Page:American Historical Review vol. 6.djvu/83

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Diary of John Harrower73

pm came to an Anchor a little below the ½ way house. At 6 pm got under way again and fell down untill quite dark and then came to an Anchor a little above Pourfleet.

Sunday, 6th. At 7 AM got under way with a fair wind and clear wr and at 11 AM came to an anchor off Gravesend and immediatly the Merch! came onboard and a Doctor and clerk with him and while the Clerk was filling up the Indentures the doctor search d every servt to see that they were sound when . . . seventy five were Intend[1] to Cap', Bowres for four Years.

Monday, 7th. This forenoon imployed in getting in provisions and water, at 4 pm put a servant ashore extreamly bade in a fever, and then got under saile for Virginia with seventy Servants on board all indented to serve four years there at their differint Occoupations myself being one of the Number and Indented for a Clerk and Bookeeper, But when I arrived there I cou'd get no such birth as will appear in the place.[2] At pm we came to an anchor at the nore it blowing and snowing verry hard.

Tuesday, 8th. At 5 AM made saile from the Nore with the wind at W. N. W. Clear weather and blowing hard, at 2 pm got off a Pillot from Deall to take our River Pillot ashore for which Boat Cap! Bowers paid one and a half Guineas, and after buying some Gin here we stood streight to sea Under Close R. T. sails[3] and our fore saile, a verry high sea running all this day.

Sunday, 12th. Wind at V. B. S.[4] squally weather. Eight saile more at anchor in Company w! us. At noon the Indented servants was like to mutiny against the Cap' for putting them to Allowance of bread and Mate, but it was soon quelled, Our mace not joyning with the rest, in the afternoon he went ashore. But before he left the Ship he called me and begged I wou'd stand by the Mate if there arose any disturbance among the rest of the servants.

Saturday, 26th. Wind at N. B. E. fine moderate weather, got up Yds. and Topmasts, at 10 AM The Cap' went ashore to get more fresh provisions, at 4 pm he came onbd from Portsmouth with Bread, Beiff Pork and Water and then imediatly got under sail and stood out to sea. At this time we hade three men sick onbd one with the flux, one with the fever and Ego,[5] and one frost bitt in his feet. At 1 1 pm the wind came all round to the N. V. Blowing verry hard, at Midnight close reefd the topsails.

Sunday, 27th. Wind at N. V. at 4 AM Tack'd ship. At same time the man who was bade with the flux was found dead in his hammock, at 8 he was sewed up in it and at 9 AM he was hurried in the sea after reading the service of the Dead over him, which was done by the Mate.

  1. Indented.
  2. This and the entry of May 25, post, show that the entries down to the latter date are not in the absolute sense contemporary ; but a passage in a letter, under August 7, 1774, seems to indicate that daily notes were taken.
  3. I. e., close-reefed top-sails.
  4. I. e., west by south.
  5. Ague.