Barbadoes
23 July 2018Ship’s Company
23 July 2018Saturday 9th March 1833 – the Mail having arrived this morning for Lisbon, Jamaica and for Halifax, it was one P.M. ere we were ready to start. During nearly five weeks previous to this day, the wind had been chiefly to the West.d and South.d with now and then an easterly breeze for a short time; but fortunately for us we had a fresh and favourable wind from the Eastward, which we considered as a sure sign that the Easters were about to set in for some time. Under the influence of a strong & steady friend we soon got clear of the channel, and thereby avoided the dangers of detention in it, and the unpleasant feelings, which the continued sight of land you dare not approach naturally inspires. Weather cloudy with occasional rain.
Sunday 10th – very fresh and favourable breeze from East.d Cloudy weather with occasional showers.
Monday 11th – fine weather – fresh and favourable breeze.
Tuesday 12th – fine weather & favourable wind.
Wednesday 13th – fine weather – very fresh and favourable breeze.
Thursday 14th March – very fine weather. Fresh and favourable breeze.
Friday 15th – fine weather. Moderate and favourable breeze.
Saturday 16th – fine weather. Moderate and favourable breeze.
Sunday 17th – nearly a calm all day. Towards night light and favourable breezes.
Monday 18th – cloudy but pleasant weather, fresh and favourable breeze from SE.
Tuesday 19th – cloudy but pleasant weather. Wind fresh and still favourable but has drawn forward more to the Southward. At 8 P.M. foul wind at SSW, preceded by a heavy shower.
Wednesday 20th – fine morning – rain in the afternoon. In the horse latitudes or variables, Wind fresh but drawing still more forward.
Thursday 21st – rain all night, which altered the wind and brought it fair. This morning very little wind. During the day, light inefficient breezes from all quarters. At 7 P.M. wind sprung up steady but light at NW, just enabling us to lay along our course, fine weather.
Friday 22d – cloudy weather. Moderate and favourable breeze.
Saturday 23d – very light & favourable breezes all day from N & E, fine weather. Two vessels in sight, one steering after us, the other on a wind bound the N & W.
Sunday 24th – calm all day. Beautiful weather. One of the vessels seen yesterday in sight, showed colours when she proved to be a French barque.
Monday 25th – calm all day – fine W.w French barque still in sight.
Tuesday 26th March – beautiful weather – very light favourable airs & calms all day – several vessels in sight. Spoke the Free Trader, Southwark, out 142 days from Madras and supplied her with provisions.
Wednesday 27th – morning calm – in the course of the day a light breeze sprung up from W & WNW tho’ we are in 24* N.th Three vessels in sight – & one of them (the Frenchman) is sailing parallel with us having kept us company since Saturday. Beautiful weather.
Thursday 28th – delightful weather, foul wind at W & WSW very light. Crossed the tropic today.
Friday 29th – calm all day – light foul wind from N & N.d in the afternoon – fine weather – very warm. No vessels in sight.
Saturday 30th – much rain last night – light foul breezes with a preponderance of calms – very fine w.r
Sunday 31st – fine w.r calms with puffs & catspaws from WNW.
Monday 1 April – delightful weather, very light and favourable breeze.
Tuesday 2nd – very fine w.r – light and favourable breeze.
Wednesday 3rd – light airs and calms, beautiful weather – heavy swell from NW.
Thursday 4th – calm all day – fine weather – heavy swell from NW.
Friday 5th – light and foul wind in the morning. At 3 P.M. strong squall with heavy rain – after rain ceased the wind drew more aft – then fell off a dead calm, which continued till half past eight, at which time a fresh and favourable breeze struck up. Saw then for the first time a lunar rainbow – which verified an old nautical saying – a rainbow by night is a sailors delight.
Saturday 6th April – cloudy weather – fresh and favourable breeze.
Sunday 7th – fine w.r light and favourable breeze.
Monday 8th – fine weather – light & foul winds from SSW & WNW all day – calm at night
Tuesday 9th – calm – calm – calm –fine weather.
Wednesday 10th – moderate and favourable breeze – cloudy weather.
Thursday 11th – fine day – cloudy night – fresh and favourable breeze.
Friday 12th – cloudy morning with fresh and favourable breeze. At 11 A.M. a heavy flood of rain fell, which lessened & drew the wind forward. At 3 P.M. the breeze again struck up fresh and favourable – weather very cloudy with occasional showers. A vessel in sight this morning, steering more to the Westward than we are, and at 9.30 P.M. another vessel shewed a light, but we could not make her out.
Saturday 13th – fine weather – fresh and favourable breeze.
Sunday 14th – fine weather – fresh and favourable breeze – in the afternoon passed two vessels steering to the Northward.