Telegraph Whaling Log, 1834-1836

Ship Telegraph bound for the coast[S] of Peru & Chile

Sunday March 29th 1834 [1835] Commences with fresh gales and cloudy The wind NW Steering WSW At 7 P.M. took in the Top Gallant sails and single reefed the Top sails A heavy swell heaving in from the West. At 4 A.M. the wind hauling to the Southward Tacked ship to the N & W At 8 Do. [DITTO = A.M.] the wind hauling back to the NW. Tacked ship to the S & W. Latter set whole Top sails & Top Gallant sails. So ends this day One man off duty. Longitude by Chron [CHRONOMETER] 76.33 W Longitude by DR [DEAD RECKONING] 76.24 W Lattitude [LATITUDE] [BY] Obs [OBSERVATION] 56.43 South

Monday March 30th 1835 Commences with strong gales and cloudy The wind NW Steering to the S & W Took in the Top Gallant sails and double reefed the Top sails. At 12 midnight close reefed the Top sails Took in the Main Course & Jib Latter hours the wind hauling to the South Tacked ship to the N & W Took in the Fore & Mizen [MIZZEN] Top sails and reefed the Spanker So ends this day 3 men off duty. Longitude by DR [DEAD RECKONING] 77 29 West. Lattitude [LATITUDE] [BY] Obs [OBSERVATION] 56..51 South

Tuesday March 31th [31ST] 1835 Commences with strong gales and clear The wind W.S.W. Heading NW. At 4 P.M more moderate Set the Top sails close reefed & Spanker. At 5 Do. [DITTO = P.M.] the wind hauling to the N & W Tacked ship to the S & W Set whole Top sails & Top Gallant sails. Middle hours strong gales and squally Close reefed the Top sails. The wind hauling back to the South Tacked ship to the N. & W. So ends this day 3 men off duty. Longitude by Chron [CHRONOMETER] 78.13 W Longitude by DR [DEAD RECKONING] 78.24 W Lattitude [LATITUDE] [BY] Obs [OBSERVATION] 57.09 Sou [SOUTH]

Ship Telegraph bound fo the Coast of Peru

Wednesday April 1th [1ST] 1835 AD 1835 Hoping the next [MONTH?] to have 18,00 [1,800] bbls. of oil. Commences with light breezes and squally The wind W.N.W Stearing [STEERING] by the wind to the S. & W. At 12 midnight tacked ship to the N & W. Middle & latter hours fresh gales Took in the Top Gallant sales Single reefed the Fore & Mizen [MIZZEN] Top sails. Hands employed in various jobs of ships duty. So ends this day. 2 men of [OFF] duty. Longitude by Chron [CHRONOMETER] 79..59 West Long [LONGITUDE] by D.R. [DEAD RECKONING] 78..49 W. Lattitude [LATITUDE] by Obs [OBSERVATION] 56..10 Sou [SOUTH]

Thursday April 2th [2ND] 1835 Commences with fresh gales and squally Wind W by S. Steering NW by N At 12 midnight the wind hauling to the N & W. Tacked ship to the S & W. Middle & latter hours strong gales Double reefed the Top sails Stowed the Main Course. Hands employed in picking oakum drawing and knotting yarns & making spun yarn. So ends. 2 men off duty. Longitude by Chron [CHRONOMETER] 79..55 W Long [LONGITUDE] by D.R. [DEAD RECKONING] 80..22 West Latt [LATITUDE] by Obs [OBSERVATION] 55 52 Sou [SOUTH]

Friday April 3dth 1835 Throught [THROUGHOUT] these 24 hours strong gales attended with squalls of wind hail & rain. Wind W by S Steering N.N.W. Latter hours furled [FURLED] the Fore Top sail and staved the Spanker Hands employed in drawing & knotting yarns. So ends this day. 1 man of [OFF] duty. Longitude by Chron. [CHRONOMETER] 80.08 W Lattitude [LATITUDE] by D.R. [DEAD RECKONING] 81.02 West

Ship Telegraph bound for the Coast[S] of Peru & Chili [CHILE]

Saturday April 4th 1835 Commences with strong gales and squally Wind W by S Steering N.N.W. At 4 P.M. more moderate Set the Top sails double reefed At 12 midnight strong gales attended with squalls of wind hail & snow. At 4 A.M. took in the Fore & Mizen [MIZZEN] Top sails. At 8 Do. [DITTO = A.M.] set them again So ends this day. 1 man off duty. Longitude by Chron [CHRONOMETER] 79.22 Long [LONGITUDE] by D.R. [dead reckoning] 80.08 Lattitude [LATITUDE] by Obs [OBSERVATION] 53 08

Sunday April 5th 1835 Commences with strong gales and squally Wind WSW Steering NNW untill [UNTIL] 4 PM Took in the Fore & Mizen [MIZZEN] Top sails and steered NW by N. At 10 Do [DITTO = P.M.] wind more moderate Set the Top sails doubled reefed Middle & latter hours moderate breezes and pleasant Set whole Top sails & Top Gallant sails. This day saw several Sulpher [SULFUR] Bottom & Fin Back [FINBACK] whales. So ends this day Longitude by Chron [CHRONOMETER] 78.38 W Long [LONGITUDE] by DR [DEAD RECKONING] 79.34 Lattitude [LATITUDE] by Obs [OBSERVATION] 51.29 S

