Cape Good Hope 1652-1702

102 Benjamin Boucher

Transcribed from xerographs of his log (MR 148) kept in Rising Eagle, sailing in September 1700 for Balasore etc. and now homeward bound. His dates are of course Old Style*, but it will be noticed that he gives the year in both Styles up to March 25, after which the year-number was the same in both.

March Monday 16th 1701/2 ... At 6 Last night anchor'd in 19 fathom water sandy ground ... distance from ye ships in ye Road 2 miles. Ye Discovery Capt: John Evans Commander just came in before us. Lying in ye Road 25 sail of Dutch ships [dr 26/3].

March Tuesday 17th 1701/2. At 2 yesterday afternoon we waight our sheet anchor* & dropped our best bower. At 4 this morning ... we waighd & stood SSWt & anchor'd in 8 fath sandy ground. Penguin Island bearing NbW dist 3 m Green point NWbN Layons rump SWbW & ye fort SbWt.

Wednesday 18th ... small gales & foggy weather.

March Thursday 19th. At 2 yesterday afternoon we waigh'd & stood for ye fort till we came into 5 fath: good ground.... At 7 this morning ... ye Dutch fleet Consisting of 19 sail sail'd out of ye road bound for Holland [dr 30/3].

Friday 20th ... wind very uncertain shifting almost every half hour.

[p. 474]

March Saturday 21st 1701/2 ... all this morning been rumaging [restowing] between decks....

Sunday 22nd ... at 8 this morning [illegible] Dutch ships sail'd out of ye Road being bound for Batavia [one only, Waterman, dr 2/5].

March Monday 23rd 1701/2. This 24 hours it has blown very hard Last night we broke our best bower this morn we gott up our best bower [anchor*] & lay single sent this morning 10 butts to fill'd....

Tuesday 24th ... 3 trips for water....

March Saturday [sic] 25th 1702. About 2 yesterday afternoon a Dutch ship came into ye Road but brought no news [no arrival in dr from 26/3 to 6/4] This afternoon we gott our water stow'd & gott up our yards & topmasts....

Sunday [sic] 26th ... This morning a Dane came into ye road [dr 7/4].

March Monday [sic] 27th 1702 About 4 last night it began to blow fresh & continu'd blowing all night we lost our pinnace* from her moorings astern of ye Discovery....

Tuesday [sic] 28th About 4 last night we waighd ye wind at SE fair wather & a fresh gale. At 6 ye Nomost end of Pengwin bore N by W ... the Discovery Capt John Evans Commander in Company [dr 8/4].

He rectifies his days of the week later. England July 8, New Style*.