Tuesday 7th July 1840 Light
airs & fine. Tacked as requisite.
4 am Ditto weather. Centre of Alderman E/N North & off Otahuhu
S1/2 E.
6:30 am Set Courses & Top Gallant sails.
8 am Light breezes & fine. North& off Otahuhu. SW/W.
9:30 am Made all sail steering for Mayor Island.
Bearings & Distance. Centre of Mayor Island SE 5 or 6 miles.
P.M. Light breezes & fine. Tacked as requisite. Working up for
Sandy Bay on SE side of Mayor Island.
4 pm Moderate & cloudy.
One tree perforated point SSE ¼ E North east end of Mayor Island SE
¼ East.
Tacked & made sail.
6 pm Moderate & cloudy. SW end of Mayor Island SE ½ S.
8 pm Ditto weather.
Midnight. Moderate & fine. SW end of Mayor Island ESE 6 miles.
Wednesday 8th July.
Light breezes & cloudy.
3 am Taken aback. Braced round on Larboard tack.
4 am Ditto weather.
Centre of Mayor Island E ½ N. 6 or 7 miles. Tacked occasionally.
8 am Light breezes & fine.
Made all sail. SW end of Mayor island E ½ S 5 or 6 miles.
8:30 am Sent Jolly boat to communicate with the natives.
Noon. Ditto weather. NW end of Mayor Island NE.
Bearings & Distance. SE end of Mayor Island E ½ S.
pm Light breezes & fine.
1 pm Hove to
3 pm Jolly Boat returned. Up boat. Filled & made sail on Starboard
tack.
4 pm Light breezes & cloudy.
Perforated Point NW, SE end of Island NE 2 or 3 miles.
6 pm Moderate & fine. Centre of Alderman NNW 3 or 4 miles.
8 pm Ditto weather. Otahuhu W ½ N.
Midnight. Moderate & cloudy.
Thursday 9th July.
Moderate & cloudy. Tacked as requisite.
4 am Ditto weather. Centre of Alderman. N/W
8 am Ditto weather. Otahuhu SW ½ W. Tacked occasionally.
11 am Shortened sail. Came to in Otahuhu Bay with S Bower in 7 feet.
Veered to 60 feet. Furled sails North end of Otahuhu N/E ½ E. South end
S/E. Middle rock W/SW.
Bearings & Distance at single anchor.
pm Moderate & cloudy with rain.
1 pm Moored ship. Down Top Gallant yards. Struck the mast. Got Jib
boom in.
4 pm Moderate & cloudy. Bent sheet cable.
8 pm Light winds & cloudy.
Midnight. Ditto weather.
Friday 10th July.
Light winds & cloudy.
4 am Light breezes & fine.
8 am Ditto weather. Employed cleaning ship.
Noon. Calm & fine. Sent Cutter & Gig on shore to haul up for
repair.
4 pm Calm & fine.
6 pm Ditto weather. Braced yards to the wind.
Midnight. Ditto weather.
Saturday 11th July.
Calm & cloudy.
4 am Moderate & cloudy.
8 am Ditto weather with drizzling rain.
Sent carpenters on shore to repair boats. Sail makers repairing sails.
Noon. Fresh breezes & squally. Up boats.
4 pm Fresh breezes & thick rainy weather.
6 pm Fresh breezes & squally.
Midnight. Ditto weather.
Sunday 12th July.
Light breezes & cloudy with drizzling rain.
4 am Ditto weather.
8 am Moderate & cloudy. Sent cutter to party in forest with tools
etc.
Noon. Ditto weather with a swell from the northward.
6 pm Strong breezes & squally.
Midnight. Ditto weather.
Monday 13th July
.
Fresh breezes with heavy squalls.
4 am Ditto weather.
8 am Moderate & fine.
Sent Cutter for firewood & carpenters on shore to repair boats.
People employed variously.
Noon. Moderate with squalls.
4 pm Ditto weather.
6 pm Ditto weather.
Midnight. Ditto weather.
Tuesday 14th July.
Moderate & fine with squalls at time.
4 am Ditto weather.
Day light. Set up Top mast rigging.
8 am Ditto weather. Sent people on shore to wash their clothes.
Noon. Moderate & fine with occasional squalls.
4 pm Ditto weather. People returned on board.
6 pm Moderate & fine.
Midnight. Ditto weather.
Wednesday 15th July
.
Light airs & fine.
4 am Ditto weather.
8 a.m. Ditto weather.
Sent carpenters on shore to repair boats. People employed variously.
Noon. Light breezes & fine.
4 pm Light breezes & cloudy.
6 pm Ditto weather.
Midnight Ditto weather.
Thursday 16th July.
Light breezes & cloudy.
4 am Ditto weather.
8 am Light wind & cloudy. Fitted Top Gallant Sails. Sent
carpenters
on shore to repair boats, Cutter for firewood. Bent Top Gallant sails.
Noon. Light breezes & cloudy.
4 pm Strong breezes & fine. Cutter returned up ditto etc.
6 pm Ditto weather with a squall from NW.
Midnight. Ditto weather.
Friday 17th July.
Strong breezes with a heavy swell.
4 am Moderate & cloudy. Launched the boats. Crossed Top Gallant
Yards.
Noon. Ditto weather.
1 pm Up moored ship and shortened in to 30 feet on S Bower.
4 pm Moderate & cloudy. Veered to 50 feet.
6 pm Moderate & fine.
8 pm Ditto weather.
