Sep 18, 1792 Home Flinders's Log Sep 20, 1792
Revised Sep 16 2021
1 pm: Strong Gales and thick Weather with small rain – The Cutter returned on board – The Whale boat 1½ Miles to leeward at her Grapnell waiting for the Tide – People employed about the Cables, reeving new running rigging and lashing Spars and fixing Buoys to the broken Arms of the Bower Anchors – At 4 the Whale boat returned having sounded 3 Miles distant to the WNW in 6 and 7 Fathoms water good Ground. they saw no Appearance of Danger Got the Studding sail booms off the yards – At 8 Hard Gales and cloudy Weather Struck Lower yards and veered out the whole Cable Service – Made the Assistants Signal to strike Lower yards
12 mid: Squally Weather
3 am: Hove in the half Cable Service. Got up Lower yards and Top Gallant Masts – Hoisted out the Boats – The Weather considerably moderated – At 5 the Assistant weighed the Whale boat leading to the Westward
7 am: At 7:20 She made the Signal to follow without Danger At 7:45 Weighed and stood after the Assistant
8 am: At 8 Moderate Breezes and thick hazey Weather the Land astern scarcely discernable thro' it
9 am: At 9 dark cloudy Weather Got up Top Gallant yards and set the Main Top Gallant sail
10 am: Fair Weather and rather clearer
12 noon: At Noon Fresh Breezes and fair Weather but still hazey. No Land or Danger in sight, a fine prospect before us in great Hopes we have got thro' most of the Difficulties in passing these Streights
As we have all the Appearance of being clear of the Dangers attending these Streights and of Course
of the greatest Part of those in the Voyage our principal Concern now is the preservation of the Plants
– it is certain that not only Salt Water but the Air which passes over it is highly prejudicial
to Vegetation. Therefore amongst such a Number it will be expected that several must die if they are
any Time at Sea – we have hitherto been fortunate in preventing this as much as possible, if
by any Accident they got any Saot water, they were considerably well washed with fresh which almost
entirely destroys its ill Effects, for the 1st Month the Plants were as healthy as in the Greenhouse on shore,
some of those on Deck have their Leaves much shattered by being wholly exposed to the Wind and the salt
particles it raises yet the Stems of those are remarkably strong and promise to be come the most healthy
and hardiest Plants. the first that began to fall were those below in the Greenhouse, which were farthest
removed from the sky lights and a free Ciculation of Air. the Leaves of these began to droop the Stem from
the Top downwards to within and the Plant was irrecoverably lost. by these Appearances it should seem that
as the Bread-fruit Plant is very full of Sap, it be comes [?] all at once and the stem dry. from their
present Appearance few if any of them will shoot up from the roots, as is often the Case on shore –
Several of them have put out fresh Shoots particularly those which had been latest planted, which shews that
it is not absolutely necessary for Plants to stand a long Time on shore after they are planted to establish
themselves – At this Time there are about 200 dead Pots nearly the whole of which were those that
stood in the remote Parts of the greenhouse below, yet even this must be thought a small proportion out of
[1226?] Pots, when it is considered that we have not been near 9 Weeks at Sea, but as these Places which
have proved most fatal we now [vacated?] and every Plant is brought forward into the Light and Air –
as much as possible I hope our subsequent loss will not be near so great expecially if we are so fortunate
as to have a good Passage round the Cape of Good Hope which now is almost the only [harm?] we have to fear
Sep 18, 1792 Home Flinders's Log Sep 20, 1792