SHIP LOG FROM A SEALING VESSEL IN THE FALKLANDS
Log of an unknown sailing vessel, 96pp. legal folio, Dec. 31, 1799 to Apr. 29, 1803, all penned in the same hand and attributed to "Robert Paterson" on a later paper envelope which contained the logs (included). There are several large gaps in the log, indicating either periods of inactivity or a period when the writer, probably a common seaman, was ashore. The log opens when the vessel "Hope[?]" sailed from New Haven, Ct. on Dec. 31, 1799. Entries typically describe weather conditions and the set of the sails, with some better content. In small part: "...officers demanded the keys of all our chests...and took out all the rum...occasioned by the misconduct of 2 hands which had drunk rather too freely...Stephen Macey...pitched over board...we was forced to beat away...left to the mercy of the sea...made the island of May...took on board 200 bushel of salt...set sail for St. Juegos...oringes, cockynits, plantens and bennanes...all hands emploied for two weeks past making of peggs to pin down skins...we shot 30 fouls...in the morning discovered the Falkland islands...100 in number...these islands abound with geese and ducks...we shoot a great number of them...employed in scraping and careening the starboard side...we got 16 gallons of oil...dressing the seal skins...all hands buy 6 went on shore hunting hogs [seals] and got 12...from 150 to 50 pounds...6 went a sealing and got 10 fur skins...all hands employed at the shullup...brought in 117 skins...tremendous sea running...shipped a sea which carried away...a whale boat off the stern and stove the long boat and the whale boat...broke one mans teeth by the surge of one of the swivel guns...blowing in violent gusts with hail...made the southernmost point of Cape Horn...carried away the jib boom..." Though most of the content is routine, the subject of sealing is uncommon in logs, especially of this early date.