Midnight. Ditto weather.
Saturday 18th July.
Moderate & fine.
4 am Moderate with rain.
8 am Light winds & fine.
9 am Weighed & made sail on Starboard tack. Observed boat on beach
in canoe pulling towards.
Fired two guns as a signal to natives to leave her. Up boats. Trimmed.
Steering for Mayor Island.
Noon. Light winds & fine.
Bearings & Distance. Centre of Alderman NNE. Light winds &
fine.
4 pm Fresh breezes & cloudy. In Top Gallant sails. Up Courses.
Hove to.
Sent boat to land the Chief of Mayor Island.
5 pm Boat returned. Up boat. Mayor Island NNW 2 miles. Filled.
6 pm Light breezes & squally. Centre of Mayor Island NNW 3 or 4
miles.
8 pm Moderate & cloudy. Island off Tauranga SW /S 4 or 6 miles.
Midnight. Ditto weather.
Sunday 19th July.
Moderate & fine.
4 am Light breezes & fine.
5 am Wore. Stood towards Mayor Island.
8 am Ditto weather.
Round Island off Tauranga S ¾ W. South end of Mayor Island NW.
9:40 am Mustered by Divisions.
Noon. Moderate & fine. South west end of Mayor Island W/W 5 or 6
miles.
pm Moderate & fine. Tacked as requisite. Sent Cutter on shore.
4 pm Moderate & cloudy. South end of Mayor Island NW 2 miles.
6 pm Ditto weather. Wore. Cutter returned. Up boat. Pah J. NW/W 2
miles.
8 pm Light breezes & fine. Centre of Mayor Island NW /1/2 N. 5 of
6 miles.
Midnight. Ditto weather.
Monday 20th July.
Light breezes & fine.
4 am Ditto weather. Wore ship.
Centre of Mayor Island NW ½ N. 3 miles. Set Driver.
6 am Tacked. Set mainsails, Top Gallant Sail & Jib.
8 am Ditto weather.
One tree perforated point S end of Mayor Island NW 4 or 5 miles.
9:30 am Sent Cutter & Gig on shore to Mayor Island for provisions
for the natives.
11 am Cutter returned bringing the Chief of the island.
Cleared boat & sent her on shore a second time. Tacked and stood
to.
Noon. Light variable winds & fine. Gig returned.
Bearings & distance. Centre of Mayor Island NNW 5 miles. Light
airs & cloudy.
1 pm Tacked.
4 pm Ditto weather. Centre of Mayor Island W 4 or 5 miles. Tacked
ship.
5 pm Cutter returned with provisions for the natives. Up boat &
filled.
6 pm Ditto weather. Centre of Mayor Island W ½ N 5 or 6 miles.
8 pm Light airs & fine. Centre of Mayor Island WS W 7 or 8 miles.
9:30 pm Trimmed & steered west.
Midnight. Moderate & fine. Centre of Mayor Island NNW 4 or 5
miles.
Tuesday 21st July.
Variable winds & fine.
Trimmed as requisite.
2 am Up Main sail & Driver.
4 am Variable winds & showery weather. Centre of Mayor Island E ½
S 4 leagues.
7:30 am Squared Yards.
8 am Moderate & showery. Mayor Island E/E. North end of Otahuhu NW
½ W.
Running along the land. Schooner in sight.
9:30 am Trimmed. Hauling in for the timber station.
11:30 am Hove to. Sent the Gig & Cutter on shore with Chief of
Mayor Island and provisions for his tribe
and various stores for the
party and an increase of 4 seamen.
**Cutter: A clinker built ship’s boat. Length 24—34 feet, pulling
eight to 14 oars and rigged originally with two masts,
with a dipping lug
foresail and standing lug mainsail. Often armed with up to 4- pounder
guns.
Noon. Moderate & fine.
Bearings & Distance. Tents at Timber Station SW ½ W 2 miles.
Castle Island N/E ½ E.
Standing off and on running along the land, working up for anchorage
in Mercury Bay. Hove to.
pm Light Breezes & fine.
2 pm Schooner in sight. Tacked as requisite.
1:45 pm Gig & Cutter returned on board bringing Jackey Worrrie,
a Chief , and 2 natives. Up boats & made sail on Starboard tack.
4 pm Light breezes & fine. Castle Is. N 2 miles. Trimmed
occasionally, running along the land. Ranged cables.
6 p.m. Ditto weather. Hauling in for Mercury Bay. Light variable
winds.
7:30 pm Taken aback. Braced round on Larboard tack. Middle Island
Mercury Bay west 2 miles.
11:30 pm The flood tide having ceased, up course, wore ship & hove
to.
Midnight. Moderate & fine.
Wednesday 22nd July.
Variable winds & cloudy.
4 am Ditto weather with showers. Middle Island Mercury Bay SW.
6 am Filled & made sail on Starboard tack.
8 am Ditto weather. Set Top Gallant Sails.
Castle Island NE ½ E. Middle Island SW ½ S. Tacked as requisite.
11 am Light variable airs. Up courses & hove to.
Commander left the ship to examine an anchorage on the north side of
Mercury Bay.
Noon. Calm & fine.
Bearings & distance. Middle of Island Mercury Bay SSW. Castle
Island SE/S
1 pm A breeze sprung up from ESE. Commander returned.
Filled & made sail running in for Mercury Bay.
3:30 pm Shortened sail & came to with S Bower in Mercury Bay in 5
½ fathoms.
