Herbert Mackarsie journal

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and all sort of unnecessary nonsense. At 2 PM the guns were loaded, and about three the President's carriage came in sight, when a salute of 21 guns was fired. The cutter was sent on shore with an Officer and cushions and flags for the ladies: after the usual etiquette offered by us to Arkesas lady, I took care of the youngest daughter, a most beautiful girl of 15: after showing them round the Ship refreshment was laid out in the cabin and Gun Room: Arkesa who has been the instrument of cutting so many throats is a middle, rather good looking but very determined man. They landed after being on board an hour with another Royal Salute. A party of ladies and gentlemen afterwords came on board.

July 31st Went ashore to say adios to our friends, came on board at noon, lighted fires and were soon steaming down the river, anchoring when dark.

August 1st Weighed at daylight. At 10 the engines got out of working order, when we made sail, till the repair was made good and by one touched at Rosario, where we landed & three passengers anchoring at the usual time.

August 2nd A nasty wet morning : weighed & went down the River. At 10 we had another break down in the Engine but it was very soon repaired. Passed many vessels running up the River. It rained all day, and continued to do so all night. At 9 made it Saturday & turned in.

Sunday August 3rd 1856. In the Parana - a most disagreeable morning, weighed as early as possible and

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went on, down the River, while at anchor during the night a Schooner going up barely escaped running foul of us tho we had lights up. As the Pilots got on shore several times, but without any damage. By two we were off Marta Gacea, blowing hard, and dead an end. At 7 we saw the light of TElares and then kept away for the Mount, but having lost our way about midnight came to an anchor.

August 4th Soon after daylight weighed, with a strong SWester blowing. At 9 the Engines broke down, but were soon put in motion. A strong SW gale blowing. Closed my letters to L, M and Dr Bynoc and was glad to get out of the confusion in the Gun Room : we anchored at 3.30 PM finding only the Star in harbor.

August 5th A beautiful morning and a gentle breeze blowing. At 7 the Camilla lighted fires preparatory for starting to Rio. An order came from [?] Officer for Mr Lennon's discharge for a passage to England. At 9 I went ashore to cash my Quarterly, lost £7-10 by exchange. Sent my clothes ashore to be washed. At 11 Mr Lenon left on his way to England. Employed coaling. In the afternoon Dr Morgan came on board and passed the evening with me over some mulled Port and a pipe, leaving at 8 after which I turned in.

August 6th Cleaning ship, scrubbing deck cloths &c Sent a letter by our Pilot who leaves today to John Kir at Buenos Ayres. In the evening were on board the Star to tea, and after a pipe and glass of grog I got back by 8.30 and turned in.

August 7th Cold but fine healthy weather, employed scraping masts and booms. In the evening there was a ball at the Consuls to which we were all invited, but

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of course I did not go. At 7 I went on board the Star, had a game at cribbage, glass of grog, and pipe returning at 8.30 and going to bed.

August 8th At 7.30 the Flambeau left for Parana with the French Minister. At 8 a Danish Corvette arrived and Saluted the Montividian Flag, which was returned at 10 from the Fort. Blowing very hard, and the weather very cold. Towards evening it came on to rain, and the night turned out very unpleasant, and I was not sorry to get under the blankets.

August 9th Same cold, miserable, blaising weather. The liberty men who had broken their leave for two days sent off a message by the market boat requesting a boat might be sent to bring them on board, but this was not granted: At 10 HMS Syren came in from Sierra Leone bringing Provisions for us. Saluted the Montevidean Flag, which was returned from the battery. It rained and blew all day and was very uncomfortable. In the evening had a glass of hot brandy & water made it Saturday night and turned in.

Sunday August 10th. At Monte Video. Seven in the list occasioned by giving leave. At 10 went to Divisions and performed Divine Service on the lowerdeck, after which I went ashore and had a muddy walk with two of our Engineers, returning at 1 PM when I found our old Messmate, Netton on board, being master of the Sqren. At 3 Commdr Netton dined with us. Went early to bed.

August 11th A cloudy, cold, uncomfortable morning, and every person growling, particularly about the American War; however, Chance of Prize Money.

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August 12th Got up, very seedy, at 7 and at ten went on board the Syren. Got orders to be ready for sea at daylight on the 13th. In the evening all the officers went ashore.

August 13th Blowing and raining, no prospect of going to sea altho' Mr Daley the Pilott was on board. In the afternoon several of the Officers went on shoreAt 8 it blew very hard.

August 14th Syren drifted some distance. No chance of the Officers coming off on account of the sea running so heavily. After sunset it blew harder than ever, & many ships were riding with three anchors. Before seven I was in bed.

