![Thomas Keir diary - 5 February 1864 entry [National Library Micro-MS-0837]](http://mermaid1864.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/37-18640205-ViewScan_0128-k.png "7-18631126-ViewScan_0098-k")
Friday 5th – Blowing right aft all day the ship rolling
very much. It is rather cold, we had a smart shower
of hail in the evening. Our longitude at noon was about
130° east. There was a heavy motion on /the\ sea, and every
wave crested with white. Reading the Life & Essays
of Dr. Franklin[1]. The sailors are busy scraping the masts
&c one of them quarreled with the officers and he was
threatened to be put in irons. Afterwards he struck
the mate and the bracelets were put on and he was
fastened to the mizen mast[2].
STANDARDISED
Friday 5th
Blowing right aft all day, the ship rolling very much. It is rather cold, we had a smart shower of hail in the evening. Our longitude at noon was about 130° east. There was a heavy motion on the sea, and every wave crested with white. Reading The Life and Essays of Dr. Franklin. The sailors are busy scraping the masts etc. One of them quarreled with the officers and he was threatened to be put in irons. Afterwards he struck the mate and the bracelets were put on and he was fastened to the mizen mast.
HENRY SCHOFIELD DIARY
5th fine & squally
Got water biscuit flour oatmeal & preserved potatoes. A pie for dinner. Very cold & hail, 10 knots per hour, 130 deg Long. Finished my Captainship. A sailor put in irons for being drunk & chained to main mast.
Notes
1. The life and essays, of Dr. Franklin – digitised version of 1816 edition published by T.Kinnersley, held by Yale University [Hathi Trust].
2. The sailor in question was John Hood (26) from Newport, Wales, who had previously served aboard the Meuries. The captain noted in the ship’s log:
At 5 P.M. John Hood A.B. was about the decks not at work, on being told by the 3rd Mate to go to work with the rest of the watch on deck, he used insulting and abusive language to him and on the 2nd Officer asking him the reason for such conduct he continued to use the same language. I then went to him and told him to go to his work and not insult the Officers or I should have to put him in Irons he did so but in such a reckless manner that the 2nd Officer sent him below and told him to stay there not being fit for his duty.
7 P.M. John Hood came to me and complained that the Beef served out for the next day was short weight, I had the Meat weighed and found it two pounds more than the allowance. Hood was coming on the Poop when I told him to go down and I would call him when I wanted him, he refused to leave the ladder saying he would stay where he was, the Chief Officer then forced him down the ladder onto the Quarter deck.
8 P.M. The 2nd Officer on coming on deck to his watch saw J Hood smoking near the cabin door and told him to go before the Main mast, he then made use of filthy & obscene language & wanted to see the Chief Officer who came off the Poop to him and told him to go quietly to his bed.
At 10 P.M. The 2nd Officer went down on the Quarter Deck to set the Mainsail when he was attacked in the dark unawares by Hood and was much bruised about the face. I then put Hood in Irons.
!['In Irons for getting drunk' from A Sailor's Progress, a coloured etching by George Cruikshank, published in 1819 [Art Institute of Chicago]](http://mermaid1864.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/1818-in-irons-for-getting-drunk-cruickshank-ft.png)
‘In Irons for getting drunk’ from A Sailor’s Progress, a coloured etching by George Cruikshank, published in 1819 [Art Institute of Chicago]
![A Sailor's Progress, a coloured etching by George Cruikshank, published in 1819 [Art Institute of Chicago]](http://mermaid1864.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/a-sailors-progress.png)
A Sailor’s Progress, a coloured etching by George Cruikshank, published in 1819 [Art Institute of Chicago]
