William B. Hadden diary, 1865.

She receives a dale of damage, + many is wracked tatty, alwies about the line, + about the Cap these galls are very common, and creates a dale of damage, + losses of life + Shipes, Today we had a new passenger on board, a Bird who had been exausted flying + took refuge [illegible?] the Mast of our ship but as we were changing direction very offt it dis- -apeared before Midday. towards evening several galls appered, but none of them tucked us, yet a small distance before out ship a cloud of tremendous darkness passed past, where ferfull flashes of lightning appered quivering in all directions, + tremendous peals of thunder was to be heard all the afternoon, but Miss Neptune keeped her word to me for affull as the afternoon was , nothing [illegible?] near our Ship unless a shower of Raine which casted the grater part of the afternoon, the 16th was quite calm + I believe we did not advance the inch + the Sun was excedingly hote, which brings out all over every ones skin that cursed prickly heat, which Make us scratch very much, 17th wether very calm, + [illegible?] I mounted Guard + about 5 or 6 P.M. too men jumped

[illegible?] and the consequence was the Sentene + myself was made prisoners. this shows the unresonableness of Millitary Officers. What has a Sergt [Sergeant] to do with such, but we most put up with such although we know that the [illegible?] suns of Indie has a part effect upon some peepils brains, yet not- -withstanding all the tyranical systomes. Government is wondring very much why so many soldiers is leaving the Army. let them ask a soldier and they will soon find out what they want. I got not punishment nor any of the men unless the Sentnel who got an extra Guard,

18th We sailed prity fair today but during the night the wind fell off + we are again in all night a calm, My prayers is for a brisk Wind to send us over the waters to the land that we are so anxious to arrive at, the Land of our Nativity.

19th very slow sailing today. at 12 O.C noon we were 170 Miles from the Line. The Sun is exceedingly hote + prickly heat very tormenting. My skin is as read as fire + as warm I think,

20th about 5 or 6 this morning, the wind freshened up and sent our Bark skiping over the waters.

At the rate of from 10 to 12 Notes per hour, every one in the morning appered on Dake with a smiling countenance when they see the Sails full + Motionless, + as our little Bark lay over to the Laward and made the water + wave fly from her like spray laughes were heard in ever corner of the Daike. O voises calling this is an English breze long may it last.

About 11 1/4 O.C A.M. we came in view of a full rigged ship apperently like our own. She ppearently was going towards [[Bombay]], or [[Kurratchee]]. About 12 O.C. noon we passed her, but not within speaking distance, however we signalised her.

21st this has been a lucky for us about 1 O.C. P.M. the night of the 20th the wind rose and sent us over the waters at the rate of from 12 to 14 notes per hour, + today we have no wind as strong + every one is rejoising very much as they are conscious of a speedy passage.

22nd 23rd + 24th very good sailing very rough + rainy weather but every one pleased when we are gaining ground. we are nicely amused to see the flocks of flocks of flying fishes & the

flocks of purposes + dulphan that follow them, when the big creatures are near the small creatures they spring out of the waters + fly about 50 yd [yards] last night I saw two purposes spring out of the water upwards of 8 feet, a good leap. our ship was sailing about 9 notes an houre + we could see the purposes dulphans + scupe jacks sailling as fast as we was there is a dale of What is called blackfish + others called the Pilote fish round this, we are now along way out of the [[Araben Seea]], and pulling throug the [[Indian Osian]], today the waves is dashinid over our bulwarks + sweeping all along weeting every ones cloths. We have the most of our sails down, the wether bing very rough + squallic, where a person is on board of a Ship where there are so many they must alwies write with dissadvantages so I [?] keep on much of our transaction as will recall the remainder + memory at a future period

25th 26th 27th 28th + 30th has been very roug & rainy days, with very heavy seas. out ship rolled fearfully, we was under the neds [?] to Keep up very little Sails. So we could not get along

so fast as we could have wished, yet we went a far distance each day. Today I am on Guard, + am viewing transparently many of the pleasent excurshings I have hade both at home + abroade, but a sad and wearisome few months I must pass on board of a small + crowded ship with nothing to be seen evening nor morning but the boundless waves [rotting?] + growning round our little bark. There is no green Hill or Field neer no cheery cottage nor smilling family playing in the glossy wood or flowing breaks of some small strame, all leis in our [heart?], or land we are proseeding to.

Although we worry much when we look to the length of [illegible?] months to come, yet when we look back the same length looks like only a few hours of our past wants, and long to awe at the place we left some 11 or 12 years ago, + sweet our old friends but who knows if their friend- -ship will be as when we left,

When alone on the wide Osain, when the sun is eather as appering or disappering, when peasing the lonly dakes of our Ship, as she rides over the fearse waves