May. 14, 1789
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Logbook Remarks GM
May. 16, 1789
Revised Jun 10 2021
1:00 pm Fresh Gale and dark Gloomy Weather.
4:00 pm I was abreast of the Island R bearing SBE about a league. Sugar Loaf Peak Island SE½E and North Rocks NE½N about 4 or 5 leagues. The Island Q SSE and East. Island P SEBE. Saw Smokes.
7:00 pm A great deal of Sea. Constantly wet and Bailing. Served 1/24 pound Bread and a Jill of water for Supper.
1:00 am Saw another Island S tolerably high WNW 5 leagues distant.
5:00 am Fresh Gales and Squally with much Rain, but not so heavy as to be able to collect any.
7:00 am The Island S seen at 1 oClock NE 7 leagues. Very wet and cold. Sea constantly breaking over us which keeps one person bailing without the least intermission. Served 1/24 pound Bread and a Jill of water for Breakfast.
12:00 pm The Rain now abated. Gannets, Boobies, Noddies and
Men of War Birds. Got a Sight of the sun but apprehend it had more to rise, if so I am more to
the northward, as my Account shews.
Served 1/24 pound Bread and a
Jill of water for Dinner.
Fresh Gales and Gloomy Weather with Rain the Sea running high & keeps us constantly bailing.
At 4 in the afternoon I passed the westermost Island. At 1 in the morning I discovered another bearing WNW 5 leagues distant. Saw a number of Gannets Boobies and Men of War Birds. The Situation of this last Island is in Latitude 13°29′ South Longitude 168°15′ East. The others lie between the latitude of 13°16′ South and 14°10′ South and between the Longitude of 169°03′ East and 169°29′ East. The largest Island may have 20 leagues of Sea Coast the others about 5 or 6. The Eastermost is the smallest Island and most remarkable having a Sugar Loaf Hill.
But very little reflection will show our miserable Situation. We are now but little better than Starving with plenty in view, yet the risk was so great to get that releif, that prolonging of life even in the midst of misery is preferable while we have hopes of surmounting all our hardships. But for my own part I consider the general run of Cloudy and wet weather to be a providential blessing to us. Hot Weather would have caused us to have died raving mad with thirst, yet now altho we Sleep covered with Rain or Sea we suffer not that dreadfull Calamity.
As I have nothing to assist my memory I cannot determine whether these Islands I have passed are part of the Hebrides or not, they are however Fertile and Inhabited for I saw several Smokes.
May. 14, 1789
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Logbook Remarks GM
May. 16, 1789