Whaling Log of the Iris, 1844-1846, Vol. I

Barque Iris for the South Atlantic

Remarks on board

Sunday September 1rst 1844 Comes in with light airs from the N & E. Middle part calm. Latter part light airs from the N & E. Swell heavy from the Southward. Saw three sail[S]. Latt [LATITUDE] Obs [OBSERVATION] 14°=21" N Long [LONGITUDE] by Chro [CHRONOMETER] 25°=45" W

Monday Sept 2ond Fore part calm. Middle and latter parts breezes from the Eastward. Steer by the wind South. Latt [LATITUDE] Obs [OBSERVATION] 13°=19" N Long [LONGITUDE] by Chro [CHRONOMETER] 25 42

Tuesday Sept. 3rd First and last of these 24 hours light variable breezes. Middle part calm. Hands employed at setting up the head rigging. Latt [LATITUDE] Obs [OBSERVATION] 12=57" N Long [LONGITUDE] by Chro [CHRONOMETER] 25=30" W

Wednesday Sept 4th Comes in with moderate breezes from the S & W. Steer by the wind [TO] the SE. At 10 PM wind freshening. Take in top gallants and reef the top sails. At 2 AM furled the fore top sail with a heavy and steady gale from SW with a verry [VERY] high sea. Latter part set the fore top sail close reefed. So ends this day. Latt [LATITUDE] Obs [OBSERVATION] 12 40 Long [LONGITUDE] by Chro [CHRONOMETER] 24 06 West

Thursday Sept 5th Comes in with a gale from the S & W. Ship under close reefed top sails. Middle part moderating. Made sail accordingly. Latter part calm. Employed at setting up riging [RIGGING]. Latt [LATITUDE] Obs [OBSERVATION] 12°=24" N Long [LONGITUDE] by Chro [CHRONOMETER] 22°=56" W

Friday Sept 6th Commences calm. Middle part a light breeze from the N Eastward. Steer S [by W CROSSED OUT] with all sail set. Crew variously employed. Latt [LATITUDE] Obs [OBSERVATION] 11°=27" S [NORTH] Long [LONGITUDE] by Chro [CHRONOMETER] 22 46

Saturday Sept 7th Fore and middle part[S] of these 24 hours moderate gales from the N & E. Steer S by W. Latt [LATITUDE] Obs [OBSERVATION] 9°=55" South [NORTH] Long [LONGITUDE] by Chro [CHRONOMETER] 22°=41"

Iris at Sea Bound to the South Atlantic

Remarks on board

Sunday September 8th 1844 Fore part of these twenty[-]four hours moderate breezes from NNE. Steer S by W 1/2 W. Middle and latter parts calm. Latt [LATITUDE] Obs [OBSERVATION] 9°=22" South [NORTH] Long [LONGITUDE] by Chro [CHRONOMETER] 22°=50" West

Monday September 9 Fore part of these 24 hours calm. Middle part breezes and squally from the S & W. Latter part a heavy gale from WSW. Carry double reefs. Latt [LATITUDE] Obs [OBSERVATION] 8=21 N Long [LONGITUDE] by Chro [CHRONOMETER] 21=50 West

Tuesday Sept 10th Comes with light variable breezes attended with rain squalls. Middle part fresh from the Westward. Several sail[S] in sight. So ends. Latt [LATITUDE] Obs [OBSERVATION] 7=17" N Long [LONGITUDE] by Chro [CHRONOMETER] 21=16 W

Wednesday Sept 11th Fore part of these 24 hours variable winds. Latter part fresh and squally from WS Westerly. The wind to the S & E. So ends the day. Latt [LATITUDE] Obs [OBSERVATION] 6°=12" N Long [LONGITUDE] by Chro [CHRONOMETER] 20°=27" W