Veered to 50 fathoms. Furled sails.
Marks: Tower rock E/N ¼ N. Mr. Brown’s Flagstaff SW ¼ South.
Perforated rock on the North side of the Bay.
6 pm Light airs & cloudy.
7:30 pm Dark & cloudy with heavy rain.
Midnight. Calm with showers.
Thursday 23rd July.
Calm & showery.
3 a.m. Arrived a small coasting schooner.
4 a.m. Light airs & cloudy.
8 am Ditto weather. Landed Jackie Worra, (sic) the Chief, to
get a supply of provisions for his tribe.
Tallowed the fore & after guns and struck them down the fore hold
to stiffen & trim ship.
Coiled sheet cable on fore part of main deck.
Several Native Chiefs came on board from the schooner bound to the
Thames.
Bearings & Distance. At single anchor. Light breezes & fine.
Wind shifted to the NE. Boarded the “Flying Fish” schooner. Employed
scrubbing ship’s side.
4 pm Moderate & fine. Observed a canoe in the offering firing
muskets. Answered them with a gun.
7 pm Observed a vessel in the offering showing a light. Burnt a blue
light and fired 2 muskets as signal to her.
8 pm Light breezes & cloudy.
Midnight. Ditto weather.
Friday 24th July.
Light breezes & cloudy.
4 am Ditto weather. Transported the other two guns forward on upper
deck.
8 am Ditto weather. Employed holystoning decks and as requisite. Lost
by accident, through the staff breaking, boat hooks.
Noon. Light breezes & fine. Employed blacking the bends &
securing the guns. Carpenters getting truss cleats on mast heads.
3:30 pm Jolly boat returned with Jackey Worra the Chief, and supply of
potatoes & corn for his tribe who are assisting in procuring the
cargo.
Sunset. Up boats.
Midnight. Light airs & fine.
Saturday 25th July.
Light breezes & cloudy.
Daylight. Employed scraping & greasing masts.
8 am Ditto weather. Weighed & made all sail. Hove to and landed
party of natives who came on board to assist
Jackey Worra, the Chief.
10 am Boat returned. Up boat. Filled and made sail. Standing out of
Mercury Bay. Wind shifted to SE.
Noon. Moderate & cloudy in the SE Tacked ship & stood in for
the anchorage. Breeze freshening.
1:15 pm Shortened sail and came to, with S Bower in 6 ¾ fathoms in
Cooks Bay, Mercury Bay.
Veered to 50 fathoms & furled sails.
Marks: Tower Rock on with a rock awash off the NE end of Cooks. Bay
bearing ENE entrance off Oyster Creek SE ½ S.
Mr. Browns Flagstaff SW/W
½ W and a perforated rock on N side of Mercury Bay. Moderate with rain.
Sunday 26th July.
Moderate & showery.
4 am Ditto weather.
8 am Ditto weather with passing squalls.
10 am Mustered at Divisions.
11:30 am Breeze freshening and bearing round to the eastward.
Veered to 70 fathoms & pointed the yards to the wind.
Noon. Fresh breezes & thick squally weather.
pm Ditto weather. Lost by accident, by going out of the hawser hole,
stopper lanyard 3 inch 3 fathoms.
4 pm Strong breezes & thick, squally weather.
5:30 pm Let go B Bower, veered to 25 fathoms & veered out to 100
on S Bower.
6 pm Ditto weather. Ranged the Sheet cable & pinched the sheet
anchor clear of the gunwale,
sent Top Gallant Yards on deck & housed the mast.
8 pm Fresh gale & thick cloudy weather with a heavy eastern swell.
Midnight. Ditto weather.
Monday 27th July.
Fresh gales & thick squally weather with a heavy eastern swell.
4 am Ditto weather.
8 am Ditto weather with a heavy squall. Got the Top Gallant masts on
deck.
Got Jib boom in. Struck lower yards & Top masts.
Noon. Strong gales & cloudy weather and eastern swell rolling in.
pm Ditto weather. Employed variously lashing the yards & bent
Forestay sail.
Shifted 3 shackles off south cable onto the Larboard one.
Veered to 40 fathoms on B Bower and 120 fathoms on S Bower &
double & double bitted ditto.
4 pm Ditto weather.
6 pm Ditto weather with a heavy sea.
8 pm Ditto weather with a heavy sea rolling into the bay & hard
squalls.
Divided the men into 3 watches and had an axe on deck ready to cut
away sheet anchor.
Midnight. Ditto weather with continued
.
HMS Buffalo is ship wrecked this day.
Tuesday 28th July 1840.
am. Fresh gales & land squalls with a heavy sea.
1:30 am A heavy gust of wind observed.
The breeze parted the ring bolt
of the B.B. had drawn and the stopper had carried away the ship being then
brought up by the compressor,
let go sheet anchor.Veered on both cables, the ship then riding with fair strain. 6 fathoms
on B.B. & 40 fathoms on the sheet anchor.
Got new stoppers and spare
ring bolts and used the messenger round the main mast as an extra stopper
for sheet cable.
Hauled in the slack chain of S.B. and found that 91/3
shackles were left. Lost anchor.
Shackled the remaining pair
of S.B. chain to the S. bream anchor. and hung the anchor at the larboard
catted.
4 am Heavy gales with rain and a heavy sea.
Employed replacing lost stoppers and ranged the cable for stream anchor.
Another heavy gust of wind, approaching to a hurricane.
