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Livingston, Robert Journal of Robert Livingston's voyage across the Atlantic Ocean

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Gilder Lehrman Collection #: GLC03107.00005 Author/Creator: Livingston, Robert Place Written: S.S. Katherine of Charlestowne Type: Autograph manuscript Date: 1673 Pagination: 6 p. + docket 15.8 x 11.1 cm Order a Copy

Handwritten journal detailing Robert Livingston's "Voyage Comeing Over" from Grenock, Scotland to Charlestown in New England in America. .

S.S. Katherine Charlestowne, 1673
Anno 1673 April 28 day
A Journael of our good intended voyage by the grace of god in the good shipe called the Katherine of Charlestowne, Captaine John Phillips Commander thereof we set saile from Grenock in Scotland the 28 of this instant bound for Charlestowne in new England in America lying in the Latitude of 42 degrees 28 minutes.
Mond: We turned [donne] frome Grenock the 28 of this instant the wind at south south east and came to the [roade] of the Largs about 8 a cloke in the morning and roade there, the wind at south the 29 day till the 30 day at 7 a cloke in the morning and then weighed the wind at east south east and sailed for the mouth of [Rintyare] with other 3 ships in our Companie whereof Captaine Burd was [1] one going to the sound and the other likwise and the third for Norway at 12 a clok at noon. We spoke with a small vessel come from France called the Sworne of Dunbartone who told us that all the dutch privateers was called into Holland.
Wed: From the 30 of [struck: May] Aprile to the 1st of May fair weather the wind at east north east course north west and be north ligs sailed 17 we had one observatione this day being the first of May and was in the Latitude of 56 degrees and 13 minutes this day Master [Loirmder] got his [illegible] in the cabine. I tok sicknes then:
[Sst]: From the first of May to the second the wind at north east fair weather ligs sailed 19 north west and be north course.
[Set]: From the 2nd day at 12 a clok to third fair weather the wind at [2] North east a constant gale all sailes clooging upon, her top gale sailes abroad the course W.N.W. ligs sailed 46.
From Saturday at 12 a clok to [Tuesday] at 12 a clok being the 6th day of the moneth fair weather a constant smale gale at east north east we altered our course the fourth day of May and stered away west for we reckoned our selfs in the latitude of 57 degrees and 36 minutes and the 5 day we had [ane] observatione and was in the latitude of 57 degrees 36 minuts our course was west the causes of our keeping so far to the northward was for fear of Hollands privitiers the 6 day we had no observatione but our course being west we judged ourselfs in the same latitude of 57 de 36 m. [3]
The 7 day we had the wind at south east a fresh gale we were in the latitude of 56 degrees and 15 minutes the course was W.S.W.
The 8 day we had the wind at South east a fresh gale, the course W.S.W. we had no observatione but by deed Reconing in the latitude of 55 degrees and 54 minutes he did blow very hard and about the beams of our topsails and [rited] in and went along with the rest of our topsailes.
From the 8 day at 12 a clok to the 9 day at 12 a clok we had the wind at south east he did blow very hard and rained very [good] till the 9 day at 5 a cloak [sic] in the morning and then [fair] weather we had an observatione at noon and were in the [4] Latitude of 54 degrees 14 minutes, the course South W. and be [W.]
From the 9 day to the 10 day at 12 a clok we had the wind at south east fair weather the course S.W. and by W. we had ane observatione at noone we were in the latitude of 53 degrees 33 minutes.
From the 10 to 12 day at 12 a clok we had the wind at south south east fair weather till the morning at 5 a clok and then it did begin to blow and raine and we went about to [rais] our maine topsaile and had lowred it downe to the Cap. and the lid closed and hauled up and in braceing of it brok in two the weather increased most violent it did rain and blow very hard we unbent our topsaile from the broken yeard and got it down upon the deck and made fast the [5] saile on the top and went along we toke in our fore topsaile and our spirit saile and our bonnets from the low sailes and set our two courses low and went along with them with a very fresh gale of wind, our course south west and be west. [these] 4 days by gone I nether saw sun Moon nor stars.

[docket]
Journell of my Voyadge Comeing over [illegible] 1673.

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