Awashonks (Bark) of New Bedford, Mass., KWM_494

1 Journal of our Voyage in [the] Bark Washanks of New Bedford Thursday Sep 6 1860 got underway about nine O clock with head wind and evry prospect of a storm, towards noon it cleared of some. Sailed at the same time the Polar Star, the Milton and Java, the Polar Star took the lead we came next, About four Oclock the Pilot left us and with him Mr Joseph Wing. Capt [Franker?] Wing, Capt Pelic Wing, Capt Fisher, Mr. Gordon, and some others that I did not know. After dark George and I went to bed he began to [- - -] ware going away before the Pilot left and offered to come back [- -] would, but neather [-] Sick enough to vomit Friday 7 This day light winds with 5 sail in sight the Milton Java and two strange sail are abeam of us and the Polar Star of our larbard beams [saw] Porposes Humpbacks and scipjacks, this after noon and at four Oclock we past a vesel sunk down [-] short distance under water with one mast broken of and [--] above the top of the water about [two feet?] we could not make out what kind of a vesel she was or eney thing about her 8 Saturday This day very pleasant with a pleasant brieze the Milton and Java stil in sight. thare has ben thre strange sails in sight to day, all hands busy geting the boats ready for whaling 9 Sunday This day very pleasant with strong breaze. the Milton not a grate ways off, but the Java just in sight. 10 Monday This day cloudy with a strong breaze, Milton and Java stil in sight. 11 Tuesday This day very pleasant with very light wind Milton and Java stil in sight 12 Wensday This morning it was a perfect calm. we had ben up only a short time from breakfast when I looked and a boat comeing from the Java Capt Phinney came on bord he sent his boat back and told them when they came for him to bring us half the turnips they had so we got a lot of splendid turnips. it soon began to breaze an it grew

2 so fast he left about half past eleven Oclock he had not much more than got on bord of his ship when it blew almost a living gale. 13 Thursday This day was very pleasant but strong winds all hands busy 14 Friday Well it began to pore last night in the night and it his continued to nearly all day but no wind the Milton and Java out of sight a head we took in sail last night but they did not 15 Saturday This day squally. this afternoon caught two dolphin 16 Sunday To day almost a calm spent part of this four noon in overhalling the [-] bag. This afternoon the boats have down practiceing to pul and such a [- - -] work or they made I never saw. 17 Monday This day a perfect calm this morning John and I worked and we had a wash for I had not done eney since I left home, our hands are soures enough I can assure you, this afternoon I have ben trying to cut some shirts for John, George has caught to day sixteen fish called lether jackets and a dolfin that was over three feet long some on had to help him pul it in it tickeled the old cook wonderfully to see him fish 18 Tuesday This day pleasant with a good breaze, we have past one sail to day a topsail schooner. I have ironed and am tired 19 Wensday Part of this day squarley 20 Thursday This day pleasant with strong winds 21 Friday This day calm. This afternoon lowered for black fish chared but could not get fast 22 Saturday This morning about seven Oclock raised spirm whales lowered and the mate struck one the first iron missed but the second held for a while the other boats could not get near him he run some 6 miles to windard and then the iron drawed and perhaps it is best that it did for the other boats had lost sight of them and if they had held on they might all have ben lost I do not like one boat