About 5 am A sudden jerk on sheet cable and found it had parted.
Observed the ship driving and let go stream anchor & veered to the
clinch. 70 fathoms.
The ship still driving fast. Occasionally bracing up.
5:30 am in 40 fathoms of water and gradually & gradually decreasing.
Battened down the hatches and secured the dead lights fore and aft.
Swayed the foreyard up & got ship ropes and buoys on the cables
& saw all clear for stripping.
Started to turn of water and hoisted 20 caskets of provisions out of the
after hold to trim ship.
A party employed pumping ship.
6:30 am Dark, thick weather, blowing a hurricane with an awful sea.
The
ship struck and carried away the pintleof rudder after
driving forward for 3 miles.
** Pintle: A vertical metal pin attached to leading edge of rudder.
Hoisted the distress signals and cast loose a gun, to secure it being
useless and dangerous in consequence of the ships rolling so heavily.
Now 1/2 past 7 and barely daylight. The ship striking heavily & the
sea beating through the dead lights and rudder coat.
Opened the spirit room and found the water within 3 feet of the hatches.
8 am Ditto weather.
8:15 am Observed a reef or sandy bar about 1 1/2 cables to sea ward. The
ship still driving towards it and striking often in less than 4 fathoms
water.
Braced the head yards to cast the ship to starboard and hauled aft
the starboard stay sail sheet and when the wind came on the larboard bow,
slipped the cables, filled the head sail and set main tri sail to force
her over the shallow for the purpose of getting into Mercury River.
Observed pieces of keel float up
alongside occasionally.
While going in from a most destructive sea and no abatement whatever in the
wind, but rather blowing harder.
The ship touching between the heave of every sea and the rudder being
disables steering by sails.
About 9 am Past the point and kept the weather shore on board in
consequences of the ebb tide running.
The wind lulling occasionally under
the highland. Trimmed sails often.
9:15 am Placed the ship on shore under the land where a flagstaff
erected.
Observed at this time the ebb tide 3 knots. The heavy swell rolling in
caused the ships bell to ring & mast to tremble much.
A party employed
at pump and party stocking the kedge anchor.
Lowered the Cutter and got hawser coiled in there ready for use. had the
ship’s Log,
Account and Muster books etc secured in a strong chest and
placed on deck. The ship at this time was gradually
forging ahead but very trifling.
Observed large pieces of her keel come up alongside. Lowered all boats
down, excepting the Gig, for the purpose of lightening the ship and for
other use if required.
In the course of a few minutes, a heavy gust came
of the highland and payed her head off to Starboard.
** Pay off: A sailing vessels head pays off when it falls further off
the direction of the wind and drops to the leeward.
Squared the head yards to let her come to, but the ebb tide running
strong and the off no use and the ship full of water, worked herself off
the rocky shore.
Clewed head sails and hauled down the stay sails, after
head now falling off, so as to bring the wind down dead aft and her stern
not being entirely clear of the ground,
we again manned the pumps and
scuttled the main cabin decks in various parts.
Found in our present situation that the boats were of no further use,
hauled the hawser out of the cutter for the purpose of hoisting her up.
Suddenly, a gust of wind with a considerable swell, forced the ship on the
other side of the channel.
Ordered the boats to pull over on the weather shore for their safety.
The wind and sea now increasing,.
Hauled up the fore sheets, set forestay sail and main tri sail to force
her on shore and keep her end on. It being a suitable part of the river
for the safety of lives and property.
The flood tide ceasing, took in the
sail, the ship being now well driven on shore, inclining a little to port.
About noon, observed the two cutters and jolly boat washed on shore by
the surf and out of 4 men in the boats, we observed only 2 land.
(Seaman
Charles Moore & boy, John Cornes –also known as Carnis– from
Chatham Islands, drowned.) The natives assisted in hauling up the
boats.
Cut away the Gig, the sea having broken her in two pieces.
Got sails occasionally over the stern to prevent the water rushing in,
but not withstanding, from very heavy seas striking her were of no use.
The stern by now nearly broken in above the Gun Room.
Midnight.
Ditto weather. The sea striking the ship very heavily.
Wednesday 29th July.
am Heavy gales with continued rain, the surf striking the ship heavily
against the stern
and at this time the Captain’s cabin bulk heads were
cleared fore and aft and the Gun Room on the weather side.
1:45 am Heavy rain and lull in the wind, shifted to the southward.
4 am Moderate with heavy rain, the surf striking the ship as above.
daylight. Observed the natives rendering their assistance in preserving
various parts of the wreck which floated on shore.
8 am More moderate. People employed preparing to land and launched the
lower yards overboard.
Noon. light breeze & cloudy.
The surf striking violently against the stern.
Observed a great quantity of sand had been washed thro the stern on main
deck.
pm. Ditto weather.
A native swam on shore with a rope and made fast.
Landed the ship’s company, hammocks and bags.
The natives launched the cutter and came off with the two men that was
landed yesterday.
Landed the Gunner and 23 men with provisions and the Clerk with the ship’s
books and accounts etc.
4 pm Ditto weather.
The surf rising with the flood tide.
Ceased landing, leaving on board the Commander (James Wood) Mr.
Cheeseman and 17 men.
Midnight. Ditto weather. Ship water logged.
Thursday 30th July . Moderate
with a heavy surf.
4 am Light breeze and cloudy.
Daylight. Landed various stores and provisions as they came to hand.
8 am Ditto weather. Employed as above.
