[March] 3rd [1777]: Our observation today agrees very well with our reckoning, so that we have not the least reason to suppose that we have yet arrived at the Gulf Stream, nor have we any other mark of approaching land than those we have observed for some time past. w e this day saw a whale, and a large shark, the latter we attempted to take, but without success, during our passage we have frequently met with great numbers of porpoises. The mate has struck several but we were never happy enough to secure one.

There is now remaining a sufficiency of pork for two days allowance, besides which there is no other meat, except a little beef which is so putrid and offensive as to threaten with disease rather than promise any nourishment, and our bread has now become so low, that our allowance for this week is but two ounces per man a day and that exceedingly damaged; I had, however, instead of bread, made use of some pruans which were when bought designed for my Uncle Pemberton as I knew him to be fond of fruit. I distributed a few to my fellow passengers and they proved of important service to them.

Within the last 24 hours we have passed through very large floats of Gulf weeds, this we have found more or less from longitude 44° or 45°. During the last week, besides the Boston schooner which we spoke we have seen two other vessels, one of them a sloop that appeared to be outward bound, we made_ signals of distress, but she fled at first sight, as almost every other vessel that we have met with during this passage has done that was in a condition to escape. This afternoon as I was sitting on the quarter deck, with that superlative Genius the French Engineer, he let me know that he had for some time past entertained doubts whether or not our Captain had not lost the way to America, as he had never remembered to have heard of so long a passage. I endeavoured to quiet his fears on this head, and let him know that I apprehended but little danger of our not finding America, the only thing we had to dread was that the winds would not permit us to approach it, we after this had some little conversation about Latitude and Longitude, and the principles of Navigation, during which I acquainted the Officer, that a degree of Longitude was more in the latitude we were . . . . . . . agreed to undertake it and as there were three quadrants on board the ship, we proposed to divide; Monsieur le Comte de Vrecour to take one as by three different observations we should be more certain of our latitude. I therefore applied to him for that purpose and began with asking him if engineers were not in general good mathematicians, he answered in the affirmative; I told him I supposed he was well acquainted with this science, he told me he flattered himself he understood it perfectly; I informed him I was happy to hear this as it was of the utmost consequence for our safety, as well as that of the ship and cargo to know our latitude. I therefore offered him a quadrant and begged he would walk on deck and observe by one of the stars, as the night was very fine and serene, he seemed a little confused on this and informed me he had been told that the air near land was very pernicious, and his constitution being very delicate he could not think of going on deck. I assured himmedicine had been my study and I would answer for the consequences with regard to his health, he endeavoured to form some other excuse but I assured I would not be put off, he then took a quadrant in his hand, and came up with us.

Doctor [Hugh] Williamson observed the middle star in Orion belt and as Syrius soon after came on the meridian I took this; our French observer had been looking thro the quadrant at different stars but had neither adjusted nor moved the index. I inquired why he did not fix on some star to observe by, but he replied that the quadrant I had given him was an English one, an? he did not know how to make use of it. I let him know I was sorry for this and requested him to explain to me the difference between this and the instrument the French made use of for the same purpose, but this he avoided doing. Dr. Williamson's observation differed with mine about 6 miles; while we were working our observations Dr. Williamson talked to the Chevalier about zenith distance, altitude, declination, etc., but I found that to this genius, who hereafter means to direct American armies and American campaigns, it was all unintelligible jargon; he, however, probably considers it as too insignificant for the gentleman and the soldier.²