Day 336. Flying fish and salt horse: a seafaring tale
1st July 1860:
Sunday July 1st. This morning the Kensington not in sight. sighted a Bark to windward on the other tack. 10 AM took in the T.G. Sails blowing pretty fresh but still dead ahead, that is from the Northward. 4 PM. Reefed Topsails, the Fore ones being carried away. the Catheads were also observed to be in a very bad condition. and to give a colour to the scene the Cook (who is a great man aboard a ship) fell over a pot of boiling water which vexed him so much that he gave the dog a kick in the ribs and sent him yelping aft, where he got foul of the Mate’s cat, which caused a row with the Mate etc.
I have had something breaking out on my leg for the last 3 or 4 days, got some ointment from the Capt but still worse. so the Capt told me to lay up for two or three days until it was better, I being scarcely able to move about the decks. Lat - Long - could not get either.
It turns out that there is a whole menagerie on aboard the ship - here’s a cat and dog fight, precipitated by the Cook’s bad temper. Richard implies the Cook fancies himself a very superior member of the crew.
There are also Catheads, sturdy beams either side of the bow which support the anchor when it is raised and lowered. Sounds like the Philanthropist catheads were not so sturdy as they should be.