Tenerife
Home
Logbook Remarks GM
Jan. 12, 1788
Revised May 21 2021
Thursday, Jan. 10, 1788
1:00 pm Moderate Breezes & Clear Weather. Fired a Gun a Signal for Sailing. Got under way and at 3 the Town of Santa Cruz bore North 7 Miles. Set Steering Sails and Made all Sail.
6:00 pm The SW End of Grand Canary SEBS, NE part of Santa Cruz Road NEBN. At ½ past 6 a round lump of land like an Island on the SE part of Tenariff bore true West 4 leagues.
10:00 pm Taken aback. Weather Cloudy.
Friday, Jan. 11, 1788
12:00 am Light Squalls of Rain.
4:00 am Moderate & Cloudy Weather.
8:00 am Fresh Breezes & Cloudy. After Clearing Ship fore and Aft and every Officers Cabbin, the People were employed in making Matts & Spunyarn.
12:00 pm Ditto Weather. I now Ordered the People to be served a pint of Wine per Man & put them to 2/3 Allowance of Bread. Served Fresh Meat.
The Weather altho very fine was not so favorable over the Land as to enable us to see any thing of the Famous Pic. As we advanced towards the S.E. extremity of Tenariff, a small lump of land became very conspicuous as an Island, which particularly surprised me as no Map had taken the least Notice of it, but by 6 O'Clock having sent an Officer to the Mast head he acquainted me it joined to the Main by low land, from whence it ranges gradually up to the Pic. From the latitude of Santa Cruz at ½ past 6 when the S.E. point of the Island bore true West I deduce its Latitude to be 28°06′N.
I now Ordered my people to be at three Watches, and gave the Charge of the Third Watch to a Mr. Fletcher Christian one of my Mates. I have ever considered this among Seamen as Conducive to health, and not being Jaded by keeping on Deck every other four hours, it adds much to their Content and Chearfulness. Some time for relaxation and Mirth is absolutely necessary, and I have considered it so much so that after 4 O'Clock, the Evening is laid aside for their Amusement and dancing. I had great difficulty before I left England to get a Man to play the Violin and I prefered at last to take One two thirds Blind than come without one.
As 2/3 allowance of bread is as much as Men generally consume I Ordered them to be put to it on this day, and as their Water is all filtered through Dripstones which I have procured for that purpose, few Seamen & Officers I may venture to Say can ever boast of more Comforts at Sea.
Tenerife
Home
Logbook Remarks GM
Jan. 12, 1788