Excerpts from Daniel Paine's Journal

July 5
In the course of the day a Country Ship laden with Cotton which had taken fire a day or two before but which the Crew had prevented from blazing out passed us and towards night we perceived the fire but supposed they would be able to run her on shore and probably scuttle.

July 18
Fresh gales from the SW with heavy showers of rain, and a cross sea setting in from the Gale of yesterday, which made the Vessell ride very uneasy. I have been very unwell for these two days past with symptoms of an Ague.

July 21
It was now thought advisable to get every thing possible out of the Vessell, and leave her until the Weather should moderate, it blowing hard and a very heavy surf beating on the Shore. I now took the Opportunity of a Passage in the next Boat, with Chests Bedding &c. and attempt to get on Shore, and with great difficulty we got into the Harbour of Cavayan, after getting compleatly wet with the Surf and a passage of near an Hour.

July 22
I now found myself much worse from the Cold I had caught the day before, and was confined to my Bed in the further end of a large Bamboo built store where our People and the Stores were received, being indifferent accommodation for a Sick man, the Wind finding its way in every direction through the crevices; and had it not been for our Sails birthed around, it would not have been habitable.

July 24
The Fever had gained ground upon me, and the other sick were getting worse and not a single vegetable to be obtained. The Medicine Chest having been saved, I now stood Doctor with the assistance of the book of directions for myself and them, the Captn having gone to Bigan to procure a House for our reception, and in the mean time send us if possible refreshments if not comforts.

July 28
Under the necessity of repelling the curiosity of the Inhabitants which became troublesome excite no doubt by the strange admixture of Nations and Languages our Ship's Company presented for we numbered English, American, French, Spanish, Portuguese, Italian, Malays, Manila-men, Chinese, a Mozambique-boy and a Sandwich Islander. I think Captn Howell numbered fourteen languages besides a partial knowledge of some of the barbarous dialects spoken on the N.west coast of America where he had traded. Captn Howell himself had an University Education beng brought up for the Church he understood the learned learned Languages and most of the General Languages of Europe.

Excerpts from Paine "1797".

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Page of Journal from National Maritime Museum, Greenwich, England

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