Jan 28, 1793 Home Flinders's Log Jan 30, 1793
Revised Sep 17 2021
[This page has a hole in it, signified by [...].]
♂ [Tuesday January 29th] Moderate Breezes off the Land and fair Weather squally at Times
The Ann a slave Ship of Liverpool sailed to day for that Place, a number of Letters sent on board her for
England, the Captain had some to send which were not quite ready, he sent a Person down to the Beach who
ordered us to bring her too, which we did after firing four swivel shot at her. the Letters were sent
on board and she stood away to the Westward – unbent the second best Foresail – rainy at Times
in Squalls off the Land – Preparing Ship for Sea – Boats hoisted in and the usual evenings
Duty performed. AM frequent Showers of rain – Fresh Beef received on board and served as usual
– the Assistant supply with a sufficient from us – Clearing Ship for Sea – At 8
Weighed the Stream (the leeward 
) and hove in
to half a Cable upon the Small Bower – Hoisted in the Launch and stowed the Cutter within her –
employed clearing Ship for Sea – Some time in the Night John Thompson Seaman, one of the Matildas
People found means to get out of the Ship and this Morning when the Ships Company were mustered was found
missing. he had been seen in the Head at two o'Clock in the Morning and most probably has got on board
some of the Merchant ships here as he is not a Man any one would accuse of an Intention to destroy
himself – Ships Draught of Water now ready for Sea is 15 Feet 3 Inches forward and 15 Feet 6 Inches
abaft – At Noon Frequent Showers of rain and squalls off the Land – sometimes very bright
and clear – We went out today on good time and got good Meridian Altitudes mine was 59°:10′35″
South which gives the Latitude of the Ship 13°:10′13″[...] have got Altitudes for the Apparent
Time, by which [...determine?] the rates, but cannot the Errors for want of a good Longitude of this
Place. the first Sett on the 25th in the Afternoon gave the Longitude as in the Column of Time Keepers on our
Arrival
With respect to the Situation of this Place, its Latitude as I have mentioned before is 13°:10½′ North the Longitude by the Time Keeper is the only one to be depended on, and I think it may as they gave Barbadoes almost exactly what it is laid in, in the requisite Tables of Course they cannot be much out here, by them it is 61°:31′W – in most Charts I have seen it is laid down about 10 Miles to the Eastward of that – the Variation by Mean of two Setts of Azimuths is 4°:3½′East
With the Ships bearings and some we took on Sunday afternoon when sounding in the Cutter, I endeavoured to make out the Form of the Bay which here follows and tho' the instability of the Boat and coarseness of our materials will not allow me to be very exact yet it will probablygive a better Idea of it than words would do.
[A large blank space left for the drawing, but forgotten.]
The North End of Bequia and the SE Point of the Bay lay N17°W and S17°E – the Northern Granadine
and the Point are N28°W and S28°E.
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Of the Island itself I need say but little. it appears in a flourishing State and the Crops of sugar this Year are exceedingly fine. the Land rises regularly into Hills and the luxuriant Verdure of the sugar Cane Patches scattered all over their sides and to the Tops, form a beautiful Contrast with the barren rocks of St Helena
The Inhabitants are mostly Scotch, who in general have raised good Fortunes, some of them great ones. they are generous and polite to Strangers and I believe treat their Slaves very well – from this Island having been formerly in Possession of the French, there are several of that Nation resident here, and since the Disturbances have commenced in their own West India Colonies they are become so numerous, that the Governor thought proper to issue a Proclamation, ordering the Justices of the Peace to take up and secure all Frenchmen who have not obtained Permission to reside upon the Island, and the British Inhabitants to exercise themselves in the Use of Arms and to hold themselves in readiness,as it is to be feared in Case of a War with France its Subjects might rise or at least give the Governor a great deal of Trouble to prevent them from so doing.
Kings-town extends all round the Bottom the Bay. the Streets are not regular or the Houses elegant. some years
ago it had a Church which was destroyed in a Hurricane and has never been rebuilt – the Governors Name Seton
and with the Assistance of a Council composed of the principal Planters and People of the Island, settles every
thing even to the Price of the different Parts of an Ax. The Island Bequia and the Granadines belong to this
Government, the formet has some Inhabitants and Plantations of Sugar, but the latter I believe are merely
rocks. We watered at a little Stream near the Beach in the Center of the Town. There are two Places w[h]ere Ships
may be hove down or built, I believe on the East side of the Island.
Jan 28, 1793 Home Flinders's Log Jan 30, 1793