mud was an effective way to preserve the wood and killed worms. Whether these two facts relate at all to the above statement is still a mystery.
**Vang – Wikipedia says a boom vang (US) or kicking strap (UK) is a line or piston system on a sailing vessel used to exert downward force on the boom and thus control the shape of the sail. An older term is "martingale".
Page 88
Monday April the 25 1842
These 24 hours comences with fresh gales and plesant weather. Wind NW and clear.
At 6 AM this day saw 4 sails of ship in sight all steering E by S and proberly bound in to the channel.
At 10 AM ship John Hale of Boston past us to the leward. Had main royal and mizen top galants in and we with top gal stud and royal and fli jib. Wind NNW. Took in looer stud and brased up the yards.
At 12 AM modrate gales.
At 4 PM fine.
At 8 PM trimd sails and got brackfast.
At 12 PM calm. Turnd to all hands to repair old sails.
At 2 AM modrate gales. Wind NW and fine weather.
At 4 AM the second mate finished a hen coop that he has ben to work at ever since we left Matanzes.
All hands employd in ships duty. And so ends this days work. David Poor.
Page 89
Tuesday April the 26 1842
The 24 hours comences with modrate gales and fine weather.
At 6 AM wind North .
At 10 AM modrate gales and fine weather . Smooth sea.
At 12 AM wind NW and modrate.
At 4 PM the wind NW, gale very light.
At 8 PM calm.
This day picked up a stick of timber that measured 40 feete. Hoisted it in and cut it up for fier wood. It made about 2 feet of wood wich was at this time very exceptable for our fire wood is about gone, as well as evry thing else.
At 12 PM we got a brese from the south and made sail.
At 4 AM fresh gales. Took in main royal. And so ends this days work.
Page 90
Wensday April the 27 1842
These 24 hours comences with fresh gales at south.
At 6 AM brased up sharp. Wind S by E and rainy.
At 7 AM took in the gaft topsail and fli jib.
At 8 AM fresh gales. Took in fore top gallant sail.
At 9 AM took in the main top galant sail.
At 11 AM cald all hands and double reeft the topsails.
At 12 AM took in the jib and spanker.
At 4 PM fresh gales and rainy with squalls.
At 8 PM saw a number of sea guls. The storm is increasing fast. Wind SE.
At 9 PM more modrate. Wind SW. Made all sail and sat the studansails loe and a loft.
At 4 AM spoke the Brig Ann of London 140 days from Sidny (Sidney, Australia) bound for London. Saw 2 more sail a stern. Fine weather continues to the last of these 24 hours. So ends this days work.
Page 91
Thursday April the 28 1842
These 24 hours comences with modrate gales and fine weather.
At 8 am Wind SSW. Brased up the yards.
At 10 AM took in studansails and brased up sharp.
At 12 AM fresh gales and squally.
At 1 PM took in the main royal and fli jib.
At 2 PM took in fore top galants.
At 4 PM took in main top galants.
At 8 PM single reeft the topsails and took in the spanker.
At 12 PM close reeft the tops and reeft the tops and reeft the coarses. Took in jib. This day saw 3 sails standing to the west.
At 1 AM wore ship to the west. Wind S by E and squally.
At 4 AM continues with heavy gales.
So ends this days wind. D Poor
Page 92
Friday April the 29 1842
I am 25 years old today. This is my birth day*. David Poor.
These 24 hours comences with heavy gales of wind.
At 8 AM rainy in squals. We are now under close reefs and the ship is labouring heavy and leeks very bad. This is a dismale day for a birth day.
At 9 AM heavy gales continues. Took in the mainsails.
At 12 AM took a back and wore ship. Heavy rain.
At 4 PM let the reefs out the coarses and one reef out the topsails.
At 6 PM leet the double reefs out the topsails and sat top galants, fli jib and spanker and jib gaft topsail.
At 8 PM got brackfast and went below. Saw a brig under close reefs standing to the west.
At 2 AM fresh gales south.
At 4 AM modrate gales. And so ends this day.
*Happy Birthday, Great-great-great Grampa!
Page 93
Saturday April the 30 1842
These 24 hours comences modrate gales and cloudy weather.
At 6 AM saw 2 sails heading to the Westward. The wind is a head for us to fetch into the Channel as we are up with Silly* and cant fetch past.
At 8 AM made all sail.
AT 10 AM calm.
At 12 AM calm.
At 8 PM modrate gales NE and rainy.
At 10 PM sat topmast and looer and 2 top galant studansails. Wind W and rainy.
At 4 AM fresh gales and squally. So ends these 24 hours.
Hanah P haskell
New Orleans baltimore boston
New orleans baltimore Boston
David Poor
Boston Boston Dartmouth
*The Isles of Scilly, which form an archipelago off the western shore of Cornwall.
<*> By the Banks of the Brandywine
One morning very early in the pleasant month of May
As I walked forth to take the air, all Nature being gay;
The moon had not yet veiled her face, but through the trees did shine,
As I wandered for amusement on the banks of the Brandywine.
By many rough and craggy rocks, and bushes of small growth;
By many lofty, ancient trees the leaves were putting forth.
I wandered up along those banks where murmuring streams do join,
Where pleasant music caught my ear on the banks of the Brandywine.
At such an early hour I was surprised to see a lovely maid,
With downcast eyes, upon those banks so gay,
I modestly saluted her, she knew not my desires.
I requested her sweet company on the banks of the Brandywine.
“My dear, why do you thus give up to melancholy cries?
I pray, leave off your weeping and dry those lovely eyes;
For sailors in each port, my dear, they do a mistress find.
He will leave you still to wander on the banks of Brandywine.”
O, leave me, sir; do leave me; why do you me torment?
My Henry won’t deceive me, therefore I am content;
Why do you thus torment me and cruelly combine
To fill my mind with horror on the banks of Brandywine?”
“I wish not to afflict your mind, but rather for to ease
Such dreadful apprehensions they soon your mind will seize.
Your love, my dear, in wedlock bands to another one is joined.”
She swooned into my arms on the banks of Brandywine.
The lofty rocks reechoed back her strains;
The pleasant groves and rural shades were witness to her pains.
“How often has he promised me in Hymen’s chains to join.
Now I’m a maid forsaken on the banks of Brandywine.”
“O, no, my dear; that ne’er shall be; behold your Henry now.
I’ll wake you to my bosom, love; I’ve not forgot my vow.
It’s now I know you’re true, my dear; in Hymen’s chains we’ll join,
And hail the happy morn we met in the banks of the Brandywine.
Sent in by W.M.B., Medford Mass.
Found at http://boakman.wordpress.com/2009/02/02/the-banks-of-the-brandywine/