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Historical Records of New Zealand Vol. II.

BALLENY'S MATE'S JOURNAL

BALLENY'S MATE'S JOURNAL.

Extract from the Log of the SchoonerEliza Scott,” Captain John Balleny, on her way from London Towards New Zealand (supposed to have been kept by the Chief Mate).
(Manuscript in possession of the Royal Geographical Society, London.)
[The pages of the corresponding entries in Balleny's Journal are given in the margin at the top of the page.]

Monday, December 3rd, 1838.

Steady breezes and cloudy: Longe by Chror. 164° .49′ .0″ E Got the Anchors unstowed and bent the Cables: Latit Obs 45° 57 South, at 4 P.M. Saw the land: at 7 abreast of Cape West: at 8 Rounded Chalky Island point and beat up to the Cascade and hove too for Daylight.

December, 4th.

At Daylight wore Ship, at 8 Came to an anchor in port Chalky in 15 fathoms, when we found the Cutter who had been in 3 Weeks.

December 5th.

Strong Gales with rain, struck foretop mast and sent down topsail and foreyards, Got under weigh and towed up to the head of the port.

December 6th.

Moderate (wind S.E.). Dryed sails and towed some Empty water Casks on Shore, got the Derrick up &c. This morning Joe and Davy, being Drunk got fighting together which stoped the work going on as it should do. Davy did no duty the whole day. Tom likewise did no duty. found out the Ships Comp, had broken open the Captains porter Cask and stole 15 bottles, the whole of the Crew in a complete state of Mutiny and insubordination

December 7th.

Squalls with flying showers Enpld [? Employed] Unstowing the hold towing water Casks on Shore filling Salt in the Ground tier casks & carpenter empd Caulking the Schooner round the bows the Cooper very Mutinous Daming the Capt. and Mates Eyes and very abusefull

page 572

December 8th.

Squalls with flying showers Unbent the Jib, Carpenter & People Employed as Yesterday.

Sunday, December 9th.

Light winds and fair weather. Cleansed the Schooner and allowed people to go on Shore

December 10th.

Fair Weather throughout. Employed drying Sails & Restowing the hold

December 11th.

Employed filling water and restowing the hold. Carpenter & Cooper about their own work the Crew refused their Beef as being too little altho' they had exactly the same as the Cutters crew. The Cooper in a most Mutinous Manner declared he had not sufficient to eat and with respect to Grog he said he considered it as much his as mine and that everyone in the ship had a right to an equal share.

December 12th.

This Morng Smith the Yarmouth fisherman as he calls himself brought up the Bread Barge so heaped up as to run the risk of scattering the Contents and on my simply requesting him to be careful he was exceedingly Insolent and when he went forward the Carpenter exclaimed in loud voice that he was saucy and Independant and did not care a damn. It appears to me that the whole Crew are in a state of Mutiny or at least are endea vouring to make a Disturbance so as to Compell me to go to the Northward instead of Southward when I am perfectly convinced they all would leave. I have therefore complied with their Demand at present rather than ruin the Voyage.

December 13th.

Light winds and fair weather. Employed filling salt, Carpenter cutting spars, Cooper variously.

December 14th.

Strong breezes. Employed as yesterday Carpenter making a tiller. Cooper making tubs &c

December 15th.

With constant heavy rain Employed watering &c

page 573

December 16th.

Employed cleaning ship & Constant heavy rain & squally.

December 17th.

The forepart dry and fair in the afternoon heavy rain at 4 Saw a Boat coming round Garden Island point fired a Gun & Shewed our Colours. The boat came on board which proved to be a Skinning partys boat on the lookout for Skins—and seeing the Vessells—came in to the harbour at dusk they went away again.

December 18th.

Fair weather throughout Employed wood & watering Stowing the hold. Got the foreyard & topmast up & Dryed Sails, Carpenter making topsail Yard.

The two Captains went round to preservation Bay for oil, but could not find the store house out. left the boat that side and walked across to the Vessells it being late left the boat alongside the Cutter all night in readyness to start Early

December 19th.

