m 
PORTER’S JOURNAL. 
I considered fully sufficient to take us clear of all land, if the 
terly winds should prevail. And having, now, no doubt of suc¬ 
ceeding speedily in my passage to a friendly port, where we’ 
could get supplies, I, to the great joy of all on board, ordered the 
allowance of bread to be increased to two thirds. 
Although we deemed ourselves more fortunate than other na¬ 
vigators had been, in getting around Cape Horn (for we consider¬ 
ed our passage now as certain,with a tolerable slant of wind), yet 
we had not been without our share of hardships. The weather 
had, for some days, been piercing cold ; this, with the almost con¬ 
stant rains and hails, and the water shipped from the heavy seas, 
and from leaks, kept the vessel very uncomfortable, and the clothes 
of the officers and crew very uncomfortably wet. The extremities 
of those who had formerly been affected by the frost,became exces¬ 
sively troublesome to them, so much so, as to prevent some 
from doing their duty ; from this cause, I myself was a consider¬ 
able sufferer. Many, also, felt severely the great want of shoes, t 
and the necessary quantity of woollen clothing. Their allowance 
of provisions was barely sufficient to satisfy the cravings of na¬ 
ture ; and as to refreshments of any kind, they were entirely out 
of the question, our scanty supply, obtained at St. Catharines, 
having long been consumed. The fatigues of the officers and 
crew (although I endeavoured to alleviate them as much as possi¬ 
ble, by only keeping the watch on deck) were very considerable ^ 
for deceitful intervals of moderate weather would, for a moment, 
encourage us to make sail; when, in a few minutes afterwards, 
blasts, accompanied with rain and hail, would threaten destruction 
to our sails and spars; and as our necessities, and the state of the 
ship, made it requisite, that we should endeavour to make our 
passage as short as possible, by taking advantage of every favour¬ 
able opportunity of getting along, we were constantly harassed 
by making and taking in sail. To be sure, we had not much to 
take in, but what we had were heavy, and required all hands to 
manage them. It had been some time since we had laid aside all 
our small sails; such as top-gallant-sails, studding-sails,stay-sails, 
&c.: the constant gales we had experienced, and having no ex¬ 
pectation of better weather, had induced me to have them all uii- 
