18-26 October 1809
Wedy.. 18th.. Octr.. the wind having come round to the northward & westward in the course of yesterday, we were this day at noon in East Longd.. 17d. 40s_; and going almost due East at 6 miles an hour, we must have doubled the Cape between 8 & 9 o'clock this night. [T]his chase was a trial of patience to us, & Captain Pascoe also, we felt ourselves detain'd at a most critical part of the voyage for the sole purpose of his emolument, and he poor Man, made himself sure that the Strange Sail was French, that she would turn out a Rich Prize, and make his fortune; his disappointment was very great when we lost sight of her; our superior sailing was in many respects a great comfort to us, but if there had been any fighting, we should have had all the blows and none of the profit; this is comparatively. ----
From every information we had been able to procure regarding this voyage we expected to have had a fair wind in all probability all the way to carry us across from the Cape of Good Hope to New Holland, but we found this a great mistake; we have I believe made slower progress than on any part of our long voyage, the wind has been very variable, and when we had a favorable wind it seldom remain'd for a few days at a time; on the 26th_ we had a very severe gale; we suffer'd very much from not being able to carry sail which would have parted us from the Commodore, it was with the utmost exertion that Captn.. Pritchard kept company with the Hindostan; in the night the arm Chests on the Poop got lose, [sic] every heel the Ship gave these immence [sic] heavy Chests roll'd from one side to the other, the noise & shock this occasion'd in our cabin was frightful. ---[T]his heavy gale was succeeded by a calm, and very heavy swell; but as soon as favorable weather came, we forgot it all. ----
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