Strong breeze and clear weather. Employed painting ship at 4 O'Clock Missed the Jolly boat and on looking round saw her along the Cutter and the Whale boat taken away with two Muskets and five men—David Hellon Henry Long Tom Rosarie Doderick McPeal Dennis Driscoll, Sent Mr. Paterson across the land to Secure the other boat, and in an hours time both Captains and a boats crew followed—in the Evening they came back with boat they had left having seen nothing of the Runaway—

December 20th.

Strong breezes unbent the Msail and began middle stitching it. Sent the Stay foresail (2d one) on board the Cutter to be converted into a Jib the old one not being worth repairing. Sent the foretop mast down on deck & Undone all the Gear and sowed the fore Yard Cutter fashion—Carpenter & Cooper Cutting spars. this day found out that the Bale of Slopes had been cut open during the night and a Considerable quantity stolen. by the runaways besides Pork bread Tea and Cheeses out of the Store room.

December 21st.

Squally with flying showers. Employed Repairing sails &c

December 22nd.

Employed about the rigging & Sails wooding &c Showery

page 574

December 23rd.

Flying Showers with Cloudy Wr the boat gone over to preservation Bay for a few articles we stand in need of—at noon it blowing hard we let go the Second anchor.

December 24th.

Do Weather. at daylight hove up the anchors and warped further out and brought up the best Bower with 45-Fathom chain

December 25th.

Strong winds & Cloudy weather. This being Christmas day, no duty was done on board—all hands enjoyed themselves.

December 26th.

Strong Gales, at daylight let go the Second Anchor—Em ployed variously about the Rigging &c.

* N.B. at 3 the Captn struck the Mate before all hands on the Quarter deck for nothing.

[In a different handwriting: * N.B.—The above remark is “lie.” Capt. Balleny took the Mate by the collar for being exceedingly Drunk on Christmas day and exceedingly insolent the day following & told him, he would bundle him forward but did not strike him as the Mate states.]

December 27th.

Strong breezes. bent Mainsail and Jib, fitted Gear of the fore yd Jackstay &c. and filled a cask of water

December 28th.

Strong Gales. Employed lashing the Spars Cutting wood and preparing for Sea. this Morning a boat came Round from preservation bay.

December 29th.

Do Wr Preparing for Sea. Getting wood off & Got up the new warp ready to heave out if the wind should lull—Shipped two hands from the boat to go the voyage.

December 30th.

at Daylight hove short up to the 2d Anchor and warped the Cutter to a fair way birth, at 10 A.M. Got under weigh and worked out of the harbour at 4 P.M. Came to anchor in pre- page 575 servation bay—this day William Smith refused to do his duty, Strong breezes with hail &c.

December 31st.

Squally weather with flying showers. Employed cutting firewood Wm Smith went to his work this day

January 1st, 1839.

Fair weather throughout, filled a cask of water, got a boat load of wood Got the Whale boat from the Settlement and gave them the Jolly boat, hoisted the boats in and prepared for Sea.

January 2nd.

Strong breezes with Rain the forepart of the day, at 6 A.M. weighed and made sail from preservation bay at 11 abreast of Solanders Island at 3.30 P.M. Abreast of passage Island at 9 Came to an anchor in Patterson River in 20 fathom water and 60 fathom chain—

January 3rd.

Strong Gales with flying showers. Employed variously

January 4th.

Strong breezes with flying showers, took in two boat loads of wood and put in down aft to trim ship. in the Morning got a boat out and went on board the Cutter in answer to the Signal found that three men had deserted during the night. in the Morning they were brought back and sent on board the Cutter Shipped three hands and hoisted the boat in and secured her in readyness to go Sea.

January 5th.

Strong Gales with flying showers. Got the boat out to go for the peoples cloathes. Got the close-reefed points Sewed in the Sails and at 7, hoisted the boat in.

January 6th.