Monday April 6th 1835 Throught [THROUGHOUT] these 24 hours light breezes and pleasant weather. Wind W.S.W. Steering NW Hands employed in breaking out for water and lashing our spars to there [THEIR] propper [PROPER] places. Saw several Finback whales this day. So ends. 1 man off duty. Longitude by Chron [CHRONOMETER] 79.46 W Long [LONGITUDE] by DR [DEAD RECKONING] 79..03 W Lattitude [LATITUDE] by Obs [OBSERVATION] 49.36

Tuesday April 7th 1835 Commences with light breezes and pleasant weather Wind W.S.W. Steering NW. At 6 P.M calm. At 8 Do. [DITTO = P.M.] the wind hauled out from the N.N.E. and cloudy Ship heading off to N.W. by N. The wind increasing Took in the Top Gallant sails and double reefed the Top sails. So ends this day. One man off duty. Longitude by Chron [CHRONOMETER] 82.07 Long [LONGITUDE] by DR [DEAD RECKONING] 80.40 Latt [LATITUDE] by Obs [OBSERVATION] 48.13 Sou [SOUTH]

Ship Telegraph J. Egbert Howell Master Cruising on the Coast of Chile

Wednesday April 8th 1835 Commences with strong gales and cloudy attended with light showers of rain Wind North Heading W.N.W. untill [UNTIL] 4 P.M. Wore ship Heading E.N.E. Middle & latter hours strong gales and foggy Close reefed the Top sails & Spanker and set the Spencer. Hands employed in making bone scrapers and picking oakum. So ends. One man off duty. Longitude by D.R. [DEAD RECKONING] 79.36 West Sun Obscure. Latt [LATITUDE] by D.R. 79..36 So. [SOUTH]

Thursday April 9th 1835 Commences with strong gales and foggy Wind North Steering in E.N.E. Middle & latter hours more moderate Set whole Top sails & Top Gallant sails. This day saw a plenty of Fin Back [FINBACK] whales & birds of all kinds. At 8 A.M. saw a shoal of Black Fish [BLACKFISH] Lowered Struck one The iron drew. So ends. Longitude by Chron [CHRONOMETER] 76..54 West Long [LONGITUDE] by DR [DEAD RECKONING] 77.33 W Latt [LATITUDE] by Obs [OBSERVATION] 47 44 Sou [SOUTH]

Friday April 10th 1835 Commences with fresh breezes and clear Wind North Steering in E.N.E. untill [UNTIL] 8 PM Wore ship to the N. & W. Middle hours strong gales Took in the Top Gallant sail and close reefed the Top sails. Latter hours more moder[ATE] Set the Top sails & Top Gallant sails The wind hauling to the N & W. Tacked to the N. & E. At 10 AM made the land of Tres Monntes [MONTES] bearing NE. Dist [DISTANCE] 30 miles This day saw several Right whales Lowered Chaised [CHASED] Got one boat lightly concked [CONKED?] by one of them and one man hurt. So ends this day. Longitude by Chronom[ETER] 76 06 W Latt [LATITUDE] by Obs [OBSERVATION] 47..13 South

Ship Telegraph Cruising on the Coast[S] of Chile & Peru

Saturday April 11th 1835 [A PEN & INK SKETCH IN THE LEFT MARGIN DEPICTING THE REAR HALF OF A WHALE WITH TEXT: Sunk [...] lost 3 irons 1/2 shot of line.] All these 24 hours moderate breezes and pleasant weather Wind North Steering offshore untill [UNTIL] 12 midnight Tacked ship in shore untill [UNTIL] 10 A.M Tacked off. This day saw a plenty of Right whales in the chops of the Gulph [GULF] of Penas At 11 Do [DITTO = A.M.] lowered Struck one whale and the iron drew. So ends this day One man off duty The carpenter employed in repairing the stoven boat. Longitude by Chron [CHRONOMETER] 75..35 West Latt [LATITUDE] by Obs [OBSERVATION] 47..10 South

Sunday April 12th 1835 Commences with fresh breezes and a heavy swell Wind North. Steering W.N.W. Middle hours fresh gales Took in the Top Gallant sails and single reefed the Top sails. Latter hours strong gales Close reefed the Top sails Took in the Main Course & reefed the Spanker. At 11 A.M. took in the Fore & Mizen [MIZZEN] Top sails So ends this day One man off duty. Longitude by Acc [ACCOUNT] 77..28 Sun Obscure Latt [LATITUDE] by DR [DEAD RECKONING] 47..15 Sou [SOUTH]

Monday April 13th 1835 Commences with strong gales from the Northward attended with squalls of wind & rain Heading W by S. At 2 PM. took in the Main Top Sail. At 8 Do [DITTO = P.M.] more moderate Set the Main Top sail. At 9 Do [DITTO = P.M.] set the Fore & Mizen [MIZZEN] & Spanker Middle & latter hours more moderate The wind hauling to the West Tacked ship to the N & W Saw no Right whales this day So ends 2 men off duty. Longitude by Chron [CHRONOMETER] 79..03 W Lattitude by Obs [OBSERVATION] 47..22 South