Noon. Ditto weather. Observed starboard bilge stove in.
pm. Employed getting out provisions etc.
4 pm Cut the main mast and foremast away to ease the ship and prevent
her bilging.
6 pm Ditto weather.
8 pm Ditto weather.
Midnight. Light breeze and fine.
Friday 31st July.
Light breeze
and fine with moderate surf.
4 am Ditto weather.
Daylight. Employed variously landing provisions and placing them in a
private store, under the care of Captain Stewart.
Hired the “Flying Fish,” Schooner to bring the party from the forest
to assist in clearing up the wreck.
Noon. Schooner sailed.
pm Fine weather. Commander sounding about stern of ship. Employed as am.
Midnight. Light breeze and cloudy with moderate surf.
Saturday 1st. August.
Ditto weather and cloudy.
Daylight. Landed barter stores and provisions under the care of Captain
Stewart,
in a private store and Marine Sentential.
Noon. The wind variable and inclining to the northward.
The water above the main deck at high water.
pm Fresh breezes and squally showery weather. Employed as above.
4 pm Ditto weather with a moderate surf.
6 pm More moderate and variable weather.
8 pm Light breezes and showery.
Midnight. Squally, rainy weather.
Sunday 2nd August.
Moderate with occasional squalls.
4 am More moderate. Employed as yesterday landing various stores and a
few
casks of provisions as far as the tide would permit.
Observed the Schooner in the offering.
pm. Fresh breezes and showery. Employed as am
4 pm Ditto weather. Mr. Paul, the two Purveyors and the party, arrived
on board
in the Pinnace, having left the schooner in the offering and an Officer,
Sergeant
and 3 Sentential to protect the property in the forest.
6 pm Ditto weather. Moored barge in river.
Midnight. Light breeze and cloudy.
Monday 3rd August. Strong
breeze with showers at times.
Sent Mr. Paul and the timber party to land on the opposite side of the
wreck and cover a store of Mr. Brown’s for them to live in.
Employed
sending sundry stores from the wreck to that place.
Noon. Strong breeze and fine.
pm Employed as above.
4 pm Ditto weather The Commander sent messenger to Coromandel
harbour, with a letter.
Tuesday 4th August. Party
employed at Mr. Brown’s store, stowing and receiving provisions and a
party
on board sending provisions and creeping for them.
Noon. Fine weather.
pm Employed as above. The
Commander and the remainder of the crew
finally landed to live on shore, the same side
as the wreck of the ship.
Midnight. Moderate, with rain at times.
Wednesday 5th August.
People employed at doubling and arranging their tents.
Noon. Moderate and fine.
pm Employed storing stores at Mr. Brown’s store.
Midnight. Moderate and fine.
Thursday 6th August.
8 am A Barque in sight, working up the Bay.
A party on board the ship, creeping up the Spirits etc out of the Spirit
room.
Mr. Paul sent 2nd Master, Messrs. Laslett and Barnaby Purveyors,
and John Perkins Senior Carpenter’s Mate, surveying the ship.
A party on shore cutting up the masts to clear the remains of the
rigging and digging
up the remains of the Hemp cable, buried in the sand.
2 pm The barque “Bolina,” arrived from Coromandel Harbour. (Owner:
Ben Boyd of New South Wales.)
Mr. Webster, owner and timber merchant at that place, visited the
Commander.
Midnight. Moderate and fine.
Friday 7th August.
A party on board the ship employed as yesterday and a party on shore
employed also.
The Barque Bolina working onto the river. Sent a party to assist her.
Noon. Moderate and fine. Sent Mr. Cheeseman (2nd master) to the Bay of
Islands in the Flying Fish schooner.
Lent William Booth and Mr. Dunn to
assist in working her.
Midnight. Moderate and fine.
Left: A reproduction of the original figurehead, by Rick Swain,
is on H.M.S. Buffalo, at Glenelg, Adelaide, Australia.
This magnificent, full sized replica of H.M.S. Buffalo, is used as
restaurant.
Courtesy of the Mercury Bay Museum, New Zealand.
Saturday 8th August.
A party on board the Bolina heading her into the river.
Parties employed as yesterday. Also getting the planking off the lower deck
to floor and store at Mr. Brown’s for the people to live in.
Noon. Moderate and fine. The Barque moored in her proper place.
pm. Employed as above.
Midnight. Moderate and light rain.
Sunday 9th August.
Moderate with light rain
8 am Fresh breezes and rainy
10 am Mustered and performed Divine service. Read the Articles of War.
The surf breaking against the ship.
Noon Ditto weather
Midnight. Fresh breezes with much rain.
Monday 10th August.
Fresh breezes with much rain.
Carpenters employed flooring a store as above
Surf breaking heavily against the ship. Prevents communications for work.
Noon. Fresh breezes and heavy rain.
pm Ditto weather.
Employed as above.
Midnight. Ditto weather.
Tuesday 11th August.
Ditto Weather.
Carpenter employed as yesterday. Heavy surf against the ship prevents
getting onboard.
Sent Mr. Paul, two Purveyors and sent carpenters mate to survey the Barque
Bolina.
Now strong breezes and heavy rain.
pm Ditto weather. Employed as above.
Midnight. Now moderate with showers of rain.
Wednesday 12th August.
Moderate with passing showers.
People employed on the beach stripping the wrecks of the mast`& there
being too much surf to get alongside the ship,
carpenters repairing the second
cutter, which was stove when washed onshore in the gale.
