The Stabler Family

a good library of 150 volumes we cannot read -- the chefs boards all lie idle -- and the cars are trumped -- walking is tiresome lying still more so -- and talking is a thing of nought -- the only resource is to sleep it off - as to writing, it is too [much?} for any body to undertake [?] to avoid the pilory or whipping post which is about equivilent to being lashed up to the yard arms. 2nd day 25th Lat by observ. this day 41° 7' A dead calm nearly all the morning -- 2 large whates spouting (see by the captain) about a mile from us -- a little breeze about two o clock - a school of black fish - somewhat similar to the whale or grampus - a large fin on the the back and from 10 to 20ft from snout to tail -- some of them very near the ship. For the want [drawing of fish] of something better to do --- as the calm was so complete that the [?] actually went backwards

derive their name — but it would not take — Lat to day 41° 51 — A slight breeze at night and we begin to for from 3 to 4 miles pH^r [but bring] abt makes her roll _

5th day 28th

Quite a bresse this morning & which gives us pitching for rolling which is far preferable _ I have just discoverd that my birth is in about the worse place in the whole ship * discoved it by walking on the deck _ and when I got over my sky light _ when the Ship is pitching it seems as if it shrank from underneath the feet. — rainy_wet_damp weather to day — the sea runs high (fine mild weather) and we run faster than 9 of 10 knots to the N — several of us Sea sick again – I feel a little conscientiously scrupulous about the matter but not eno to part with what I have taken to fill the blanks between bone & skin _ A ship in sight to day.

Lat 43, 51

* & so dark that I can seldom write well

somewhat like the more brilliant Indigo — The swell appears smooth a wave sometimes from one to two hundred yards over and ten or fifteen feet in height. — had a fine view of a whale spouting this evening about half a mile dist^t — a considerable noise like a plunge in the water first attracted our attention and the water seem'd to rise like a "jett de Eau" for five or 6ft. — Porpoises again – Mother Careys brood for some days past seem'd to have left us — Sailing 3 or 4 knots an hour. Course ESE _ a barque in sight this afteroon which have left far behind us _ _ Music ''Auld lang syne" quick step [drawing of pointing hand] Cognomine Magnificus — dancing on deck right over my head which with various other contrivances, jumping pitching [?] serve to pass a listless hour away. _ They generally retire from 12 to 1/2 past 12 when it is pretty still till 3 & 1/2 past 3. _ when cry "pump ship"

wakes me. _ The Sailors regularly perform this office two or three times in 24 hours by pairs — The bilge water does not smell much since the first day or two — Two of our sheep gave up the ghost and [?] cast into the waves — we have now one left, three hogs – several pigs – some ducks geese and turkeys — and are said to be within 250 miles of the Coast of Ireland [_ay] Cape Clear which is the land we wish to make.

6th day morning 6th

So near a clam this morning with a high swell that we only move from 1/2 to a knot an h^r with the wind aft and the yd^s squared which rolls us from Side to Side as usual — I think this thing of rocking children the cradle mast addle their braines a few degrees, judging of it effect on some of us — Sitting writing this morning on my finger nail with a pencil my fellow passenger Harris

drew some few outlines of a [Ship] which I send with this [&] a few porpoises again this morning but not near eno to strike with a harpoon, throwing which [thro] a ring of rope yarn in the water, has been one of the exercises among some of our athletic men

_ To day while sitting in the boat writing the forgoing the Captⁿ proposed letting it down and rowing round the ship _ which being carried Nem. Con. _ Himself Ogden Clark My Self & four Sailors were soon on the glassy bosom of the deep, whose long, heavy swells might almost induce one to believe was occasion'd by some agitation below, instead of on its surface. We went entirely round - and at the distance of an hundred yards I was surprised to see how small the [Gallants] looki'g Pacific appeared — The masts look'd tall its true, but altho She draws 15 1/2 ft water - it look'd as if the could only be a few feet two or three below the surface.

upon noticing the brilliant water of these little diamond-like animalcules, (if that term could [?] be applied to objects as large as bullets of 100 to the [?]) as they were turned in the hand, I was led to suspect their motion might be the occasion of the lumin[al] appearance of the sea sometimes seen at night indeed more or less always at night when it is agitated violently. _ Accordingly we let down a bucket and drew some of them up and put in a bottle to try the experiment of shaking them in the dark._ This was done but very little of that appeance to be observed._ It having now become so calm that the ship would not steer, the helm was put hard-up and tied with a string when she "turned about and about" ("{shorthand}") and for a while her head was to the west and we floated about with the swell, stern foremost._ This afforded an opportunity for the busy triflery to pass away the time by

[2 nd?]

Vol. 4th The Return Voyage.

On 4th day afternoon as has been "recorded", our fruitless attempt was made to get out of Dock but failing that, I remained on board the ship that y night being the only passenger and the steward going off I took command of the Gallant Pacific a little like the man who hid himself under the table and resisted the orders of his [??] to come out and receive the broomstick, declaring he "would let her see that he would be master of his own house." - (J. E.) I locked the cabin door and went below to indulge the luxury of a little lovely quiet. -- I was soon in a doze, but was aroused by the [shorthand] [shorthand]. The next morning about four o clock we cleared the dock, - lighted a fire (a thing forbidden in the dock) and and having cast anchor about 2 miles below the Town, got a [[??]] solus except the mate & Pilot [shorthand] [shorthand].. Here we remained till

The boat having to go on shore [??] sand some of the passengers went with it - and at one of the trips I ventured to take a peep at the rocks - sand - shells &c. &c. within the neighbourhood of the Fort which is building on the rock, then within half a mile of the Pacific.. --

In the evening at ^the 6 o clock tide we again weighed anchor, the wind S S E and passed the "rock" & "red [?]oses" [...] - The cry of "under quarter 4 -- "and half 5 -- 1/4 less six. Under half 7 -- By the mark 8 - by the deep nine &c. on heaving the lead brought most of us on deck -- when that ceased, immediate danger seem'd to be over -- The Pilot left us about nine o clock

7th day morning 8 mo 4th quite a breese this morning - and to make half the passengers sea sick -- pass'd Holyhead about 8 o clock -- Off Bardsey Island the the "breeze" begining to leave us. --

1st day 8 mo 5th. -- ?

At four o clock passed thru Tusker light house -- at 8 the

Saltees -- quite a breeze at 10 o clock crafting us at the rate of 7 knots

- Many sea sick but I feel not a symptom yet. -- passed the brig that came out before us bound to Bston. J W Miller [??] the "Lady Mary" sick - sick = - a fine wind, taking us out of the channel. - Barometer is [??] to 31 1/2 from 30 1/2 - [Therm] - 65 [degree sign] - Passd Waterford Harbour & tht Dungarvon Hills about 12 --

2nd day 6th Passed Cape Clear at 4 o clock this afternoon --

Stewardess Margaret -- thrown into [con??sious] by the sea sickness -- "Lady Mary" Also : -- slight wind to night. then sick getting better steering W N W. Sat 51[degree sign] [??] 5' Long 9[degree sign] 21' ??? (??)

Nothing further of consequence