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Berbice, Guyana

First mate’s logbook

We had good weather in the morning. At the end of the low tide we lifted anchor and drifted off. We left our 6 breech pieces on the shore because the governor needed it for his land. After he had used them, he would send them after us on a different ship. We fired 3 as greeting shots before the fort and after 2 glasses in the forenoon had run out we anchored with quiet water at 4½ 1 fathom = 6 feet (170 cm)fathoms just passed the second plantation. Later during the afternoon, at the beginning of low tide, we raised anchor and drifted off. After The length of the watches was measured using an hourglass filled with sand. Each watch consisted of 8 half-hour glasses, marked by bells. 2 glasses had run out in the first watch we anchored at 4½ feet near the old flake. 6 glasses into the middle watch, at the beginning of the low tide, we raised anchor and drifted off. Later we had good weather until the morning.