Page:Oregon Historical Quarterly vol. 24.djvu/459

 Diary of Rev. George Gary — IV 427 choose it or not ; add to this, utterly unable to obtain any little delicacies suited to the appetite and comfort of the sick. No telling what I would have given for a piece of chicken, and, indeed, now it would be far better than money ; but so far I have got along. By having recourse to the active medicines of the chest, such as calomel and julap, salts and thorough blistering, the present appear- ance is, I am very essentially relieved; perhaps cured. Since the last entry of the 13th, we have had for a considerable part of the time north winds which has pre- vented us from making latitude as is desirable; we are far enough to the east, being in longitude 31, or there- abouts, and latitude 30. Today we are favored with a very fine breeze, wafting us homeward most beautifully. Saturday, 27. This evening we are in an entire calm. But few things are more uncertain than the wind. Sunday, 28. A sail seen at a distance. My health is too poor to have a meeting. Tuesday, 30. We are beating against a north wind. Four years today since we sailed from New York. Four months this day since we crossed the bar at the mouth of the Columbia River. Three months since we left Hono- lulu. [1847] Saturday, December 4. My health is toler- ably good at this time, though I have to be careful at the table. For some days, we have had a head wind, and all we have advanced in our voyage has been by frequently tacking ship, and beating our way against the wind ; this is a slow work; last evening, the wind came round fair, though light; and we are now sailing at a slow rate, di- rectly in our course; possibly we have the beginning of the south east trade wind; should it prove so, we shall consider ourselves highly favored. Ten days ago, we were as far east as was necessary; we continue in about the same longitude; we have been this time between 31 and 33 degrees west longitude. Our Lat. today is 23.55. Lon. 32.20. This morning, a sail at a distance was seen,