8 July 1859

July 8. Saw two sharks. Subscription for games which was competed for by the sailors and cockfighting, picking potatoes, ducking for money etc.

Campbell, Alexander. Letters and papers, 1859 - 1870. Auckland War Memorial Museum Library. MS 50.

8th. A fine morning but a head wind but some of us are glad of a wind from any quarter to moderate the heat of this oppressive climate. A large number of flying fish were seen very near us and some young porpuses came under the fore bows of the ship. Some attempt was made to harpoon them and it is said that one was struck but not deep enough to hold it. By fine moonlight tonight a sail appeared at about a mile distance. Here although hot weather and day and night nearly equal, the moon and stars shine as bright as if it was winter. Four particular stars invisible in England have just come to view. Their appearance is nearly in the shape of a diamond and are called the Southern Cross. These appear in the lower part of the Southern Hemisphere.

Booth, Thomas. Papers, 1857 - 1859. Auckland War Memorial Museum Library. MS 2002/56.

6 July 1859

July 6. Head wind. Rough sea. Saw the “Southern Cross” for the first time. Lost the rudder chains.

Campbell, Alexander. Letters and papers, 1859 - 1870. Auckland War Memorial Museum Library. MS 50.

6th. A fine morning, the breeze rather light but in the right quite near course I am told. The ships sighted yesterday have disappeared at our stern as all others have done since we first set out. Some fine fish appeared under the ships bows called the Bonita but none caught. We have passed under the sun where there was no shadow and now it is just appearing in an opposite direction to what it has been and as we approach the Equator day and night are about equal here.

Booth, Thomas. Papers, 1857 - 1859. Auckland War Memorial Museum Library. MS 2002/56.