Strong gales & Endeaved to get under weigh but finding it to blow to hard desisted, in the Eg Capt Freeman on board, it still blowing hard with showers of hail & rain at intervals.

January 7th.

at 6 A.M. Weighed and made all possibl sail in Company with the Cutter an (? at) noon Fresh breeze took in 1s Reef sails, page 576 Southern port bearing W.S.W, Distant about 9 Leagues. at 8 P.M. Squally—took in 2 Reefsails at midnight Do Weather. Cutter on the Lee bow

January 8th.

Squalls with flying showers; at 6 A.M. set the square sail; at 8 spoke the Cutter; longitude by chror 169° 8′ E. took in Square sail and Set the Fore & aft sails; at noon out all reefs &c

Latt Obs, 49° 28′ South.

Light airs & clear weather with a heavy swell from the N.W.

at 4 P.M. Longe in 169° .22′ .0″ E.

at Midnight Do Wr.

January 9th.

2 A.M. Strong breezes and clear Weather. took in one reefsails; at 8 in 2nd Reef—do—do.

Longe by Chronomr 168° .58′ .0″ E

at noon more moderate, out one reef Mnsail foresail & f Sy sail.

Lattitude obsd, 51° 16′ South

Squally with a heavy cross Sea running.

at Longe in 168° .56′ .30″ E at Midnight Moderate, out all Reefs.

January 10th.

Light winds and clear Wr

at 3 A M Saw the land; at 6 Calm; at 8 Long. by chror 168° .55′ .45″ E

at 9 Captn Freeman came on board. Light airs & clear Wr

Lattd by Obsn 52° 26′ South

at 1 P.M. Capn Freeman went on Shore and saw the men that was left on shore here 4 years Since by the New Zealander;* at 7 Capt Freeman returned.

Fair weather. Stood off to the N.W.

at Midnight strongwinds with rain and thick Wr

Wore ship and Stood to the Eastward.

* On 11th March, 1835, the “New Zealander” reached Sydney from “a speculative trip of five months amongst the Eastern Islands.” Campbell Island was evidently one of the places she called at, and she must have left the 3 men and 1 woman there on that voyage.

January 11th.

took in two reefs of the Sails

at 8 A.M. it clearing off Saw the land bearing S. by W about 10 Leagues hauled up for the Island and spoke the Cutter at noon Steady breezes and clear out all reefs &c

page 577

Lattd Obs—52° 30′ South

at 7 P.M. Came to an anchor in perseverance harbour in 9 fathom, Steady breezes and Clear Weather.

January 12th.

at Daylight Got the boats out and sent one from each Vessell to see what they could Get, Got the peoples Skins on board and filled our water up & 32 Green Skins 133 Dryed Skins—in the Evening the Boats returned with one hair Skin

January 13th.

Strong Gales and clear Wr. finished filling our water up and prepared for Sea

at noon came on to rain with thick foggy weather.

January 14th.

Strong Gales with Constant rain & thick weater took three men and one woman of the Island. Sent two on board of the Cutter, hoisted the boat and prepared for Sea

January 15th.

Strong gales with thick fog & heavy rain hove short and Double reefed the Sails the Cutter weighed first and bore up if [? it] blowing so very hard and such a tremendous Sea running. Stowed the Sails and held all in readyness to weigh should the wind lull or the fog clear off. Got the 2d Anchor clear & Secured the Boats and cleared the decks up.

January 16th.

Heavy gales with thick fog. Close reefed the Sails and hove short, but not being able to purchase Anchor, gave her more chain and furled Sails this day the Cooper refused his duty, in the Evening he returned to his work

January 17th.

at 6 weighed and made Sail, weather moderate & hazy

at 8.30 Spoke the Brig Emma* Lying in the Entrance of the port—at noon the centre of the Island W N W about 5 Leagues. Latt Obsd. 52° .46′ .17″ South the wind worked round to the Southd at 8 P.M. Centre of Cambells Island W N W 10 Leagues

page 578

* Commanded by Captain Biscoe of the former Enderby Expedition. 19—Vol. ii.