Page:Memoirs of a Huguenot Family.djvu/262

 2d Jan.—Wind S. by W. A fresh gale. By our observation, we found ourselves to be in the lat. 43° 00″; and that by our reckoning, we were 338 leagues to the westward of the Old Head of Kinsale. All the mariners came to the master, and told him that if they proceeded on the voyage to Virginia, they were sure to perish by the way, and told him that they would not proceed but would return to Europe. The master would not consent to it without they made a protest against the ship, that she was not able to go to Virginia. I wrote the protest, they signed it, and we set our sails, and our course N. N. E. The wind being fair, and blowing fresh, we went at the rate of four knots per hour. About two of the clock in the morning we shipped two seas that we thought would have foundered the ship; but, God be praised, we received no great damage. All our men are recovering of their wounds and bruises. I am, God be praised, in health. By the log we have made this last twenty-four hours 40 miles of our way homewards.

3d.—Wind hard at S. W., a great swell; we steered our course N. E., and this twenty-four hours we made 58 miles. No observation. We shipped several seas, but not dangerous. The weather looks as if it would clear up. We saw some birds we call marline-spikes, mars, and rake-bats. We esteem ourselves by our dead reckoning to be in the lat. 45° 30″.

4''th. Jan''.—Wind S. by W., tolerable. We steered our course E. N. E. by N. This twenty-four hours we made 46 miles. No observation. We took out our mizzen-mast, and will put it in for a fore-mast as soon as the weather will permit. We are always wet upon deck, and the ship rolls most terribly. We reckon ourselves to be in the lat. 46° 00″.

5th.—Wind S. by W., blowing so hard that we could carry