40

36

getting ready for Sea : a heavy swell setting in from the
SEward, dispensary all afloat: 9 sent a boat for Commdr
At noon a large French Ship went out : heard from the
Commdr a strange account of the appearance of some retained
people from the Gold Diggings an old rusty man and his wife
apparently paupers going home with £25,000 - Sighted fires
and got steam up, weighed and went out of the roadstead:
French Barque went out under all sail : at 5 let
the fires go out and made sail steering to the Northward.

August 23rd Running to the Nward with Stinsails let :
exercise the watch at Gun drill. At 2 we were abreast of
Rio Grande do Norte, when we tacked and stood to the
Sward : in the evening played at Whist in the cabin-

August 24th At 7 passed a large ship running to the Eward
9 excercise at General Quarters - A large sick list but all
trifling cases - After evening Quarters exercised shifting fare
topsail on hoisting the sail carried away foretopsail yard
sent the yard down and an other up - In the evening played
Whist in the cabin - 10 a strong breeze, tacked and stood off the land -

August 25th Strong breeze from the Sward with a
nasty cross chop of a sea - Cleaned ship throughout:
In the afternoon saw two vessels running to the Nward

Sunday August 20th At Sea. A strong breeze and
unpleasant jump of a sea- 3 Commdr dined with us.
Went to bed very early -

August 27th The same sort of weather, my sick list
decreasing. In the afternoon the breeze freshened, when we took
in a reef of foretopsail - Passed a sail running to the W.

August 28th Very squally, with occasional showers of rain
and a nasty sea running, passed a Brigantine and a