Wednesday 8th. When it abated and a nice breeze coming a little more aft we checked the yards in a little and set the Topmast stun-sail. And at this delightful time the Main topgallant sail and royal carried away in two or three places, the Sailmaker says, squalls with rain old sails will tear. so it proves. it being our watch below we left the other watch to unbend the royal and T.G. Sail and send them down to repair, very dull and sultry, with frequent squalls during the day, very little wind. Latitude by observation at noon 9″49″ N. Longitude 25″ 20″ W. A barque passed us having T.G. Stun sail set outward Bound. and
6 more vessels passed us during the afternoon one of them a Dutch barque run down close under our stern and spoke us. she proved to be the Odelia Margarethe from Amsterdam bound to Batavia, she gave us her longitude and we her ours which was nearly alike. she asked when we lost the S.E.trades which we told her, and she said she lost the N.E. Trades on Monday, she was flying light, being in ballast. Signalized a Yankee immediately after, she was the 3rd distinguishing pendant 5873 No from Liverpool 25 days out bound to Calcutta. the number not in the signal book there being a leaf out. another vessel passed us at 8 PM the same as the rest with bright Pots and Panakins, but I should judge with rusty Pump bolts, which is more than we can say, our ship making a fearful quantity of water now, which keeps our pumps bolts, bright. very little wind all night. the ship makes more water when she is lying still and upright.
Although the Philanthropist has the whole of the Atlantic to sail in, she is now in a busy shipping lane, meeting all sorts of outgoing vessels, both those bound for the Americas and also the East Indies. The crews swap information on the trade winds to help each other onward - showing the importance of that trade wind map I had an image of on the outward journey. That map was made up from information from ships noting where they gained and lost the trades and on what dates.
The Leak is getting more serious. Will they get home before they sink?
