All the afternoon we were so covered with rain and salt water that we could scarcely see.  We suffered extreme cold and everyone dreaded the approach of night.  Sleep, though we longed for it, afforded no comfort:  for my own part I almost lived without it.

Thursday 21.

About two o’clock in the morning we were overwhelmed with a deluge of rain.  It fell so heavy that we were afraid it would fill the boat, and were obliged to bale with all our might.  At dawn of day I served a larger allowance of rum.  Towards noon the rain abated and the sun shone, but we were miserably cold and wet, the sea breaking constantly over us so that, notwithstanding the heavy rain, we had not been able to add to our stock of fresh water.  Latitude by observation 14 degrees 29 minutes south, and longitude made by account from Tofoa 27 degrees 25 minutes west; course since yesterday noon north 78 degrees west 99 miles.  I now considered myself nearly on a meridian with the east part of New Guinea.

Friday 22.

Strong gales from east-south-east to south-south-east, a high sea, and dark dismal night.

Our situation this day was extremely calamitous.  We were obliged to take the course of the sea, running right before it and watching with the utmost care as the least error in the helm would in a moment have been our destruction.

At noon it blew very hard and the foam of the sea kept running over our stern and quarters; I however got propped up and made an observation of the latitude in 14 degrees 17 minutes south; course north 85 degrees west distance 130 miles; longitude made 29 degrees 38 minutes west.

The misery we suffered this night exceeded the preceding.  The sea flew over us with great force and kept us baling with horror and anxiety.

Saturday 23.

At dawn of day I found everyone in a most distressed condition, and I began to fear that another such night would put an end to the lives of several who seemed no longer able to support their sufferings.  I served an allowance of two teaspoonfuls of rum, after drinking which, having wrung our clothes and taken our breakfast of bread and water, we became a little refreshed.

Towards noon the weather became fair, but with very little abatement of the gale and the sea remained equally high.  With some difficulty I observed the latitude to be 13 degrees 44 minutes south:  course since yesterday noon north 74 degrees west, distance 116 miles; longitude made 31 degrees 32 minutes west from Tofoa.

The wind moderated in the evening and the weather looked much better, which rejoiced all hands so that they ate their scanty allowance with more satisfaction than for some time past.  The night also was fair but, being always wet with the sea, we suffered much from the cold.

Sunday 24.

A fine morning, I had the pleasure to see, produced some cheerful countenances and, the first time for 15 days past, we experienced comfort from the warmth of the sun.  We stripped and hung our clothes up to dry, which were by this time become so threadbare that they would not keep out either wet or cold.