August 15th Damnably cold and uncomfortable with any quantity of growling on board. About 10 the wind moderated a little and the sea went down a few. Commdr & some of the officers went on shore, some of them remaining all night. The evening being very cold I went again early to bed.

August 16th Still blowing fresh, but it was settled that we should not make a start before the arrival of the English Mail, expected on Monday or Tuesday, when we are to go down to the English Bank. At 10 a signal was made for Commdr and his return, we lighted fires, got steam up, and took the Syren in tow as she had drifted from her anchors: we made a very shining job of it, and it was a long time before we managed to get hold of her, and after carrying away our mizen rigging we managed to put her in a safe position, returning to our old mooring ground. At 4 Commdr went on shore and we

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went to an uncomfortable cold dinner; as usual, every thing very uncomfortable on board, and old Higgs quite unfit for carrying on the duty of Commanding Officer, merely from the effects of carrying on too much in the brandy line - Commdr spoke to me about invaliding him, poor unfortunate livid, starvation staring him in the face on his arrival in England. In the evening went on shore, where I had to remain all night, fortunately there were some Scotchmen and a raffle was got up for what was said to be a gold watch: the winner threw 40, I, 39. It was two o'clock on Sunday morning before we got to bed, after having made it- Saturday night- several times on brandy & water.

Sunday, August 17th At Monte Video - Got onboard by nine, but not feeling well, tried some coffee but that would not remain down, however after going to Divisions, and performing Divine Service, at which I stood Clerk, followed by a glass of rum and water and a pipe; I felt better and went ashore, had a long walk, a game of billiards and turned in about midnight

August 18th As the morning was very cold, I remained in bed till noon, when we had breakfast, a walk round the City, and went off about sunset, with a stranger. I felt very much inclined to go to bed, but I was obliged to join the others in the Engine Room, where a comfortable fire was burning, with any quantity of Cigars & brandy & water. Some capital songs were sung, and we broke up at 9 when I was very glad to turn in.

August 19th very cold, and miserable. At 8 the Pampero came in from Buenos Ayres - 9.30 exercised at making and shortning sail for 2-1/2 hours. Went ashore in the evening

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to a party and was midnight before we broke up, where the night being very dark, I thought it advisable to sleep on shore; the Camilla, having the English Mail arrived.

August 20th Went off early finding two letters, a pair of trousers, and three newspapers - In the afernoon felt very unwell, and had to go to bed.

August 21st Woke still feeling unwell, and kept my bed till late. Commdr went to the Consuls to bring off a Lieutenant appointed from the Harrier arrived in Rio. He had been in Quarantine for two days, and of course when joining us, we got into the same mess, however as we were under weigh for the English Bank to assist Lieut. Sidney in his Survey, it did not so much matter. The Star and Syron weighed and sailed shortly before us, the former for a cruise for a few days, the latter for the Falklands, so that we had a fair chance of trying rate of sailing; we soon came up with them but had to alter course for the Bank - In the afternoon it came on to rain like fun, and fell calm, just as we got off Flores Light House. A most miserable night.

August 22nd Still raining very hard and showing signs of blowing: at 9 weighed and made sail. 9.30 saw Sydney's Schooner at anchor, and proceeded towards her and anchored off Flores Light House about 11 - In the afternoon it moderated a little, but the night was very dark; during the afternoon we saw a French Frigate pass, and shortly aferwards a large barque from Alloa arrived and anchored. We all went early to bed.

August 23rd Blowing harder than ever, but without rain: being too cold on deck, I employed my time in writing. In the afternoon a large Yankee barque came in - At 8 PM we had a game at Wist, got the conjuror - under weigh, and when the steam was up made it Saturday night.

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August 28th At 9 Lieut Sydney came on board about the Survey - Excersized at musket drill. In the evening the Barometer began to fall and there was every appearance of a blow: Whist in the Gun Room.

August 29th A signal from the Schooner that he was going to run into Monte Video, as the weather looked as if it would blow: we immediately followed his example and shortned in; while getting the anchor - one of the men had his hand nearly torn off by the nippers. It then came on to blow very hard, with rain and hail, and weather in for Monte Video, but the wind shifting we were obliged to come to an anchor, and then got steam up and when ready, weighed and steamed into the harbor where we moored, finding there HMS Star. In the evening the lightning was very vivid with very heavy rain and occasional heavy squalls.

