"MINNESOTA" AND OTHER UNFORTUNATES 247 



These entries run on, day after day, for fourteen hundred and 

 fifty days. The tide of the man's emotion flows and ebbs; the 

 intensity of his melancholy and his reUgious fervour varies 

 within certain limits; but whether his fortunes are good or bad 

 an insane despondency permeates the whole book, and his 

 incompetence becomes tragic. 



At last they got whales, but only to lose them. They lost 

 whale after whale from alongside the vessel. In the crazy log 

 book there are such entries as these: 



Wednesday 24 

 Unfortunately Blowing A Severe Gale from .W. S. W. Tore 

 out the Fluke Chain Pipe; tearing out the Fluke Chain Bitt from 

 the Deck impossible to Save the Whale it Blows so Hard 

 The Boats Hoisted to davy Heads; the Vessel under Bare 

 Spars; Barometer down; The Whale surging very Hard, im- 

 possible to Hold the Whale: A. M. Strong Gale still Blow- 

 ing Hard the Wind from .S. W. The Elements is bound to dis- 

 troy our Whale & ruin all concerned: No prospect of Mor- 

 derating: Hailed the Whale alongside this Morning to Hook 

 on Could Not impossible: to save the Body The Sea Break- 

 ing over the Rails in this dreadful Storm 

 Barometer down to 29, 1| North 



Lat 45, 30 



Remarks on Board the Poor & Unfortunate ''Minnesota" 



Thursday, March 2Sth, 1869 

 Still Blowing a Severe Gale from .S. W. wheir it will Continue 

 Untill I am a ruined Man: Not the least Chance to save any 

 Portion of this Whale: at Meredian discovered that the Whale 

 was tearing off all our Nette on the Stabourd Side; and also the 

 Sheathing: Cut off the Hawser from the Whales Flukes & 

 Shackeled it on to Fluke-Chain & Slacked off the Whale: wheir 

 we shall loose it; something will part soon; We cannot Hold him 

 long; in this dreadful Weather Impossible. BARROMeter 

 Down to 29, 1 tenths & still Falling; A. M. as Common a Severe 



