Aug 29 - Sept. 13, 1862

Atlantic Ocean D. D. Baxter Master

Got 70 Bushels of potatoes and 20 bushels of onions1.

Aug. 29th

Capt. Baxter went ashore at Fayal but I did not get any letters2. I received 2 papers from J. G. B. Since leaving Fayal we had hard strong wind from NE and E. And we have not seen a sperm whale.

Monday September 8th 1862

Had strong wind from NE steering E. SE & N. NW

Lat 33 16 N Long 21 16 W

Tuesday Sept 9th

Had brisk wind from NE as usual. Steering N NW & E.SE.

Lat 33 21 N Long 20 40 W

Wednesday Sept 10th

Had moderate wind from NE. Employed repairing the Fore Topsail3.

Lat 33 30 N Long 20 32 W

Thursday Sept 11th

Had strong wind from NE with squalls.

Lat 34 21 N Long 21 00 W

Friday Sept 12th

Strong wind from NE Steering S & S SE.

Lat 33 40 N Long 20 20 W

Saturday Sept 13th

Had strong wind from NE Steering SW. Employed breaking out for water and hard coal and carpening4 Bread & Ham

Lat 32 45 N Long 21 21 W

1 Potatoes and onions are anti-scorbutic (preventing scurvy) provisions that are vital for long cruises.

2 No letters, no whales, repetitive weather, maintenance instead of hunting all add up to monotony, disappointment and frustration.

3 The fore sail is critical when running or reaching in trade winds. Repair suggests hard usage from repeated tacking and squalls.

4 Not sure about this word. According to ChatGPT 5.2 “Carpening: period spelling for carpentry work. In a shipboard context, this indicates the carpenter was engaged in opening, repairing, re-heading, or re-stowing provision casks or boxes.” OR as Robert Fitch commented “carpening” could be “coopering”, which would be sealing in barrels. There is a cooper on board, whose unfortunate job it was to dispatch Dixie.