Good-bye to brave mother, and with a white apron waving from the cottage door, we slipped moorings and stood to sea with fair tide and light westerly breezes. Employed crew in ship’s duties and with sheets flattened in we made it a long and short leg passing inside of Hen and Chickens reef and so to quiet anchorage for the night at Sakonet.
October 15th. Turned out 5 o’clock. Sun rose very angry and glass falling. Wind strong at west. Double reefed and under way by 10. Wind slacked and left us rolling without headway. Had to put on whole sail to work off shore. Breeze began to freshen at once from S. W. Lots of coot and I tried my luck with the gun and knocked down one with each barrel for a long chance. We got one and so began living on the country. Breeze pricking on very fresh. Launch unshipped rudder and Henry had to jump on board and save it. This he did well and he shows great aptitude in everything. Breeze increasing and sea very heavy so dropping peak ran back to cove under west shore. Wind suddenly shifted and came out fresh gale N. W. Double reefed again and went out to look things over and test boat and rigging. Found a fearful sea on, into which we plunged at times to the mast. Our davits held all right. Kept jogging along and ran into Newport at 9:30 after a long, hard day. Took a heavy squall off Fort Adams and cut all kinds of pigeon wings with water flying and halliards, too. Thought we would surely sink the launch, but found only a few inches of water in her next morning.
October 16th. Lay at anchor all day. Did shopping, etc., etc. Made a fine corn pudding. Found the cow’s horn on our bowsprit end had been badly twisted in the blow of yesterday and got ready to mend same. Will here explain that I was carrying spinnaker pole, spears, harpoons and spare truck in general lashed, one end on small davits and forward end resting in an iron half hook or horn bolted on end of short plank bowsprit.
October 17th. Fine day with very strong breeze from S. W. Crew engaged in ordinary ship’s duties and mending bowsprit horn. Kitty doing fine. Not sick a bit. Tried to make her sleep in basket last night instead of on my neck and result is she has disappeared under transom and won’t come out at all today in spite of all hands calling Kitty! Kitty! and a nice plate of chowder waiting.
October 18th. Gale blew out in night and morning came bright, fair with nice breeze S. S. W. Up at 5 and under way with single reef by 9. Looked over the German cruiser Victoria Louise and also one of our battleships. Then flattened in sheets for a long beat to Pt. Judith. Beautiful day with easy sea and crew engaged in ship’s duties and sewing launch fender. Some little hubble-bubble outside and coot stew slopped over on Scotty but did not scald her. Later while asleep in her basket the beans came flying to leeward. She heard them on their way and escaped from under by a flying leap to cockpit. Quite a day for Scotty. Henry had his first taste of coot stew while laid to off Narragansett Pier. He tucked away a good bit and held it down. Shook out our reef and ran into Pt. Judith Pond at 4 P. M. after a fine day to windward. Tied right up to the bank of the marsh just like alongside a dock. A fascinating place with great possibilities. Fisherman gave us a fresh mackerel for supper.
October 19th. Comes cloudy with freshening S. W. breeze. Owly looking weather. More mackerel from kind friend. Flock of tired geese came near giving us a shot. Off by 9 under single reef. Very crooked water and heavy ground swell. Drove along easily and made good weather. Crew engaged in cleaning and splitting mackerel on new fish board which works fine. Later salted mackerel down. This looks like living on the country. Slipped in behind inner breakwater at Stonington by 3:45 after a hard thrash against heavy seas and wind with threatening skies. Six days from home and only 60 miles away and every mile fought for.
Good supper of corn soup and hot biscuits. Henry delights me with sounds of contentment wrung from the jew’s-harp. Scotty is picking up heart and investigating the deck.
October 20th. Comes fresh, clear and cold N. W., an ideal day for getting on but as we only have to make New London we stayed quietly at anchor after good breakfast of fried clams and potatoes. Engaged in snugging up and finding things still lost since starting. Scotty beginning to play nicely. Lunched and slipped quietly away about 1 o’clock. Light airs but fair tide and a beautiful bright blue sky and sea, with shore of browns, greens and vivid reds. Four o’clock found us becalmed off mouth of the Thames so Henry started the bug and away we went 35 min. to the old anchorage off the coal pockets. Passed a familiar looking old packet on way up river. She was slowly beating in with only two men on board. She proved to be the schooner yacht Ruth and indeed sadly fallen in estate since I sailed a Goelet race in her so many years ago. I wonder if I, too, look so done up.
October 21st. Comes beautifully bright with fine easterly breeze and we should have been moving. Gave up the day, however, to fitting cover to launch. It was a very busy but satisfactory day and ended with a fine hot bath on shore with beefsteak supper to follow.