August 30th A fine healthy morning, employed cleaning ship thoughout. At 11 went on shore with Ross to make some purchases, returning to dinner at 2. It was a Festa day and we saw crowds of Pretty Spanish ladies going to Mass. In the evening all the Officers went ashore, and it then came on to blow so hard that the usual evening boat could not go ashore - Made it Saturday night and turned in.

Sunday August 31st At Monte Video Blowing hard from the SW, officers had great difficulty in coming off. At 9.30 went to Divisions and performed Divine Service on the lower desk - 3 Commdr dined with us and after dinner most of the Officers went ashore - I spent the evening on board the Star - At 10.30 Commdr came on board with the boats men drunk, and found on searching them that two of the men had eleven skins of liquor - concealed.

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Monday September 1st. At Monte Video. In the forenoon had the two men on the Quarter deck, one of them a Petty Officer was disrated, his grog stopped for a month, and put ont the Black list for three weeks, the other an AB was sentenced to receive four dozen. In the afternoon I went ashore to look after things for the mess. In the evening went to the Club, heard the band play several overtures, but on going down to the pier, I could not get a boat - on account of its blowing so fresh, so I was obliged to sleep on shore.

September 2nd Came on board at 8 and found four Steamers had come in finished my letters to Mother, L and Bill. In the afternoon most of the officers went ashore - At sunset I went on board the Star smoked a couple of pipes and got on board again by 8.30 turned in.

September 3rd Most of the Officers rather seedy - Preparing for going to sea. In the evening Drs Morgan and Akasha came on board, and soon afterwards the first Officer of the Camilla - Sent the mail away - After our friends left I turned in, as it was very cold.

September 4th 6.30 commenced to unmoor ship. At 8 lighted fires and got steam up; weighed, took the schooner in tow and proceeded out of harbor. In the afternoon dropped the Schooner, she stood into Flores and we went on to the English Bank. At 7.30 being very cold turned in and was very soon asleep.

Sept 5th Weather fine but very cold. AT 9 [?] to several Quarters - Still no appearance of Sydney's Schooner and no chance of our getting up with the survey on the Bank. Commenced another letter to L. 10.30 saw

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the Schooner coming down and an English Barque in the offing : at a quarter past eleven punished Tarr AB with three dozen for bringing spirits on board. At 2 the Schooner bore down upon us, saying the barque was ashore, the Captain and Ships company being all drunk: got steam up and went to her assistance. Commdr and Pilot went on board and laid out an anchor for her aft. Every appearance of dirty weather.

September 6th At daylight it was very cold and foggy and the ship was beating heavily on the bottom as a nasty little toss of a sea had got up: we got hawsers on board and after considerable trouble and a good deal of danger, succeeded in getting her into deep water, but not before we had touched ourselves abaft. Barometer falling fast. When letting go the hawser, one man nearly lost his leg. In the evening we had cards and made it Saturday night and turned in.

Sunday September 7th 1856 Off the English Bank a most unpleasant, wet, disagreable morning. At 8 saw the Schooner. At 3 Sydney came on board and dined with us and the Commander in the gun room. After he left I turned in, the night being cold and uncomfortable.

September 8th An increase on my list from apathy from Gonorrhoea among the boys. Our Steward one of the lot suffering from Palpitations of the heart. On this evening we had a round game in the Gun room, commencing with Vingt-un and finishing by a glass of grog and a pipe.

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September 9th. At 7.30 the Schooner got under weigh. The morning very cold and miserable. Wrote another letter to Mr Michell, requesting a liquidation of his son's debts to our mess. Commenced one to my Lizzy, but in a very bad temper - being annoyed with every thing going on board so unsatisfactorily, getting deeper and deeper - into debtAt 3 weighed and went down towards the Schoonerand brought up before sunset, giving her a hawser to make fast by. In the evening we played at Vingt Un at which, of course, I lost, but not to any considerable amount: and after some pipes got to bed by 9.30.

September 12th. Very cold and uncomfortable, with an addition to my sick list of two from gonarrhoea making altogether eight. In the afternoon altered our position to enable the Schooner to take more sights and make more [?]. In the evening again anchored and were joined by the Indian, when Sydney came on board and we had cards in the gun room after a glass of grog and pipe, but having dined withteh Commdr at 4, I felt more inclined for sleep and turned in

September 11th Much the same sort of duty going on everything and every one very dull. Not well.

September 13th At 8 a Pampero came on, and our [anzere?] topmast was struck by lightning, but without any injury and afterward the rain came down in something like sheets of water. In the evening the Indian closed us and anchored astern, after which Sydney came on board when we had a game of 21, and a glass of grog.

September 13th A wet morning: at 7 weighed and