Day 342. Flying fish and salt horse: a seafaring tale
7th July 1860:
Saturday 7th. This morning the wind still ahead til about 11 AM when it shifted on the beam. checked the yards in a little, the ship going her course. but not making much way there being such a nasty head sea on so that we could not safely make sail. the ship plunging like a mad bull with much sail on her.
I forgot to state that last night before we took the sail off her she dipped the T. Gallant Forecastle about 6 feet under water. 6 PM Squared the Yards the wind coming right aft. shook one reef out of M. Topmast Staysail. The old Thropist cutting a fine caper, with the wind aft and in such a sea, she rolls fearfully sometimes dipping her yard arms in the water. the decks are up to the neck in water it washing backward and foreward with such force, making it almost an impossibility to keep from being washed off your legs, unless you hold onto something, it almost washes us away from the Pumps when we are pumping her out. Lat Long…