Page 33

Thursday May 8. Rose at 1.A.M. kept watch with
2d mate till 4 A.M. salt water bath. And bed again
till breakfast. On duty till noon & off till 4 P.M. &
so on to the end of the chapter: It may be short, but
I shall try “watch and watch” [1] a few times. A 4 knot
breeze today. Sighted 12 sail from the fore top sail yard
at noon. nine southward bound. perhaps to Batavia [2].
several fine ships. Within a half hour of dusk three
[snakes] floated by. Two trees drifting at a distance, thought
they might be “piratical proas”, for a while mistaking them
for boats, and began to “clear deck for action”. that is, make
wadding for the big gun.
Friday May 9. Anchored in 10 fathoms [3], 30 miles south of Barca
at 1/2 past 2 A.M. Hove up again at 9 o’clock. Calm. Sighted
land ahead. Thunder showers & rainbow in the morning.
Saturday May 10. Lat 3°36’ south. Long.de 106°41’ east [4]
Lat. 3°33’s. Long 106°45’ east [5]. Calm & strong southerly
current. Anchor at 7 P.M.
Sunday May 11. Sail by bearings from Pulo Lepa
and Pulo Leat [6]. A clipper bark, with fore top gallant
mast gone. Her boat sounding ahead, in company to
windward. Anchor in the night at the mouth of Gaspar
Straits [7]. A fine double topsail yard clipper ship beating down.