Thursday Sept 12th Fore part of these 24 hours wind from the S & W varying occasionally and attended with heavy showers of rain. Latter part steady breeze from SSW. Steer by the wind SE. Latt [LATITUDE] Obs [OBSERVATION] 5°=37" N Long [LONGITUDE] by Chro [CHRONOMETER] 18°=52"

Friday Sept 13th This 24 hours we have fresh breezes and squally from the S & W changing often. Steer by the wind S & E. Latt [LATITUDE] Obs [OBSERVATION] 5°=18" N Long [LONGITUDE] by Chro [CHRONOMETER] 16°=50"

Saturday Sept 14th This 24 hours wind fresh winds and variable attended with squalls of wind and rain. Tack ship as occasion requires. So ends. Latt [LATITUDE] by Acct [ACCOUNT] 5°=00" South [NORTH] Long [LONGITUDE] by Acct [ACCOUNT] 16°=30"

At Sea At Sea

Remarks on board

Sunday Sept 15th Comes in with fresh gales and squally from the S & W. At 3 PM tack ship [TO] the Eastward. At 8 AM wind hauling [West CROSSED OUT] Easterly. Tack to Westward. Ship under reefed top sails the most of the time. Latt [LATITUDE] Obs [OBSERVATION] 4=40" N Long [LONGITUDE] by Chro [CHRONOMETER] 16=43 W

Monday Sept 16th All of this 24 hours fresh gales from the Southward. Steer by the wind S & W. Latter part wind hauls Easterly. Crew variously employed. Latt [LATITUDE] Obs [OBSERVATION] 3°=55" N Long [LONGITUDE] by Chro. [CHRONOMETER] 18°=03" W

Tuesday Sept 17th All of these 24 hours we have pleasant trades from the S, a little East. Steer by the wind WSW. Employed at various jobs. Latt [LATITUDE] Obs [OBSERVATION] 2°=52" N Long [LONGITUDE] by Chro [CHRONOMETER] 19°=39" W

Wednesday Sept 18th Fresh gales from the S & E. Steer by the wind S by W with top gallants set. Saw two sail[S]. So ends the day etc. Latt [LATITUDE] Obs [OBSERVATION] 1°=44" N Long [LONGITUDE] by Chro. [CHRONOMETER] 21°=31"

Thursday Sept 19th All of this 24 hours fresh gales and squally from the S & E. Steer by the wind [TO] the S & W. Latt [LATITUDE] Obs [OBSERVATION] 00°=37" N Long [LONGITUDE] by Chro. [CHRONOMETER] 23°=01"

Friday Sept 20th Strong SE trades. Steer by the wind SSW with a main top gallant set. . Latt [LATITUDE] Obs [OBSERVATION] 1°=07" South Long [LONGITUDE] 23°=49" West

Saturday Sept 21rst Strong gales from the SSE. Steer by the wind SW with all sail set. So ends. Latt [LATITUDE] Obs [OBSERVATION] 2°=42" South Long [LONGITUDE] by Chro. [CHRONOMETER] 24°=46"

Sunday Sept 22ond Strong gales and cloudy. Steer by the wind SSW with all possible sail. Latt [LATITUDE] Obs [OBSERVATION] 4°=47" South Long [LONGITUDE] by Chro [CHRONOMETER] 25°=24" W

Bark Iris in the South Atlantic

Remarks on board

Monday Sept 22ond 1844 This 24 hours we have pleasant gales from the SE by E. Steer by the wind to the S & W with all sail. Hands variously employed. Latt [LATITUDE] Obs [OBSERVATION] 6=42 South Long [LONGITUDE] by Chro [CHRONOMETER] 26°=22"

Tuesday 24th This 24 hours light breezes and pleasant weather. Steer by the wind to the S & W. Employed at various jobs of carpenter, etc. Latt [LATITUDE] Obs [OBSERVATION] 8°=26" South Long [LONGITUDE] by Chro [CHRONOMETER] 27°=03"