Noon. Moderate and fine.
pm Employed as above.
Midnight. Moderate and fine.
Thursday 13th August.
Moderate and fine.
Less surf alongside the ship. People went on board to work, but o the tide's
falling,
it began to break heavily and were obliged to leave it.
A party on the beach stripping masts.
Noon. Moderate and fine.
pm Ditto weather. Employed as above.
Arrived H. M. Revenue Cutter, Ranger sent here by His Excellency the
Lieutenant Governor to assist.
8:20 pm Sailed with Mr. Paul on board to go to timber station to bring away
the
remains of the party and stores.
Midnight. Light airs and fine.
Friday 14th August.
Light airs and fine.
People at work onboard employed getting the hemp cable messenger and
onshore sundry stores and clearing the wreck. Carpenters cutting a hole in
the
starboard side to get at the after hold and Spirit Room.
Noon. Moderate and fine.
pm Employed as above.
Midnight. Moderate and fine.
Saturday 15th August.
Moderate with rain.
People employed creeping provisions up and landing them at the
stores.
** Creeper: Another name for the small four hooked grapnel used to recover
articles dropped on the sea bed by dragging for them.
Revenue cutter in sight, working up.
Noon Fresh breezes and fine.
pm. Ditto weather. Employed as above. Arrived the Revenue cutter with party
and stores from forest.
Midnight. Fresh breezes and fine.
Sunday 16th August.
Fresh breezes and fine.
The party living at Mr. Brown's store, building a tent and shifting to the
opposite of water,
the remained mustered and served with slops.
Noon. Ditto weather.
pm Ditto weather.
Midnight. Fresh breezes and rainy.
Monday 17th August.
Fresh breezes and rainy.
The ebb tide running out and blowing very hard prevents getting on board the
ship to work.
A party employed clearing the Ranger Revenue cutter of the stores from the
forest.
Noon. Ditto weather.
pm Employed as above.
Midnight. Rain at times.
Tuesday 18th August. Rain at
times.
Issued slops to the remainder
of the ship's company.
**Slops: Ready-made clothing issued to seamen on re payment against their
pay.
Noon. Fresh breezes with passing showers.
Carpenters employed on board ship, slipping off the poop for laying a deck
in the Bolina. Scuttled the deck over the magazine and got a great quantity of
powder out.
( But all bad.) Also got at some of the tanks. The schooner in
sight working up.
Midnight. Fresh breezes and rainy at times.
Wednesday 19th August
.
Fresh breezes and cloudy.
Employed landing the powder and sundry boats and carpenters stores. Employed
as yesterday.
Arrived the “Flying Fish” (Schooner) with Mr. Cheeseman from the Bay of
Islands.
pm Ditto weather.
The people on board employed creeping up provisions. The Gunner and a party
at the store examining powder.
Sailed the Ranger (R..C..) for the Bay of
Islands with stores from the wreck.
Midnight. Fresh breezes and squally.
Thursday 20th August.
Fresh breezes with squally and rain.
Employed sending provisions, powder, tanks and sundry stores from the wreck
to the stores.
Noon. Strong breezes and squally.
pm Could not work at the hold of the wreck, the tide being too high.
A party employed loading the Flying Fish (Schooner) with sundry stores for
the Bay of Islands.
Midnight. Fresh breezes with passing showers.
Friday 21st August.
Fresh breezes with passing showers.
People on board the wreck and crept up some provisions, tanks and guns.
Employed landing them at the store.
A party loading the schooner as above.
Carpenters cutting a scuttle in the Starboard Bow to get at the coal hole.
pm Employed as above. Landed the fire hearths.
Found on the beach, about 15 feet of the after part of the main keel with a
piece of the
StarboardGarboard strake attached to it.
** Garboard Srake: The first plank on the outer hull of a wooden vessel next
to the keel. It runs from stem to sternpost.
Midnight. Light airs and fine.
Saturday 22nd August.
Light airs and fine.
Employed getting up tanks. Carpenters cutting a hole in the starboard bow to
get at stores.
A party loading the schooner.
Noon. Light breezes and fine.
pm Employed landing tanks, plank and sundry stores.
Crept up today, found them all much covered with sand.
Midnight. Cloudy with showers at times.
Sunday 23rd August.
Ditto weather.
Daylight. Sailed the Flying Fish schooner for the Bay of Islands.
Sent Mr. Bowen (2nd Mate) and William Booth seaman, in above.
10 am Mustered and read the Articles of War.
Noon. Fresh breezes and fine.
pm. Ditto weather.
Midnight. Ditto weather with passing showers.
Monday 24th August
.
Fresh breezes and squally with passing showers.
People employed on board creeping up provisions, stores and planks and
landing them.
Carpenters clearing away the forecastle deck for getting out the Bowsprit.
Noon. Fresh breezes and squally.
pm Ditto weather. Employed as above.
Midnight. Fresh breezes with squalls of rain.
Tuesday 25th August.
Fresh breezes with rain at times.
Employed sending plank on shore and getting up some tanks and a party
digging up
and clearing rigging on the beach.
Noon. Fresh breezes with passing showers.
pm Employed landing the tanks.
Got the Bowsprit overboard and landed it, and sundry other stores.
Sent Mr. Smith (Gunner) with 8 men and a cutter, in the Bolina, to Cooks Bay
to sweep and look for the anchor parted from in the gale.
Midnight. Squally with showers.
Wednesday 26th August.
