Thursday 28 July 1836

On Saturday Night, the Wind began to freshen, and gradually
increased untill 6, A,M, of Sunday, when there was a sudden
heavy Squall, which caused our Vessel to be put under
snug Canvas, and during all that Day, it blew very strong
but at Night the Wind veer’d round to the Westward,
and commenced blowing, with the most terrifick violence,
which cont^d without the least intermission untill Noon,
of Yest^dy with unabated fury, and shifting about,
between West, and S,W, accomp^d by uncommon heavy
Showers of Hail and Rain, indeed this Gale, has
been squally as terrible in every respect, as the last One,
and raising the Sea, to a most tremendious height
however, during the Afternoon of Yest^dy, the Wind gradually
lower’d, and at 6, P,M, all the reefs were shook out of
the Sails, there being at that time, a clever Breeze,
from about due West, but which backed round to N,W,
at Midnight, and again became Squally, so that at 5,
O’Clock, this Morn^g a single reef was obliged to be taken in
the Sails, and at 4, P,M, the Wind again shifted, to due
West, but still continuing to blow strong, accomp^d with
heavy Rain,   ________   At dawn of Day, on Monday
a Whale was seen, not more than ¼ of a Mile, from
the Vessel, and Yest^dy at 5, P,M, another One, was
seen, at about the same distance from us   ______
The Rams are uncommonly weak, not having
taken any nourishment, for the last 10 Days, except
what has been given to them, by means of a Bottle, and
the little Ewes, have again suffer’d, most severely in the
late Gales, indeed it is really astonishing, how these
poor Animals survive, after enduring so many hardships
being almost continually Wet, and Cold, besides when the
Sea’s, some rushing upon the Deck, in Gales of Wind,
they are for a while, almost overhead in Water, and dread-
-fully knocked about, by the violent rolling, and pitching
of the Vessel   __________   Our Cook is much better to
Day, and I hope in a fair way of recovering, he has
had extremely severe Pain’s, in his Bowels, for the
last two, or three Days    ___________