Wednesday Sept 25th All of this 24 hours fine pleasant gales from the ESE. Steer by the wind to the S & W. So ends the day etc. Latt [LATITUDE] Obs [OBSERVATION] 10°=10" Long [LONGITUDE] by Chro [CHRONOMETER] 27°=23" W

Thursday Sept 26th All of these 24 hours pleasant gales from the ESE. Steer by the wind SSW with top gallant sails. So ends. Latt [LATITUDE] Obs [OBSERVATION] 11°=46" South Long [LONGITUDE] by Chro [CHRONOMETER] 27°=49"

Friday Sept 27th This 24 hours light breezes from the East, ESE. Latter part the same. So ends. Latt [LATITUDE] Obs [OBSERVATION] 13.28 Long [LONGITUDE] by Chro [CHRONOMETER] 28=13 W

Saturday Sept 28th Moderate breezes from the Eastward. Steer S by E. Employed at repairing sails. Latt [LATITUDE] Obs [OBSERVATION] 15°=06" South Long [LONGITUDE] by Chro [CHRONOMETER] 28°=07" W

Sunday Sept 29th Light airs from the Eastward. Steer S by E with all sail set. So ends. Latt [LATITUDE] Obs [OBSERVATION] 16°=01" Long [LONGITUDE] by Chro [CHRONOMETER] 27°=58"

Monday Sept 30th This 24 hours moderate weather, light airs and calms. Saw one ship [TO] the Eastward. Latt [LATITUDE] Obs [OBSERVATION] 16°=19" South Long [LONGITUDE] by Chro [CHRONOMETER] 28 05

Remarks on board

Tuesday Oct 1rst 1844 This 24 hours['] fore parts [PART] light airs from the S & E. Steer by the wind to the S & W. Hands employed at various jobs of ships duty. Latt [LATITUDE] Obs [OBSERVATION] 161° 56" N [SOUTH] Long [LONGITUDE] by Chro. [CHRONOMETER] 28°=04"

Wednesday Oct 2ond Light breezes from the S & E. Steer by the wind to the S & W. Variously employed. So ends. Latt [LATITUDE] Obs [OBSERVATION] 17°=51" South Long [LONGITUDE] by Chro [CHRONOMETER] 28°-23"

Thursday Oct 3rd This 24 hours fresh breezes from the S & E. Steer SSW with all sail set. So ends. Latt [LATITUDE] Obs [OBSERVATION] 19°=40" South Long [LONGITUDE] by Chro [CHRONOMETER] 29°=02"

Friday Oct 4th This 24 hours light breezes from the S & E. Steer SSW. At 5 AM saw the Island of Trinidad bearing E by S, dist [DISTANCE] 15 miles. Latter parts [PART] steer South. So ends. Latt [LATITUDE] Obs [OBSERVATION] 20°=45" S Long [LONGITUDE] by Chro [CHRONOMETER] 29 04 W

Saturday Oct 5th Comes in with light variable breezes. Middle part wind hauls North and freshens. Latter part fresh gales. Steer South. So ends the day. Latt [LATITUDE] Obs [OBSERVATION] 22°=16" South Long [LONGITUDE] by Chro [CHRONOMETER] 28°=50"

Sunday Oct 6th All of this 24 hours strong gales from the N & E. Latter part attended with squalls and rain. Steer South 18 hours; S by E 6 hours. Latt [LATITUDE] by Acct [ACCOUNT] 24°=51" South Long [LONGITUDE] by DR [DEAD RECKONING] 28°=33" W

Monday Oct 7th Comes in with strong gales from the WSW. Steer S by E with reefed top sails. Middle part blowing on to a heavy gale. Heave too [TO] with a close reefed main top sail and fore sail. Latter part moderating. Set double reefed top sails. Saw a barque steering East. So ends. Latt [LATITUDE] Obs [OBSERVATION] 26 07 South Long [LONGITUDE] by Chro [CHRONOMETER] 27°=10"