Diary 21.6.1883

Thursday June 21

Still a very strong head wind, had to tack about and lay to all day, the ship was rolling all night and is still keeping it up with signs of a very bad night, the sea is breaking over her on both sides, tons of water must come over at a time it makes the ship tremble from end to end, it is sometimes two feet deep on deck. I have been on in the day time when it has come over and been above knee deep, of course I got out of the way by climbing up ropes and steps that lead up on the poop.
Today is my birthday (written by John Edwin), I suppose my mother will have remembered this day with it being my birthday, I did not think I should have to honour it on the “Nairnshire”, I thought we should have landed by this, it is a long voyage for us but we have to try and console ourselves with thinking we shall not be so long now.