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[[preprinted]] MONDAY, AUGUST 20, 1866. [[/preprinted]]

Morning thick and cloudy. Ryder & Whymper go ashore to take photographs. Doctor Fisher and Kelsey go a gunning. Find that in consequence of improper soldering my gun is unfit for use, the catch loop being loose. Work all day over collections, cut up, for boiling the bones. two leopard seals; a very nasty Job. Get specimens in room nearly ready for packing away. Get ready for going up the Bay with Steamer tomorrow.

[[preprinted]] TUESDAY [[pencil boxed]] 21 [[/pencil boxed]] [[/preprinted]]

My birthday. ^[[insertion in pencil]] 21st [[/insertion]] Morning. Get room ready for return of Libby. Packup some few things for excursion which may last over night. Start on board the steamer after lunch, for the head of the Bay, about 12. [[superscript]] h [[/superscript]] 20' Reach the point where we find the party who have found an easy path to Penkegu Gulf with a divide of only five or 600 ft. and have not found any practicable route to Cape Spanberg. Visit all the small bays and returning, arrive at our anchorage about 6. [[superscript]] h [[/superscript]] 30'. Spend the evening with Laborne, Bush, Whymper, Lewis and Nunez and sleep in Whympers stateroom on the floor.

[[preprinted]] WEDNESDAY 22 [[/preprinted]]

Morning. fair and cold. thermometer 43, a slight fire in the partition between the Galley and the smoke stack. Write up log. About noon go aboard Nightingale with Nicolai, when she drops down, much nearer the Wright. Pack a bread box nearly full of collections made up to the present time. P.M. Go over to the sand spit follow it round and meet an old indian who show me the mangled remains of several sick men murdered by their relations, and I get several poor & one good skull. Dancing on board in the evening.

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[[preprinted]] THURSDAY, AUGUST 23, 1866. [[/preprinted]]

Morning. Lemon, Libby, Norton and Nockum with another Indian go off for another exploring expedition Work over the seal bones all the morning, and get them both clean by two P.M. Steamer takes us in tow Just after lunch and we proceed slowly up the bay to the harbor, whence a defile extends to Penkegu Gulf. Go ashore late in the afternoon, an get photos of ships &c. Am taken in one group. Capt. Kelsey has his house 12 x 18 already started. The Rutgers came up yesterday. Pick up specular iron ore much mixed with quartz, and a wolf skull.

[[preprinted]] FRIDAY 24 [[/preprinted]]

Morning. Spend most of my time aboard, working over collections, numbering and naming plants skulls mosses &c. About noon the first telegraph pole in E. Siberian Division is raised with the American and Company flag on it and a national salute from the flagship; and the station is named after Capt. Kelsey. In the afternoon Geo Dow & Ash go over to a neighboring hill & see a vessel at the heads. [[superscript underlined]] Str [[/superscript underlined]] Wright goes down to see if it is the Gate. Collect on shore & get back, 19 in dingy.

[[preprinted]] SATURDAY 25 [[/preprinted]]

Early in the morning go on to the island off the Cove which has been named after Maj. Chappel. Wright comes back as we cross in the dingy, and has found only a trading brig outside the heads. Get quite a collection of shells on the island which has some soil, and quite a growth of grass upon it. Come back about noon in time for lunch, work over collections in the after noon and pack my first box, pretty full, in the evening. Shall fill it up soon and get it out of the way.

Transcription Notes:
Str is short for steamer Ambrosia: Reviewed with minor edits.