Thursday Apr 19th
In Lat. 49º 17 Long. 79º 00'. Commenced with moderate breezes and passing clouds. All sail set. Wind W. Making N. course. At night wind hauled NW. Tacked ship. Made SW course.
Friday April 20th
In Lat. 49º 49' Long. 81º 20. Commenced with the blues, blacks and browns and long faces. Wind NW. Stormy. Making WSW course. How long will it be before we get out of this nasty miserable weather? When will luck come? When will weather come that will take off the long faces and give us an opportunity to cleaning up, both our bodies and the ship? Everything is filth from one end of the ship to the other. When it does come, we shall know how to appreciate it.
Saturday April 21st
In Lat. 48º 52' Long. 81º 59'. Commenced with fair weather. Wind S. Good run all day. Tacked ship at 4 in the morning. Set studding sails. Sent up main royal. This was the first fresh wind this side of the Cape. At night, calm. Looked like a change of weather.
One hundred days from home. How quick has passed the time, and yet how long it seems! How many changes of seasons, of weather, of winds and various scenes! It seems but yesterday that I left the home of happiness, mirth, and jollity. How sweet such a place to think of. Yes, how much more valued. Yes, but my journey is but one quarter through. Seen two winters and going into the second summer. Weathered that dreaded of all capes. Seen it and experienced it. Weather in almost its wildest form. Seen the rocky iron bound coast where naught but the albatross, seagulls, and others of its species roam. Its snow capped mtns peer up through misty clouds that hang around as if to make it wilder and more dreaded by the fearless adventurer.
How many thoughts of home. How many thoughts of friends. The scenes of boyish days, the wishes, the good and bad deeds, the resolves and determinations made (and how soon broken). Yes, all wrote down would fill this little book more than full. Yes, this is a floating world, a small town rather, floating round in a ship in the ocean. It seems as if such a life opened ones brains to the faults, the good and the bad and how he should better his life to meet all the stumbling blocks in his path. It learns a man to be calm and true in all his transactions, to be cool and patient, and keep a good lookout to the windward, and fit him for trials and hardships yet to overcome. One minute the sky is clear, the waves motionless and the next the sky is overcast with wild and threatening clouds. The waves are troubled and heaving with madness and so is this life.
Sunday April 22nd
In Lat. 46º28' Long. 82º50'. Commenced stormy with strong winds from the E. Making a north course with half sails set. At 3 PM calm. At 4 a good breeze from the SE, making a fresh wind. Went ten knots almost all night. In the night wind hauled more to the south.
Had religious services. Sermon by Mr Benton. His remarks were good and highly commented upon by the audience. He blessed the lord for the favorable gales, and prayed, as he has and had Mr. Bradbury, for favorable winds ever since we started on our long and tiresome voyage.
Monday Apr 23rd
In Lat. 43º 33' Long. 82º 29'. Commenced with fair winds and cloudy. Ship set all drawing and studding sails.
Yesterday winds made the best days work since leaving the same lat on the other side of the continent. All appear cheerful and happy. Conversation as to Valparaiso which is finally the first port concluded to put into. Some were anxious to go into Juan Fernandes and others to keep on, and no definite conclusion has been made till today when it was voted by the directors if they could borrow three or four hundred dollars of the Company to pay for wood, water, port charges, and fresh provisions. The money was loaned in small sums by several of the Company. I agreed to loan $10.00. After the money was raised, the ship's course was changed for the port of Valparaiso, and nothing is heard but Valparaiso and what is to be done before reaching and on the arrival at the port.
Tuesday Apr 24th
In Lat. 40º 28' Long. 80º 12'. Commenced stormy. Wind NNW at 9 AM. Handed all sail but double reef main and foresail and reefed foresail. At 10 hauled very suddenly to the SW making the wind dead aft. Turned reef out foresail, all the reefs and main topsail. Set the main top gallant sail and royal. Ran all day and night before it. Blowing in squalls, very hard some times, about at the rate of 11 and 12 knots. Fastest since leaving Boston.
Wednesday Apr 25th
In Lat. 38º 32' Long. 77º 30’. Commenced with a a fair wind from the S. Rather light. Set all drawing and starboard studding sails. Sent fore and mizzen royals up. Swung studding sail booms.
Hung quarter boat. Cleaned up ship fore and aft, preparatory to going into port. Bent chain cables etc. Made repairs and expecting to arrive at Valparaiso by Saturday.
Thursday Apr 26th
In Lat. 38º 05' Long. 76º 12'. Commenced with strong winds from NW with rain. At 10 AM hauled S very light Set larboard and starboard studding sails. Most calm in the afternoon and all night.
Friday Apr 27th
In Lat. 37º 16' Long. 75º 20'. Commenced with light winds from the N and from NW. All drawing sails set.
Very pleasant in the morning. Cleaned up ship. Got the boats ready to launch. Had a meeting in respect to behavior on shore, and who should stay on board while in port. At 1 PM midnight spoke a Nantucket whaler: The Rose. She was trying out oil and had a fire on deck.
Saturday Apr 28th.
In Lat. 34º 43' Long. 73º 20'. Commenced with a fair wind from the SE. All drawing sail set. Set starboard studding sails. In the afternoon went at the rate of ten and eleven knots.
Saw a great many whales, sperm and fin back. Steering N. Making land fast. It being a very pleasant day, all hands were busily engaged in cleaning their clothes. Got the anchor ready to run.
Next week: Valparaiso, Chile