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The
Voyage of the "Surge" (6)
25th November, Sunday -
Fine Sunday. Morning light breeze. Wind WNW.
Course SE. Lat. 48.30, Long. not taken.
26th November, Monday -
Day clear and frosty. Breeze steady from WSW. 8 knots. Course ESE Lat.
49.53, Long 102.18.
27th November, Tuesday -
Raining, fresh breeze from W. Single reeled
topsail. Lat. 49.56, Long. 107.8
28th November, Wednesday -
Light breeze with rain. Lat. 50.10, Long. 112. Sea
running high. Very cold. Course ESE.
29th November, Thursday - Raining at midnight but at 8 in the morning, dry and cold. Light wind, fair, course ESE. Should be in the latitude of West Australia. A lottery got up as to the day that the ship drops anchor in Wellington. I drew 23rd Dec. for 2/6d and sold it directly for 1/6d as I considered it a bad number. Lat. 49.34, Long. 116.18.
30th November, Friday - Snow and rain with light breeze from W. Morning cold and misty. Latitude 49.34, Long. 121.18. Evening fine and half a gale. Shortened sail and made snug. Reeled topsails, 2 men at the wheel. 1st December,
Saturday - Wind
moderate. Seas high and morning fine. Reefs out of
topsails, main and fore sail set; everything indicates
a speedy termination to the voyage. Lat. 48.50, long. 125.30.
2nd December, Sunday -
Cloudy but dry. Fresh breeze. Stunsails set on both sides. Wind W. Course
E. 7 1/2 to 8 knots. Lat. 48.48, Long. 135.19. Evening misty.
3rd December, Monday -
Fresh breeze, fresh clear morning. Should be in the latitude
of South Australia today (Adelaide) Lat. 49.14, Long.
135.2 by observation. Calculate on sighting New Zealand this day week.
4th December, Tuesday -
Breeze fresh and the ship was struck by a sea which, although it did no
harm, caused a more violent shock than any to now, we had
experienced. 8 knots. Lat. 49.20, Long. 140.7. Breeze
lightened towards evening.
5th December, Wednesday -
Light Breeze. Air mild. Cloudy. Should be south of
Victoria, Port Philip. Lat. 49.9, Long. 144.38
6th December, Thursday -
Symptoms of approaching our destination. Fire engine
down from hold and some water casks fitted in after
hold. A box of blue lights given yesterday to 2nd officer for signals.
Lat. 48.58, Long. 149.16.2 Beautiful rainbows were seen between 6 and 7
o'clock in the evening. Day fine with light showers. Nearing New Zealand
Anxiety when approaching "Traps and Snares Rocks.
7th December, Friday -
Lat. 48.28, Long. 153. A very fine day. Whale boat being
painted and drawing towards the "Traps and Snares rocks. Saw a land bird.
8th December, Saturda~ -
Lat. 48.23, Long. 158.45. Rainbow in morning. Fine day. About 8
degrees from the Traps and Snares. Land bird again. Much anxiety about
getting safely through the rocks. The captain gave
Walker a good set of drums. Course E by N. Wind westerly.
9th December, Sunday -
Ship rolled very much in the night. Some light showers in the morning but
a very beautiful day. Wind SW. Steering E by N. Lat. 48.11, Long 164.
About 86 miles from the Traps and Snares. At noon a
fine breeze and the ship going at 8 knots. Expect to be off the Traps and
Snares at about 8 o'clock this evening. Traps and Snares in Lat. 48.3. A
good deal of excitement during the night, by a cry of ' 'land ahead" but
it ended in smoke.
10th December_Monday Wind
SW. Steering NNE. A drizzling morning. Much confusion on main deck in
washing spars and making ready for getting up the
chain, cables and anchors, but did not get them up - passed the Snares and Traps about 2 o'clock in the afternoon. Stewart Island in sight and we're abreast of Otago.
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