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Breif Account of the Voyage From England to Balaklava
The Screw Steam Azof of Greenock off Greenhithe Captain Thornhill
Monday October 8th 1855 At 11½ a.m. left the Palace at Sydenham arrived at London Bridge Shifted on to the N.K. [North Kent] Line. Still in the Same Carrages Arrived at Greenhithe about 1 p.m. Went on board of the S. Steam Ship} Captain Thornhill Azof of Greenock } C. M. Goldsmith At 2 p.m. Tuesday 9th Laying off Greenthithe Fine Wether &c Wednesday 10th Steam Up & Weighed Anchor at 7 a.m. Run in[to] small craft off Gravesend which broke away our Main Stay Passed Southend Pier Sheerness & the Nore[ ] Light [North Foreland Lighthouse?] Fine and Warm - all day with light Br[ ]
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Passed Deal & Dover & [put the] Pilot off at 4.p.[m] Passed Hastens [Hastings] at St. Lenards which was lit up with [ ] at 6 p.m. Sighed Duneness [Dungeness?] Light House Head Wind [ ]
Thursday 11th Rough Head wind & sea all day & In sight of th[e] [Isle] of Wight a deal of lighten in the eveing
Friday 12th At 4.a.m. the Engins broke down. We worked the Sa[ils?] till ½ 8.a.m. the Engins repaired Fine day but Squarley Sighted the Lands End & the Lizard Light House in the Chops of the Channel all Night
Saturday 13th A Fresh Sea Breeze all day & in the Chops of the Channel & the Bay of Biscay
Sunday 14th Fine warm wether & had Church Service in the after-noon in the Bay of Biscay all well till 10. p.m. then a Gale Sprunk up & became very rough all night the Ship rolling on Her beam Ends & a Man Jumped over board throuth Fright
Monday 15th Wind & sea very rough all day
Tuesday 16th At 6. a.m Sighted Cape Finester wether fine [&] Warm with light Breeze
Wednesday 17th Dull & Gloomey & blowing a Gale of wind up to Mid-night.
Thursday 18th Wind & Sea Very rough all day & at 1/2 ll. p.m [We] nearley run into a Vessell we had to stop
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the Engins & ordered to go astern which could not be [done?] as the Engins was out of repaire. the Vessell passed [along?] side of our & the Captain swore at thears Orders was given to go a head which could not be done & the Capt. told me & some more men to go down into th[e] Engin room & Start the Engin which was done by [the] Means of a Rope about 9 Men
Friday 19th Sighted Cape Vincent & Trifalger Bay wether g[ood?] with a light Breeze & warm at 9.p.m. the Engins going half Speed all night till Day-light
Saturday 29th 2sd Week At 5.a.m Entered the Gul[f] of Gibralter the Spanish Coast on one side & the African on the outher a Splended View of diffrent Spanish Villages & the Mountains which is Very High Passed a French Man of War which we saluted with our Ensine & we nearly run Into a french Merchant We had to stop and go astern which was done to Prevent it Sighted the Rock of Giberalter 11.a.m. Passed a Wreck of a 3 Mast Ship At ½ 12 p.m. we Anchored in the Bay of Giberalter at 3 p.m. Sliped our Cable to come along side of an American Liner to take in Coals. Taken in Coals, till 3.a.m Sunday 21st Boms Boats [bumboats] Came along side of us & we Bort Cigars 12 a penny Tobacco 1/0 per lbs Bread 4d per Loaf Figs Very Cheap & Diffrent Foreing Fruits Takeing Sounding going into the Bay the Lead Struck a Man in the Heard & nearly killed him
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Sunday 21st The Wether fine & hot which Enabled us to have a Good View of the Town Forts Camps & Diffrent Towns & the Surounding country which is a Fine [Sight] Got from the American liner all right at 11.a.m. At 3.p.m. a Squarl Sprunk up & we Come into Contact with her Bows which was likley [to] prove Very Searios to us for all our Mizen Mast Riggen was torn to peases & the Ornimental Work round our Stern got the Steam up & Started at Gun Fire which is 8.p.m. Nearley run into a Ship at anchor we had to stop the Engins to prevent it we left the Town and Bay the Light House seem quite dim for the Moon shon so Bright & the Sea like a Mill pond.
Monday 22nd Fine day with a deal of Lighten in the Evening the Moon Bright & Sea Smooth.
Tuesday 23rd Fine & warm & passed a 4 Mast Screw Steamers with a deal of Lighten at Night.
Wednesday 24th Wind & Sea Very rough all day & Sighted Algiers at 1.p.m
Thursday 25th Wind & Sea Very Rough & passed a French Man of War in Full Sail which we saluted with our Ensine.
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Friday 26th Fresh Breeze & warm all day & a paddle Steamer Passed our Stern at 10.p.m. which was serpossed to be the Parsific the Sea very rough toward Midnight.
[image: drawing of ship among high waves] The S.S. Ship Azof after striking on the Skirke Rock at ¼ to 5.a.m. [?] 27th 1855
Saturday 27th 3rd Week At ½ 4 a.m. all Hands on board was ala[r]med by the Ship Strikeing on a rock. She Struck three times the first was a Tremendus Shock which was Enough to Knock the Ship to Peases & Everythink in her The Man was thrown from the Helm a Great meny was on the Decks & in the Quaters life boats one of was full & Had the Tackling Cut through & only the rope which was tied to the Bulwalks of the Ship If thay had Cleared thay all would been lost. The Captain came up on deck in his Draws & Exclamed By God we are all lost & then the Rockets of Distress was fired off 6 [in] number the Sea run[ ]