Monday 23rd. There is very little wind this morning, but what there is it is favourable. 6 AM Unbent the Mainsail and bent the other one. 10 AM the Carpenter was mixing some paint, when having got it mixed, he went forward for a breath leaving the paint on deck. The pig was knocking about the decks at the time and being in the Carpenter’s way as he went for’ard he administered him a kick in the ribs. The Pig had twigged the pot of paint. He now took his bearing, and distance, and shaped his course, and rolled away towards his desired object. on reaching it, he looked at it, took a round turn, then went into it, and what he could not eat he capsized and rolled in it. the Carpenter coming back, in the meantime, had the pleasure of seeing his labour lost, the deck in a sore mess, and dennis pye-balled, about in a very ludicrous manner, his dander rose at the spectacle before him, (the pig having come
right straight through to the paint as soon as he received the kick in the ribs, as if in spite.)
And dennis for his pains received another kick on his latter end, more severe than the first, and not liking this sort of treatment, he took to his heels, quite disgusted, and finally reached the scuppers. It was there that the Captain caught sight of him, wallowing in the water, and grunting out his sense of enjoyment. He ordered him to be killed, immediately, fearing he had eaten a good deal of Paint. The sailors soon set to work, one knocked him down with the Carpenter’s mole! and I immediately fell upon him and cut his throat, for falling, the Cook soon had some hot water ready, and with a couple of men to lend me a hand. I soon had him dressed. We are all reckoning of a good blow out of fresh Pork, having tasted no fresh meat since we killed the last Pig. We were not so inhuman as those that killed the
other, we did allow it time to die before we commenced scalding it. 3PM. Unbent the Foresail and bent another one.
Unlucky pig! His tasty paint dinner caused his demise, the Captain fearing that their store of fresh meat on trotters would be ruined by the lead and other noxious chemicals in the paint. The pig seems to have had a nice life roaming the decks and wallowing in the scuppers. Richard again shows his aptitude for the butchers profession.
