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Guyana

First mate’s logbook

In the morning there was an average topsail ENE breeze and a misty sky. At sunrise we raised the anchor and set sail, steering N with the wind; we measured a depth of 6 1 fathom = 6 feet (170 cm)fathoms. We then steered NNW and measured a depth of 7 fathoms; then steered NW by N and got a depth of 8½ fathoms. We continued NW till 8½ fathoms, then steered W by N until 5 fathom, and then steered along the shore where we stuck to 6 and 5 fathoms water. At noon we saw a ship WNW of our topmast. We steered NW by W and WNW until 2 The length of the watches was measured using an hourglass filled with sand. Each watch consisted of 8 half-hour glasses, marked by bells.glasses in the dog watches had run out, when we anchored with him at 3 ½ fathoms mud ground. We hailed him; it was the ship The Willem Zeelandus, commanded by captain Claas Matijsen, who had come from DemeraraGuyanaDemerari and was headed for Middelburg. He still had the pilot, named Jan Willemsen, on board, whom we picked up with our rowboat. Our captain came on board. We sent letters to our homeland. Then during the night we had an average topgallant sail ENE till NE breeze and good weather till morning.