June 1st, 1863

Monday June 1st, 1863

Well times are becoming tougher and tougher. Now I do not get any orders at all.

If he (Capt. Baxter) wants to have and get an altitude¹ he takes the Quandrant² out and puts it on the gangway. And comes below and sends the Steward or Boy up to pass the word.

And at meal times he comes down below before the Bell rings so that he will not be obliged to call me. And the joke of the thing is that I do not know what it is all about.

I have attended to my duty as well as I am able to do. However it does not trouble me fortunately I know what his aim is and therefore I can thwart him. I have reference to D. D. Baxter when I write he & him. I expect that he will have a separate table yet for himself. I sincerely wish that he would.

Footnotes

1. First footnote text. Get an altitude means measuring the sun’s altitude in degrees about the horizon, using the quadrant. So apparently Duntlin still does most of the measurements. We know from previous entries he has alot of practice and probably the captain knows that Duntlin is still the best man for the job. Since the Captain no longer speaks to Duntlin he puts the quadrant (which is normally kept locked in the captain’s cabin) out where Duntlin can find it, then sends someone to tell Duntlin that it is time to “get an altitude.” (Thanks to Bob Fitch for this footnote).
2. Second footnote text. Quadrant is a symbol of navigational authority and command competence. Placing it conspicuously on the gangway while refusing direct communication is a theatrical assertion of mastery. The captain is performing command without collaboration—a visible reminder that navigation (and thus the voyage itself) is his domain alone.