2151_6-1-diary

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and a small cask of Santorne which was also thrown away. At 11 a Signal was made for a boat, and on her return she brought five French Sailors who had refused to do any more work, they were at once sent aft and put under the Sentry's Charge : my patient being much better expressed a wish to return to his own ship, but it was not allowed by the Commdr at the request of the French Consul, before he left. It appears her cargo is valued to £10,000, rich jewellery, pianoes, scents, soaps and many other valuable articles. At dusk sent an armed party again - arrived a Brazilian Man of War

August 9th At 8 the 2nd gig came on board bringing the French Captain who wished to communicate with our Commander : we bought a barrel of butter weighing 56 lbs for18/. At 8.30 got steam up and shortned in cable - 9 weighed and steamed for Pernambuco, leaving the protection of the wreck to the Brazilian Ketch. At 1 Pilot came on board, but the tide not being sufficiently high we had to remain till 2.30 when we went in and moored in our old position. Passed a large French Ship in Quarantine from Bahia where we were told the Fever was very prevalent and fatal, so our Commdr resolved at once not to go into harbor, which I was very glad of. Christian and Purser went ashore

August 10th Very hot, employed setting up rigging and staying masts. In the forenoon the English and American Consuls came on board. Gave the Ship's Company's leave - Went ashore in the evening and saw several of our men very drunk, took a long walk into the country and got on board again by 9 without being able to get the few things I wanted for Dr Woodcock.

August 11th At 9 the Commdr came on board. Gave leave to part of the Crew. In the afternoon as small Schooner from New Zealand sailed for England - Received an invitiation from the

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French Consul to dinner tomorrow - Brazilian Man of War Brig went to Sea; employed cleaning ship throughout - At 5 I went ashore with Simon and in the first house we entered we were told our liberty men had been fighting and several of them had been taken to prison; we at once walked to the prison and there saw one man: after returning about 8 PM Pridham had come ashore about them, gone to the English Consuls and got all released but three, who were said to have been ringleaders. We got on board a little after nine and found that 15 men had stopped on shore beyond their leave, and many who had come off were very drunk made it Saturday night and turned in.

Sunday August 12th At Pernambuco. Early in the morning a party was formed to ride out to some Falls 20 miles distant: of course I was not one of them, though very strongly pressed, by the Gentlemen who came off to breakfast. As many of our men were ashore and most of them on board half drunk we did not as usual go to Divisions - At 3 some gentleman came to dinner, and left almost immediately after for a ride in the country. 5 Went ashore, had a long walk by myself, but on my return could not get a boat, consequently got a bed at a friend's Mrs Chapman - Bahia mail came in (Quarantine).

August 13th Before 6 I was up and dressed, and on going donw to the beach I found three of our men very drunk, got them into the boat, and took them on board. At 1 the Commdr came off bringing with him two men out of four who had been Prisoners. At 3 lighted the fires and unmoored ship, preparatory to going to sea. At 4 Commander came off with a Pilot and the other two men from prison, weighed and steamed out of the Reef. At 4.30 Pilot left, let the fires go out and made sail to the Northward, set stinsails. All hands very shaky from the effects of the shore.

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August 14th At Sea - A light air from the Sward; running to the Nward with stinsails : a large sick list from the effect of the shore, but all trifling cases. At 3 hoisted signal for a Pilot, who very soon came off and took us into the entrace of the Parahibco where we anchored : at 6 a Brazilian Steamer came in and was put into Quarantine, having come from Bahia.

August 15th Frightfully hot, without a breath of wind. At 9.30 an English Barque came down the river, and a large ship was beating up for the River : at 2 the Health Officer came off and gave us Pratique : 3 weighed and steamed up to the Town where we moored, and banked fires up. Commdr went ashore to the Consul's - any quantity of Sand flies -

August 16th A very hot morning, got up with a headache from passing a restless night, being kept awake by a large bat and the flies - English Consul and Surgeon came on board - 4 PM went ashore, dined with the Consul in the evening passed an hour with the Doctor -returning to the Consuls about 8, where cards were produced and 20$ were very soon passed away at Marshall Key - after smoking several pipes and drinking sundry glasses of wine the Commdr and self got on board about midnight.

August 17th At 6.30 sent a boat for the President who came in full fig, accompanied by the Consul and several other gentlemen : had a Champagne breakfast with the Commdr Unmoored and steamed down the River: stopped opposite the Fort where the Party and Pilot were landed : let the fires burn out, and made sail to the Sward with a strong breeze from the SE. Shortyed and made sail as requisite.

August 18th Woke in the morning with a bad headache, kept

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my bed all day living on their arrowroot - Got up at 7 had my cabin put to rights and again turned in with a Saturday night of Calomel and Opium.

Sunday August 19th Off Pernambuco. At daylight there was a strong breeze and we made sail for Pernambuco where we arrived between 9 and ten, and found a very large ship from Australia with passengers : at 10 came to anchor in the Outer Roads, and furled sails. At 1 Consul & Purser went ashore. In the afternoon a boat from the Australian ship passed us full of passengers : fancied I saw an old mess mate among them.

Monday 20th At 6.30 a Steamer was reported coming in from the SW of course it was just down as the Packet Post soon afterwards she turned to be a Brazilian and at 9 she anchored close in shore of us : sent a boat ashore for Commdr. At 1 A large Clipper Ship, the Eclipse passed from Australia At 3 Saw the smoke of a Steamer South, soon made her out to be the Severn with the Mail : She anchored close to us, and seeing her send a boat towards the shore, we at once sent for our mail : seeing the Health boat stop the other from landing our boat lay on her oars, and soon afterwards the Yellow Flag went up at the fore : there was some uncessary delay about the letters and it was after nine before we got them - Received very bad news both from L and M answered them as well as I could the same night.

August 21st At 9 a large vessel passed under American colors - Commdr came on board in the forenoon : at 2 sent our gig to the Consul's to take the English mail on board the Packet: 3.30 Severn sailed for England.

August 22nd arrived a fine large Portuguese Steamer, bound home, and two English vessels from Australia - Employed Paid the salvage money for the French Wreck to Ships Company

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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