Squally with showers.
A party employed on the beach as yesterday, one also on board creeping up
tanks.
Carpenters repairing boats and preparing planks for fitting up the Bolina
and ripping
up the forecastle decks of the ship.
Noon. Moderate and fine.
pm Ditto weather.
Employed as above and landing tanks. A schooner in sight, working up the
bay.
Midnight. Moderate with passing showers.
Thursday 27th August.
Moderate with showers occasionally.
A party employed on the beach as yesterday. People landing plank etc from
the ship.
Carpenters repairing Jolly Boat and as yesterday.
Noon. Fresh breezes and fine.
pm Employed as above.
Midnight. Moderate and fine.
Friday 28th August.
Moderate and fine.
Sent the Pinnace with a party to assist the Barque, weighing the anchor.
People employed on the wreck and on shore, as yesterday.
Landed the pumps, water closets and cisterns.
Noon. Moderate and fine.
pm Ditto weather.
Pinnace returned, the Barque having recovered the two Bower anchors with
part of the chain.
Midnight. Moderate and fine.
Saturday 29th August.
Moderate and fine with occasional showers.
A party on board the wreck, and a party on shore cleaning tanks.
Party on board the Barque employed as above. A fresh breeze from the N.E.
Noon. Strong breezes and squally, with heavy rain.
The Barque having come into the river having recovered the two bowers and
sheet anchors.
Midnight. Strong breeze and squally, with much rain.
Sunday 30th August
.
Strong
breezes and squally with rain.
10 am Mustered ship's company.
Noon. More moderate and cloudy.
Midnight. Moderate with rain at times.
Monday 31st August
.
Moderate with rain at times.
A party in the Pinnacle and 1st Cutter sweeping for the stream anchor, lost
in the gale.
People cleaning and white washing tanks on Mr. Brown's wharf, and a party
discharging the ballast from the Bolina preparatory to receiving the stores.
Carpenters on board laying deck and preparing plank for the same purpose on
shore.
Noon. Fresh breezes and cloudy.
pm Employed as above. The boats left, not being able to find the anchor.
Midnight. Squally.
Tuesday 1st September
.
Squally with showers of rain.
Party employed as yesterday, jagging up old running gear.
Noon. Moderate with occasional showers.
pm Employed as above.
Midnight. Ditto weather.
Wednesday 2nd September.
Moderate and cloudy.
Employed stowing tanks etc. chain cables an board the Bolina.
Painter and carpenters employed as above.
Noon. Fresh breezes and fine.
pm Ditto weather. Employed as above.
Midnight. Light breezes and cloudy.
Thursday 3rd September.
Light breezes and cloudy.
Employed transporting and stowing stores on board the Bolina.
Parties and carpenters employed as above and repairing the 1st Cutter.
Noon. Fresh breezes and fine.
pm Ditto weather. Employed as above.
Midnight. Strong breezes and squally with heavy rain.
Friday 4th September.
Strong breezes and squally with heavy rain.
People employed as yesterday and transporting provisions and Rum and stowing
them away.
Noon. Fresh breezes and squally.
pm Ditto weather. Employed as above.
Midnight. Squally with rain.
Saturday 5th September
.
Squally weather.
Employed storing provisions and sundry, Boatswain and Carpenter's stores on
board Bolina.
Carpenters employed as before.
11 am Arrived, the Coromandel Schooner from the southwards.
Noon. Moderate and fine.
pm Employed as above.
Midnight. Moderate and fine.
Sunday 6th September. Moderate
and fine.
8 am Clam and fine.
10 am Mustered ship's company.
Noon. Moderate breezes and fine.
pm. Ditto weather.
6 pm Mr. Paul placed Mr. Russell (assistant Surgeon) under an arrest for
treating him with disrespect and calling him a bloody (2nd master.)
Midnight. Light breezes and fine.
Monday 7th September
.
Moderate breezes and fine.
8 am Calm and fine. People employed transporting stores etc on board the
Bolina.
Carpenters employed as before. A party sawing up ends of masts for firewood.
Noon. Moderate breezes and fine.
pm Employed as above.
Midnight. Light breezes and fine.
Tuesday 8th September
.
Moderate and fine. People employed transporting stores etc
on board the Bolina and sawing up ends of masts for firewood and as
yesterday.
Noon. Ditto weather.
pm Ditto weather. Employed as above.
Midnight. Light winds and cloudy.
Wednesday 9th September.
Light winds and cloudy.
Employed filling water and getting provisions, firewood on board Bolina.
Noon. Light winds with rain.
pm Ditto weather. Employed as above and as most requisite.
Sunset. Heavy rain.
Midnight. Ditto weather.
Thursday 10th September.
Heavy rain.
8 am Cloudy weather with passing showers.
Employed watering and getting firewood on board. Carpenters employed as
before.
Noon. Ditto weather.
pm. Ditto weather. Employed as before.
Sunset. Showers of rain.
Midnight. Fresh breezes and squally.
Friday 11th September.
Fresh breezes and squally.
8 am Moderate and cloudy. Employed getting in water, getting firewood and
coals on board.
Carpenters employed as before and making supporters over the second deck to
hold the Cutters.
Sailed the Coromandel, complete water with 18 tons.
Noon. Cloudy weather. Issued 1 lb of flour per man per day in lieu of bread.
Midnight. Moderate with heavy rain.
Saturday 12th September.
Moderate with heavy rain.
4 am Strong breezes and squally with rain. People employed variously.
