![Thomas Keir diary - 9 February 1864 entry [National Library Micro-MS-0837]](http://mermaid1864.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/38-18640209-ViewScan_0129-k.png "7-18631126-ViewScan_0098-k")
Tuesday 9th – Fine breeze all day from the N.W.
rather dull, the longitude at noon would be about
148°. Every stitch of canvas set, stay sails, studding
sails &c. Expect to reach the land about the end of
the week, everybody anxious about it. Sea smooth.
[page]
A shoal of porpoises were seen sporting about also some
whales, and some saw a shark close to the vessel’s side.
STANDARDISED
Tuesday 9th
Fine breeze all day from the northwest. Rather dull, the longitude at noon would be about 148°. Every stitch of canvas set, stay sails, studding sails, etc. Expect to reach the land about the end of the week, everybody anxious about it. Sea smooth. A shoal of porpoises were seen sporting about, also some whales, and some saw a shark close to the vessel’s side.
HENRY SCHOFIELD DIARY
Feb 9th fine
Dried my jacket. George Binning[1] lost his jacket overboard. Cleaning top of house &c. Killing a pig. Saw porpoises whale & Albatroses. For dinner pie beef & pickels. Went to sleep in afternoon. 9 knots per hour 148 ½ deg Long.
Notes
1. George Binning (29) was a farm labourer from Yorkshire, travelling with his wife Ann (22).
![Humpback whale ~ 9 January 2006 [flickkr photos - Flickr]](http://mermaid1864.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/humpback-whale.jpg)
Humpback whale ~ 9 January 2006 [flickkr photos – Flickr]
