![Thomas Keir diary - 13 February 1864 entry [National Library Micro-MS-0837]](http://mermaid1864.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/39-18640213-ViewScan_0130-k.png "7-18631126-ViewScan_0098-k")
Saturday 13th – Stiff breeze this morning, in
the evening it fell, and she went very slowly, weather
fine. Our near approach to land made every body
feel anxious. Our longitude at noon was 165°
latitude 48° about 7 o’clock the land was descried
by the mate from the foremast head he soon
came down and made it known which caused
a chill of pleasure to pass through every body
a shout was raised by the young sters and a smile
was seen in every countenance. It was supposed to
be about 25 miles off. it soon got dark and we will
have but little chance to see it before daylight. Some of
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the passengers went aloft and got a sight of it, but there
was no appearance of it from the forecastle head.
I find that the land is the Snares and lie in
lat. 48°3’ south and long. 166°20’ east. We are now steering
due east and the land is right ahead so that the
Captain was pretty near his reckoning after a three
months voyage. We were told in the morning
that it might be seen in the afterpart of the day
About noon we passed a Brig sterring west. 9P.M.
the wind is farther aft and going very slowly.
STANDARDISED
Saturday 13th
Stiff breeze this morning, in the evening it fell, and she went very slowly, weather fine. Our near approach to land made everybody feel anxious. Our longitude at noon was 165° latitude 48°. About 7 o’clock the land was descried by the mate from the foremast head, he soon came down and made it known which caused a chill of pleasure to pass through everybody, a shout was raised by the youngsters and a smile was seen in every countenance. It was supposed to be about 25 miles off. It soon got dark and we will have but little chance to see it before daylight. Some of the passengers went aloft and got a sight of it, but there was no appearance of it from the forecastle head. I find that the land is the Snares and lie in latitude 48°3’ south and longitude 166°20’ east. We are now steering due east and the land is right ahead so that the Captain was pretty near his reckoning after a three months voyage. We were told in the morning that it might be seen in the afterpart of the day. About noon we passed a brig steering west. 9pm the wind is farther aft and going very slowly.
HENRY SCHOFIELD DIARY
13th fine & warm
Dreaming of Aunt Matilda & ship been wrecked. Dinner pie rice & salt beef. Cleaning our mess out. The sailors cleaning & washing shipside. I went to top of foremast at 2 o’clock, saw a ship the first for 6 weeks. 7 knots per hour 165 deg Long 80 miles from Stewarts Island. I had toothache very bad. The first mate saw land first time from leaving England from main masthead at 7 O’clock at night which was the Snares rocks. Wrote a letter for Earnshaws to George Reeves.
Notes
1. Snares Islands/Tini Heke are the closest of New Zealand’s subantarctic islands to mainland New Zealand, lying about 100 km southwest of Stewart Island/Rakiura.
“Snares Islands : New Zealand’s subantarctic islands“, Department of Conservation Te Papa Atawhai.
Snares Islands / Tini Heke, photograph by B Baker [source: Department of Conservation]
