Viewing page 639 of 661

This transcription has been completed. Contact us with corrections.

(9
1862 Jan 3 Fri

are ever seen making their passage between the 2 Islands & yet the whales do make the passage as now determined without coming up to blow.
Mate Rogers makes this statement in connection with the information conveyed above by Capt B.
In 1848 the Barque "Ramrod" made fast to a Right Whale near the island Tristan d'Arcunha on Saturday P.M. but the line parted & thus the prize was lost.  One the next day (Sunday PM) the same Whale was struck & secured by the Whale Ship "Columbus" Ward, Master near Gough's Island, the harpoon & portion of the line of the Barque "Ramrod" being found attached to said Whale.

[[end page]]
[[start page]]

(20
1862 Jan 3 Fri

Venus & the Moon made a [[underlined]] fine [[/underlined]] appearance in the Western sky to-night.  Why should they not, if seen at all when they are of the [[underlined]] Fair? [[/underlined]]
Breakfast = Fried Venison Bread & Coffee
Dinner = Flippers & Molasses.  [[underlined]] Good! [[/underlined]]
Supper = Coffee & Bread

(10 pages in to day's Record)
[[line across page]]

Saturday, Dec 4th 1862

29.175  AM  +7°  N.E.  Fresh (late snow storm)
29.10  M  +10°  N E  " " " " [[dittos for: Fresh (late snow storm)]]
29.00  PM  +10°  N E  " " " " [[dittos for: Fresh (late snow storm)]]

This Morning at VI it began snowing & continued through the day.
Not often is a White man favored with a [[underlined]] 'feast' [[/underlined]] made up such game (?) viands as was our breakfast!  It consisted of

[[end page]]
[[start page]]

(2
1862 Jan 4 Sat

[[underlined]] Seal, Rein-deer, Walrus & Whale Meats. [[/underlined]]  Under the epithet [[underlined]] 
'Whale' [[/underlined]] I have reference not only to the "Whale of the Great West", an animal distinguished by having its nose prolonged & cartilaginous, truncate at the tip where it is strengthened by button-shaped bones, which allows it to turn up the ground in search of food - in other words, an animal from which the Great City [[underlined]] "Porkopolis" [[/underlined]] derives this Title;  but I also have reference to the [[underlined]] Mystecetus [[/underlined]] or "Greenland Whale".
Bread & Coffee were the accompaiments.
The Walrus meat was [[underlined]] very tough [[/underlined]] - so much so that Capt. B. with all his persevereance with knife & fork - & 'dental mill' could not make it go down!  Not so with me.  I [[underlined]] 'wolfed' [[/underlined]] my share - & therefore succeeded!
This perhaps needs an explanatory word.  Dispensing with the knife & fork & using the fingers & teeth in tearing into bits any tough 

[[end page]]
[[start page]]

(3
1862 Jan 4 Sat

meats & eating the same as the tearing process is proceeded with is called [[underlined]] 'Wolfing' [[/underlined]] it.
During our morning repast, Capt. B. related the following appropriate anecdote:
A dinner party being seated around the festive board, a [[underlined]] gentleman [[/underlined]] (?) for such he proved to be) was called upon to carve the turkey.  He reluctantly undertook the task.  After several unsuccessful attempts on the roast food before him, he was laughed at by the whole company.  On this, he dropped the dissecting instruments & said:  'Gentlemen & Ladies, you perceive I am no adept at craving, but I will show you that I can[[underlined]] 'Wolf [[/underlined]] it', - seizing instantly the turkey with both hands & proceeding in accordance to the definition of the term above!
"Fluker", Sterry & his Kokerjobin with Cap-atain in company of Ning-u-ar-ping, Innuit "Dick" & his wife & mother