e Wednesday August 19 1857 One P.M
Ellis Bay Island of AnticostiI am indisposed to make entries as customary in the log today. This is the sixth
day since we began our return voyage and although we are not now at the place
of departure we are yet no nearer our destination. We are losing our patience
and entries of dissapointments and delays will be dull iff not painful
reading for friends. Yesterday the head wind became more brisk just after
dinner and our seamen expected a blow which would keep them beating
all night and so they under the influence of a panic, put ^us^ back on our
course for a harbor on the South Shore of this much feared island. It was
7 o clock, ^p.m.^ when we came to the entrance of the harbor and then instead
of a hurricane there was suddenly a dead calm which left us
without the power to obtain the desired anchorage or to move in any
direction properly . We lay all night outside rolling upon the waves
and this morning the same head-wind renewed with sufficient force to
enable us to enter port if so it is to be called. I could not now
refuse to enter for we had drawn another day's supplies from our
stock of wood and water, and they must be replenished soon.
Of adventure here we have as yet but little to record. The only house is here is
that of the government agent stationed here to administer to shipwrecked sea
men. The only vessel is a whaler, who lies along side of us, while a
huge whale as large as a canal-boat lies on the water's edge
in the skeleton state, and he is hacking away the flesh and boiling
it into oil—we have visited the whaler. Our boat has gone for wood
and water. After dinner we go ashore to see whatever of interest this
distant and desolate land affords.