[marginalia, written vertically] Lat 35. 25 N Lon 42 35 W

3 being alone with a whale where we can see them much more out of sight of evry body, but we lost some sixty lbbs of oil by the opiration, but never mind I think thare is more and we shall get a posian of it. 23 Sunday This day pleasant with strong breaze and dead a head 24 Monday This day very pleasant with light winds, two sail in sight from mast head. This morning we washed this afternoon I have ironed and partly cut a dress. I washed my camels hair and it looks very well much better than I thought it would 25 Tuesday This day a perfect calm with one sail in sight a brig to day I have sowed a little on my dress and have partly mad a net to scoop oil with and have finished one bead colar and partly made another. I think we shall have some wind before morning for thare is one of another cary chickens flying round which G D used to say was a shure sign of a gail. 26 Wensday Another day of perfect calm I begin to wish for a breaze so that I can get a breath for has been very stifling. 27 Thursday Another day of almost a perfect calm thare is two sail in sight. John thinks one is the Java. 28 Friday Another day of almost perfect calm this moning thare were seven sail in sight how they got here I cant tel for it does not seam as though we had gorn ten milds in five days I have ben busy yesterday and to day making boat flags [waxes?] and boat sails for our boats. 29 Saturday To day a light breaze with seven sail in sight this morning. the bark John thought was the Java spoak us she proved to be a Frenchman from Gaudaloop bound to Marsails they wanted paint and paint oil John let then have a very little 30 Sunday Oct 1This day more wind and squarley one rain in sight Monday Well at last we have plenty of wind and rite ahead last night in the night we past a Schooner boiling but we did not speak her

4 2 Tuesday Strong winds and a head thare has ben four sail in sight 3 We^dnsday Plenty of squals both of wind and rain and wind from all ways 4 Thursday This morning as soon as it was light we raised a sail heading for us it proved to be the Tropis Burd she left Fayall day before yesterday and yesterday they saw whales lowered and struck one and he went of with his line 5 Friday To day a good breaze and fair but a [head?] beat sea 6 Saturday Last night through the night squarley and rained very hard we had one shower this hour more the rest of the day very morderate one sail in sight 7 Sunday Some squarly light wind and a head one ship past us 8 Monday This day fourpart heavy squales of rain later part almost a perfect calm nothing in sight 9 Tuesday This day squarley raised black fish lowered and got two which John thinks will make nearly or quite three bbls 10 Wednsday This day a good pleasant breaze and fair 11 Thursday Fair wind again to day watch busy boiling black fish thare have ben three sail in sight from mast head 12 Friday This day light winds 13 Saturday This day strong winds yesterday our thurd mate Mr Boman was taken sick he is very sick he thinks it is a suden cold and it has [gorn?] all over him he is fighty by spels 14 Sunday This day strong breaze Mr Boman is more comfortable and we think better 15 Monday This day strong winds Mr Bomen is better

5 16 Tuesday This day very pleasant with light winds 17 Wednsday This day very light winds with the Cape De Vird Island in sight right a head 18 Thursday We have ben becalmed all this dan in sight the Island of At Antoing 19 Friday This day good breaze but a head two sail in sight 20 Saturday Very lght winds nothing in sight 21 Sunday This day light winds part of the day have ben trying to see the land all day but it is thick raised it just before four Oclock John calls it Fogo I began to think we had writen our letters for nothing he entended to have stoped at St Jago but with the wind we have had he could not fetch it and it is very uncertain if we can get in here near enough to land yet 22 Monday and I have ben on shore two days at Brarva and a harde 23 Tuesday place it is to we left thare two men one boatsearer a Portague and got another in his place we also left Hopkins to be sent home we could not get much for they ware almoste in a state of starvation and what they did have they asked very high for we got a fiew little [flig?] frames half dozen bunches of bananers some orenges some very small water melons a fiew pumpkins two buckets ful of sweet potato and some sugar cane which was about all we could get I stayed all night and slept on the ground with a straw mat and a sheat under me and a chare turned down for a pillow Johns pillow was a log of wood, they had not a partacal of bread of eney kind to eat, we left the ship early in the morning we could not get eney thing to eat until night when they gave us for super boiled beaf liver and kitneys and some sweet potatoes boiled with them and nothing else in the morning for break fast we had some beaf as near par boiled as eney thing I can think of and some more potatoes. this was sut on a bench and for us to set on each end with two knives and forks with not a dish except the two the potatoes and meat was in this they sayed was the best they we wated until we got on bard for the next meal could do for us we got four formast hands from here which was at about seven in the evening so I have sean enough of Brarvo thare was another