Day 354. Flying fish and salt horse: a seafaring tale
19th July 1860:
Thursday 19th. The wind hauling a little more ahead at 6 AM. Braced the yards a little for’ard gave a pull on the sheets and halliards of all the sails when we came on deck at 8 AM. Bent a Maintopmast Staysail and set it. Hands variously employed between pump ship times which
comes on every hour night and day. Rigged a weegee to pumps by fixing the handles higher up and bell ropes at them, it reminds me of pulling away at the old Bell rope in the Church Steeple, before we used to go into Church of a Sunday, but we did that for our pleasure, while we have to do this for our safety, if we neglected the pumps for long the ship would fill and sink. I was helping the Steward to clean the Cabin this morning, it not having been properly cleaned for a long time the weather being too stormy and cold. in Lat 28″02 S Long…at noon. 4 PM Took in studding sails and braced the yards sharp up. the ship barely laying her course but so long as she will lay her course we don’t care so much. we are longing to be home it being hard work at the pumps. This is a beautiful day and things begin to resume their proper appearance, quite a contrast to this day week
The fire is put out in the Galley now as soon as tea is over and the Men keep their watch in the Midshiphouse. The Carpenter and I keep ours in the house where we live it being under the fore part of the Poop. we can hear if the Mate gives any orders. I generally spend my watch in writing or reading while the Carpenter has a snooze on the Chests, when there is nothing to do on deck. - I was in the Galley the other night and happened to be whistling a snatch of Cheer boys Cheer, as the prospect was rather dark before us, it was blowing very hard, we were under 3 Double reefed Topsails at the time, one of the men who is more superstitious if possible than the rest, says, knock off now Peele, we don’t want any more wind, than we have at present. I laughed at him, but knocked off to please him, as I like to keep friends with everybody, which I believe I am present. The Cook is very superstitious also, he is always
asking if any one has seen any Rats in the ship lately it being his firm belief that if there are no rats in a ship, that ship is doomed to be lost. he was cheered up the other day by one of the men having seen a Rat at the bread barge in the Forecastle. The mate’s cat also caught one yesterday, had a fresh mess off it, got disgusted with it, and went and committed a nuisance in his master’s berth.