Noon. Showers of rain.
pm Ditto weather. Employed as above.
Midnight. Moderate and fine.
Sunday 13th September.
Moderate and fine.
8 am Calm and fine.
10 am Mustered ship's company.
Noon. Light breezes and fine.
pm Ditto weather. Carpenters employed preparing Pinnace and Cutter's gear,
and masts to go to the southward to the forest.
8 am Sent Mr. Paul with 20 men, in the Pinnace and Cutter, to bring away the
old sails which form the men's tents.
Midnight. Calm and fine.
Monday 14th September.
Calm and fine.
8 am Ditto weather. A party taking sails on board the Bolina and a party
also employed
hauling the spars (saved) up at Mr. Brown's store. Carpenters employed as
before.
Noon. Moderate and fine.
pm Ditto weather. Employed as above.
5 pm. Mr. Paul returned with his party, sails etc.
Midnight. Moderately cloudy.
Tuesday 15th September.
Moderate and cloudy.
Employed transporting sundries on board. Carpenters employed as requisite.
Noon. Variable, rainy weather at times.
pm Ditto weather. Employed as above.
8 pm Heavy rain, thunder and vivid lightening.
Midnight. Ditto weather.
Wednesday 16th September.
Rain, with thunder and lightening.
8 am Moderate and cloudy. People employed scrubbing hammocks and washing
clothes.
Noon. Fresh breezes and cloudy with passing showers.
pm Ditto weather. Employed as above.
Midnight. Moderate and cloudy.
Thursday 17th September.
Moderate and cloudy.
8 am Moderate and fine. Employed taking the seamen's chests on board etc.
Noon. Moderate and fine.
pm Ditto weather. Employed as above.
Midnight. Moderate and fine.
Friday 18th September.
Moderate and fine.
Employed taking hammocks and bags on board, pulling down the tents and
making up sails etc.
Noon. Moderate and fine. Employed as above.
pm. Employed as above.
Midnight. Heavy rain.
Saturday 19th September.
Heavy rain.
8 am Moderate and cloudy. Employed getting all the spars, sending some on
board and hauling others up at Mr. Brown's pound.
Noon. Fresh breezes with passing showers.
pm Ditto weather. Employed making up the remaining tents in spare sails.
Hoisted in the Cutters and spare sails and stowed them on the skids and
prepared for sea.
Midnight. Moderate and cloudy.
Sunday 20th September
.
Moderate and cloudy.
8 am Fresh breezes and cloudy. Got the cooking utensils on board and ready
cooked meat for ship's company. Unmoored ship and in Boats.
10 am Mr. Stewart (Pilot) came on board and took charge of the ship.
Weighed and made sail out of the harbour.
11 am Pilot left the ship.
Noon. Moderate and fine. Pinnace in tow.
pm Ditto weather. Put ship's company into three watches.
Midnight. Moderate and fine.
Monday 21st September
.
Moderate and fine.
4 am Ditto weather.
Daylight. Observed the Poor Knights, bearing south.
8 am Cape Brett west, 15 miles.
Noon. Moderate and fine.
pm. Ditto weather. Tacked occasionally, working to wind-wards.
Midnight. Light breezes and fine.
Tuesday 22nd September
.
Light breezes and fine. Tacked occasionally.
4 am Cape Brett South east by east 5 or 6 miles.
8 am Ditto weather.
Noon. Moderate and fine. Nine Pin rock west by north 3 or 4 miles. Working
up the Bay of Islands.
5 pm Sheeved north to the Favourite.
6:30 pm. Anchored off Kororaki Point in 8 fathoms.
Midnight. Light winds and fine.
Wednesday 23rd September
.
Light winds and fine.
8 am Calm and fine. Anchored H.M.S. Ranger Cutter.
10:30 am A breeze from the South east. Weighed and made sail, standing up
the Bay.
Passed HMS Favourite att anchor in Koreroraka Bay.
11:30 am Shortened sail and anchored off the Governor's residence.
Noon. Ditto weather. Arrived the Britomart.
Midnight. Moderate and cloudy.
Thursday 24th September.
Moderate and cloudy.
8 am Ditto weather. People employed sweeping for the Barque’s anchor lost
yesterday.
Noon. Ditto weather.
pm Ditto weather. Employed as above.
Midnight. Moderate with rain.
Friday 25th September.
Squally with rain.
8 am Ditto weather.
Noon. Rainy weather.
pm Ditto weather.
Midnight. Variable winds and cloudy.
Saturday 26th September.
Ditto weather. Loosed sails. Employed sweeping for the anchor.
Received 200 pounds of fresh meat from the Colonial stores.
pm Moderate and fine. Found the anchor.
Midnight. Light breezes and fine.
Sunday 27th September.
Light breezes and fine.
8 am Ditto weather.
10 am Mustered by Divisions.
Noon. Light airs and fine.
pm Ditto weather.
Midnight. Calm and fine.
Monday 28th September.
Calm and fine. Employed landing stores saved from the wreck,
preparatory to being surveyed at the Government wharfs.
Noon. Light winds and fine.
pm Ditto weather. Employed as above.
Midnight. Light airs and fine.
Tuesday 29th September.
Light airs and fine. Employed landing stores.
Noon. Moderate and fine.
pm Ditto weather.
Midnight. Calm and fine.
Wednesday 30th September.
Calm and fine.
Employed landing stores etc. Surveying Officers employed examining them and
provisions on board.