Page:Oregon Historical Quarterly volume 22.djvu/277

From Wikisource
Jump to navigation Jump to search
This page needs to be proofread.

LOG OF THE COLUMBIA 265

REPRINT OF

BOIT'S LOG OF THE COLUMBIA, 1790-1793.

[Annotations by Judge F. W . Howay and Mr. T. C. Elliott]

Remarks on the Ship Columbia's voyage from Boston, (on a Voyage round the Globe).

BY JOHN BOIT

N. B. The dates etc. is by Nautical Account (Not Civill).

The Ship Columbia was fitted out for a four years cruize, on a trading voyage to the N. W. Coast of America, China etc about 250 tons burthen, mounted 12 Carriage Guns, and navi- gated with 50 men (including Officers) own'd chiefly by Sam'l Brown, Joseph Barrell and Crowell Hatch Esq'rs, and Commanded by Robert Gray. Cargo consisted of Blue Cloth, Copper and Iron.

1790, September 28. Latt. of Boston 42 25' N.; Long. 70 31' W. from London. Left Boston Sept. 28th, 1790, with the wind from the western board, and the next day pass'd Cape Cod. On the 30th the wind having chang'd to the East'd and blowing heavy, obliged us to bear away, and we anchor'd the same evening, in Herring Cove, on the west side Cape Cod, in 15 fm. muddy bottom, but not liking our situation, we got under way the following morning, and anchor'd the same evening in Nantasket Roads, in 7 fm. Blowing weather, from the eastern board.

October 2. Wind at SW. Weigh'd and came to sail, stood to sea On the 3d pass'd Cape Cod, at 3 leagues distance. Generally blowing hard, with squalls of rain.

8. N. Latt. 40 30' ; W. Long. 55 43' ; Aizi. 14 35' W. O. . Ship sails dull, but is a fine seaboat. Crew appears to be a set of fine fellows.

10. N. Latt. 39 58' ; W. Long. 52 38' ; Amp'd 14 38' W.[1] Weather more pleasant, winds generally from SW.


  1. The Century Dictionary defines the amplitude compass as an azimuth compass whose zeros of graduation are at the east and west points, to facilitate the reading of the amplitudes of the celestial bodies. "Amplitude. . .differs from the azimuth merely in being counted from the east and west points, instead of from north and south." U. K. S. Nat Phil., III. XIII.—W. C. F. (Worthington C. Ford).