23 January 1864

Thomas Keir diary - 23 January 1864 entry [National Library Micro-MS-0837]

Saturday 23rd – Blowing stiff this morning
the studding, Royals fore and mizen top gallant
sails furled up, going about 12 or 13 Knots, com-
menced to rain about midday and continued
all day. A good many got themselves drenched
with the spray. I myself got a share & Peter
Cunningham[1] got wet all over. Studied the

[page]

first proposition of Euclid and some Geology also a
portion of the Life of the Duke of Wellington during
the severe contests in the Peninsula. Rather un-
pleasant on deck. The mizen top mast staysail was
torn up in the middle with the wind.

STANDARDISED

Saturday 23rd

Blowing stiff this morning the studding, Royals fore and mizen top gallant sails furled up, going about 12 or 13 knots. Commenced to rain about midday and continued all day. A good many got themselves drenched with the spray. I myself got a share and Peter Cunningham got wet all over. Studied the first proposition of Euclid and some Geology also a portion of the Life of the Duke of Wellington during the severe contests in the Peninsula. Rather unpleasant on deck. The mizen top mast staysail was torn up in the middle with the wind.

HENRY SCHOFIELD DIARY

Jan[uar]y 23rd v wet

Brown’s[2] Captainship commenced. Last night very rough with fair wind 12 knots per hour. I could not sleep, the sea was washing over the vessel [all?] day. Dinner pie made of Pork & potatoes. 63 deg Long (Joe[3] gave me a glass of rum)

Notes

1. Peter Cunningham was a 23 year old ploughman from Forfarshire, and is listed with the assisted emigrants, travelling with the Logie family: James (28, and also listed as a ploughma), Isabella (25), James (4) and Mary (2). Peter was in the single men’s quarters and the Logies in the married couples’ quarters.

2. Brown has been mentioned by Henry Schofield previously. He doesn’t appear in the list of assisted emigrants or cabin passengers, so has paid his own fare for steerage.

3. Joe is possibly Joseph Peters, a crew member. Henry gave him some brandy when he wasn’t feeling well three days earlier on 20th January.