Sep 13, 1792 Home Providence Log Sep 15, 1792
Revised Aug 27 2021
1 pm: Very Squally Weather with a few light Showers
4 pm: Weighed under close Reefs and Top Gallant Masts Struck, with a Weather Tide. The Brig and Boats leading. Soundings 5 and 6 fathoms, some holes of 7 and 8 fathoms, Coral Sand, in some places a mixture of Clay. At ½ past 5 Very Squally and bad Weather. Made the Signal to Anchor and came too in 6½ fathoms with the Best Bower, the small Bower being too much worn. The Brothers S61°E to S69°E 7 Miles. The Cap S60°E 4 Leagues.
10 pm: In Boats.
11 pm: Struck lower Yards and veered to a whole Cable it blowing very hard and much Sea.
4 am: Hove in a half Cable the Tide making to Windward.
8 am: Ditto Weather. Veered to the Lee Tide and obliged to lie fast.
9 am: Employed getting the two best parts of the Old Small and Best Bower Cables Spliced together for a Working Cable.
10 am: Hot Breakfast, Portable Soup, Sour Krout & Bore Cole served as usual
12 noon: Fresh Gales and thick Hazy Weather
So much Wind and Sea that we have been able to remark very little about the Tides.
Very strong Winds with Squalls and some Rain on this Afternoon. I thought it prudent to Weigh with the Weather Tide not only to get farther from the Bank which lay under our lee, but to see if my Cable was hurt. I gave Lieut. Portlock directions to that intent, and after a few Boards, the Evening looking Wild and Stormy, we Anchored again about 2 or 3 Miles to Windward of our first station. We found some good patches of soft ground but it was very enevan [uneven] the Soundings running 5, 7, 5½, 8, 5, 6 all in holes.
The Gale encreased and the Ship pitched very much. We had now to ride out or be driven upon Banks of Coral Sand. I therefore struck the lower Yards. The day brought us very little abatement of the Wind or more favorable Weather, we were obliged to lie fast. Nothing could be done but to look to the domestick part of the management of the Ship, and kept my ground tackling. I had new come to with a new Cable for our security, and made a good Cable out of two that had been much worn. For fear of bad ground we always got the ½ Cable in at slack Tide and the Ship rode with less motion on the Weather than the lee Tide.
I sent for Lieut. Portlock to know how he rode out the Night, as the little Vessel pitched tremendously. No accident had happened, and it gave me pleasure to hear that the three Men who were wounded with Arrows were doing well.
To Noon it continued hazy like a Fog but the Wind somewhat abated, altho blowing Strong.
Happily my Sick List has only five Men in it, two with rhumatic Gout, one with a Cold, and 2 lame from Boils. 3 Venereals doing duty.
Our Distilling apparatus became of no use, the inner Tube being unsodered, I hope however our Armourer will be able to put it in good order, at least make it serviceable. I have known this happen before, and it appears to me to be owing to great neglect and carelessness in the Workman. These things are seldom wanted in the service and are negligently examined when received into Store.
Sep 13, 1792 Home Providence Log Sep 15, 1792