Day in the Life
Journal Entry
19th We have still head wind but vary
strong it is much warmer this morn[in]g
I was quite unwell this morning
The wind increased to A strong gale at
9 oclock they were oblieged to put the ship
nearly under bare poles left nothing up but
closs roeef top reef main top sail And one gib
the sun shone most of the day & it don not
look possible for the wind to blow so hard
According to the looks of the weather, but
it continued to blow a strong gale through the
day yet we were in hops the wind would lay
at sun set but we were disappointed And
the edge of the evening showed us we must
be prepared for a most dismal night the gale
was from the North West & clouds now began
to rise from that quarter black as ink & rose in
the Heavens with Awful majesty And terrific
fury the gale immediately increased to A Hurrican
which lasted through the night which was
the longest & most dismal night I ever spent
at sea we are truly experiencing A passage of
the roughest class. I knew we were in a ship
of the strongest class And my hope is wholly
in that God who has carried me through all
gangers [dangers] thus far in life. The wind & waves
increased & continued to spend there fury upon
us amid the darkness of the night we were
shiping some heavy seas when about 11 oclok
A heavy sea rolled over us the main body of
which buried the Aft quarter deck As it passed
Along it stopve to peases the compass house washed
it against two amen at the wheel it smashed
the wheel that governs the helm came near
washing the men overboard it dashed the window
of the first cabin & water poured into
the cabin some Hogheads of water run from
the captains cabin into ours when the sea
passed over evry timber in the ship trembled
like An aspen leaf The mate informed us that
the wheel was broken that governed the hellm
they had to lash down the helm & let her ride
untill the wheel could be mended we got
up And Assisted about mending the compass
house. No one can form an Idea of such scenes
surrounded by the raging billows of the deep
unless they experience them The Atlantic
is the roughest ocean in the world to navigate
And we were in inthe worst season of the year
But we spent the remainder of the night
without further Accident except washing
of the door of the cook Galley & washing
out a man who had fallen assleep in it but
he was suddenly aroused from his slumber by taking
A ride on A sea several times for & aft across
the deck At length day light appeared which
we were all glad to see
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