Tuesday, October 29th

No sleep last night on account of the tremendous rolling of the vessel. From a brief doze I was awakened by a shower composed of the following materials—a can of sperm-oil, a can of spirits of wine, a bottle of ink, a bottle of eau-de-cologne, my watch & a shoe, all of which had been packed, as I thought, securely before I went to bed. Nothing, however, was open but the bottle of eau-de-cologne, and therefore no harm was done. Two or three heavier rolls than ordinary seemed to bring every smashable article on the ship down at once. I could hear boxes, casks & heavy things page 58giving way in every direction and people striking lights and looking timidly after their lives and properties. The gale continued to increase till and after breakfast-time. After breakfast it did some damage to braces and halyards and the top-sails were double reefed, mainsail furled, jib taken in and stay-sail set—in fact all made snug. Wind and rain came in heavy squalls and otherwise, and as I write the motion is almost too great to make more than an attempt successful. However, we are going on our course as straight as we can go—and almost as quick—210 miles since yesterday to the S.E. Lat. 38.20 S., Long. 6.48 W. This, the first day of heavy gales, produces something strange and uncomfortable every hour. Dinner was an awful scramble, plates and dishes falling about, of course, but that was the least. You were as likely to find your neighbour in your plate as your plate in your neighbour's lap, or your lap in your neighbour's, as any other arrangement. Thus, part of my dinner was eaten on the floor and part on the table—you must eat what you can get and for small dishes must exercise the art of harpooning and shooting flying, as potatoes, salt and bread, &c., come swimming past. Very cold and uncomfortable on deck, but the sight of the waves grand.