Sunday 2 October 1836

Sunday Oct^r 2. The breeze a little more favorable, and
our hopes of reaching Rio in a couple of days revived. No
public service to-day as there is a heavy sea rolling M^r Howard
read prayers in the Ward-room most of the Ladies & Gentlemen
were present. Neither the Governor nor any of his family I
am sorry to say, attended, although they were advised of the
intention. To-day the first albatross was seen. It was a
white one the Diomedea exulans. Two blue pintados or
Cape Pigeons (procellaria capensis) were also seen. Yesterday
a great number of the stormy petrel were about the ship
considered by weather wise sailors as the fore runner of a
gale.