13 January 1864

Thomas Keir diary - 13 January 1864 entry [National Library Micro-MS-0837]

Wednesday 13th – Dull morning with

[page]

a light fair wind at west. it increased gradua
ly and by mid day it blew very stiff /eastwards\ all
afternoon. there is also a heavy swell on the
sea and the ship is rolling a good deal, going
about 11 Knots. Had the boisterous funny
game at ‘Shuffle the Brog’[1] sitting in a
circle before the cabin door, which created /elicited\
roars of laughter, in which a good many of
the cabin pasengers joined. A great many of the
albatrosses were hovering about the vessel
all day.

STANDARDISED

Wednesday 13th

Dull morning with a light fair wind at west. It increased gradually and by midday it blew very stiff eastwards all afternoon. There is also a heavy swell on the sea and the ship is rolling a good deal, going about 11 knots. Had the boisterous funny game at ‘Shuffle the Brog’ sitting in a circle before the cabin door, which elicited roars of laughter, in which a good many of the cabin pasengers joined. A great many of the albatrosses were hovering about the vessel all day.

HENRY SCHOFIELD DIARY

13th fine

Drempt that I was at [bootcocks?]. Saw a great many Albatross & black fish. Making 6 rope loops. Gave Mrs Earnshaw raisins, currants & my lard to make spice cake. For dinner spice pudding & boulli. Going 11 knots, 42 ½ Lat South 14 deg 11 min Long east. An Albatross shot. Playing at dominos.

Notes

1. shuffle the brog[ue]: game of hunt-the-slipper:

Another game was “Shovel the brog,” in playing at which the boys all sat down with their backs to the wall, while a something- it might be a knife, or a button, or a marble- was passed from one to another. We kept repeating “Shovel the brog, shovel the brog, shovel the brog, brog, brog,” while a boy in front endeavoured to find the boy who had it.
Walker, James. Old Kilmarnock. 1895 (Ayr.) 66

“Brogue n.1“. Dictionary of the Scots Language. 2004. Scottish Language Dictionaries Ltd.