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Cornelius Gold Journal, Page 16

blackness. Bore about south from us. showing, or
rather concealing a profile to which the under-
lined approximates.
Is 12 miles in circum-
ference. Discovered by { Amsterdam I Lat 37 1/2 , S. Long 77 ½ E. }
the Dutch in 1697. A fine combing sea greeted us
here and island birds flocked astern, flying to
roost at night fall. A shoal of porpoises shot
past us at midday, leaping from the water to
toss us a salute with their merry tails.
Saturday March 22. Pleasant. Calm. Thought
we saw grim Amsterdam peering through the
morning mist, but nothing of him later. Cap’t J.
he build a ship with a keel of iron, setting each mast
in a piece of pork, and launched it on the waters.
It was last seen far astern, rolling badly, but and
“scudding under bare poles.” It was named the “Great
Eastern”
[1] and consigned to the “Birds of the Air.” [2]
The little black and white pig (M. McL.) went the way
of all flesh today. Its tail, roasted in the ashes, was
laid on my plate at tea, and eaten. Last week I tried
boiled tail, but found it not to my taste. Sunset
almost clear. The second like it, in this Austral [3] ocean.

Journal
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