January 1793

Thursday 31  Fresh breezes & open Cloudy Weather PM Sailmakers Employed repairing the Studding sails Seamen working up Junk made & shortened Sail Occasionally to keep in our Station AM Fresh breezes with Rain at times Employed as before fitted new Fore Topmast Staysail Sheets Served Spruce beer at Noon in Company with the Providence

February

Friday 1  Fresh breezes & fine open Cloudy Weather PM Sailmaker employed repairing the Square Mainsail Served Tea to the Ships Company AM Fresh breezes & open Cloudy Weather People employed working up Junk Served Spruce beer & Sugar saw a Flock of Birds at Noon Fresh breezes & open Cloudy Weather in Company with the Providence

Saturday 2  Fresh breezes & open Cloudy Weather PM People employed knotting yarn Sailmaker as before at 10 up Top Gallant sails & 1st reef of the Topsails at 11 Answered the Signal to lead & sound, sounded every ¼ hour with 20 Fathoms of line ... got no bottom AM Fresh breezes & Squally with Rain made & shortened sail Occasionally at ½ past 8 made ye signal for seeing Land in the NbW, Cleaned below Fore & Aft at Noon Fresh Gales & hazey with a heavy Sea from the NE the extreams of Hispaniola in sight from N20°E to N55°W distance off Shore 8 or 9 Leagues the extreams of Altavala [Alto Velo] & Beata from N9°W to N6°W distant from the nearest 3 or 4 Leagues in Company with the Providence

Sunday 3  Fresh breezes & Clear Weather PM People employed washing & mending their Cloaths at 6 the extreams of Hispaniola in sight from N20°W to N61°E distant about 9 Leagues AM Moderate & clear made & shortened sail Occasionally Answered the Signal for a strange Sail & saw 2 Sail one Standing to the Northward & the other to the Southward Shifted the Fore Topsail & Fore Top Gallant to repair at Noon the Extreams of Hispaniola in sight from N46°W to N41°E distant 3 Leagues & the extreams of the Island [Ash?] from N31°E to N7°E distant 5 Leagues at Noon fine Weather in Company with the Providence

Monday 4  Light breezes & Fine Weather PM at ½ past 1 I went on board the Commodore on duty at 6 the West point of Hispaniola N5°W the East extreams in Sight N34°E distant 9 Leagues AM Light breezes & open Cloudy Weather at 6 shewed Colours to an English Brig of War standing to the SE saw a strange Sail to the Southward at ½ past 11 made the Signal on seeing Land in the West at Noon Fresh breezes & hazey the East point of Jamaica bearing S83W in Company with the Providence