Friday 20th Nov
A fresh wind all [last] night
and have /had\ a fine [morn?] to the
south west. today in the
wide Atlantic. heavy swell
a good many of the passengers
sick. those that stood it
out at first have been over-
come with the motion today
I do not feel well myself
could take no breakfast
had our pudding for dinner
which was very good had
we been well. passed a
shoal of grampas[1] which
amused us much plunging
in the water. the sailors have
their harpoons ready. Some of
them tried today but
without success.
STANDARDISED
Friday November 20th 1863
A fresh wind all [last] night and have had a fine [morn?] to the south west. Today in the wide Atlantic. Heavy swell, a good many of the passengers sick. Those that stood it out at first have been overcome with the motion today. I do not feel well myself, could take no breakfast. Had our pudding for dinner, which was very good had we been well. Passed a shoal of grampas which amused us much, plunging in the water. The sailors have their harpoons ready. Some of them tried today but without success.
HENRY SCHOFIELD DIARY
20th – fine and windy
Got up the weather been very rough all day taking in sail towards night saw a great many vessels going in and out of the Channel saw many porpoises and seagulls shipped some water it coming over the bulwarks.
Notes
1. Grampas: most likely Grampus griseus (Risso’s dolphin).
At sea, it can be confused with a bottlenose dolphin, a pilot whale, or a killer whale—in part because it has a tall dorsal fin that curls backwards. In fact, some sailors also used to refer to killer whales as grampus. Marine biologist and author George Fitcher wrote that the word “grampus” comes from the joining of two simple French words: big (grand) and fish (poisson). [..] Its grey body is often covered with scratches and scars, which might come from squid tentacles, one of its favorite foods.
“Grampus or Risso’s Dolphins”, Animals in Sea History, National Maritime Historical Society, seahistory.org
![Illustrations of Grampus griseus (Risso's dolphin) by Edward Drinker Cope 1876 [Wikipedia]](http://mermaid1864.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/Grampus_griseus_for_Edward_Drinker_Cope-1080.jpg)
Illustrations of Grampus griseus (Risso’s dolphin) by Edward Drinker Cope 1876 [Wikipedia]
