Year by Year
Discover the history of the HMS Cossack from 1854 to 1875.
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17 August 1872
Raised steam on starboard boiler.
0900 Weighed under steam and proceeded out of Levuka Harbour under steam and sail. As soon as clear of the reef stopped and made all plain sail.
1000. Shaped course SSE. Banked fires. Wind ESE force 1 becoming easterly force 1. Maximum temperature 82F. Sea temperature 79F.
Noon. Makondranga – North. Mbatika N62E magnetic.
1600. High peak of Ovalau N24W. Angan north extreme N72E. In first reef of Topsails. Sent cutter away to board schooner which was the MARIAN BERNICE on the labour trade from North Hebrides.
1800. Wakayia N4E. Mbatika N40E.
2000. Altered course to SSW ½ W. 2200. Vili on starboard beam.
18 August 1872
Latitude 17.52S. Longitude 178.51E. Wind easterly force 2 with rain becoming SE by E force 5. Under sail. Barometer 30.06 inches. Maximum temperature 75F. Sea temperature 80F.
0345. Ovalau SE by S. 0800. Altered course to S by W ½ W for anchorage.
1300. Shortened and furled sails and commenced steaming.
1330. Weather so thick with rain. Headed off NW wind having freshened suddenly to force 5 with heavy rain making it difficult to approach the land; not being able to discern the reefs and every prospect of the weather lasting.
1420. Altered course to NNE ½ E. and made sail to double reefed Topsails, Courses and Top gallant sails. On Fore and main.
1530. Down Jib, in top gallant sails.
1715. Close reefed Topsails and reefed Courses.
1900. Altered course to NE ½ N. Weather thoroughly set in with heavy rain. Wind SE by E force 6 and squally with cloudy and threatening appearance. The barometer fell very little for at noon it showed 30.04 inches and at 1600 29.97 inches when it gradually rose. At midnight it read 30.05 inches.
31 August 1872
Wind southerly force 2 becoming south easterly force 2. Barometer 30.15 inches.
Employed cleaning ship and as most requisite.
Remarks
On our way from Tutuila to Tonga we had light SE winds although 2 to 3 days before our starting there was a fresh breeze from that direction and which we had hoped would last. A south westerly current set us about 15 miles per day for the first 2 or 3 days. Then as we got further south and nearer the Tonga group a slight north easterly current was felt. Tonga would be difficult to make in bad weather on account of the lowest island of Tongatabu; thought the first to be made would be Eoa situated about ten miles from Tongatuba coast and about 250 feet high; tis island was seen long before we could make out anything else. The channel between the reef and the islands on the starboard hand and the reef bordering the shores of Tongatabu was perfectly clear of danger and moreover our bearings in this case were correct for they always agreed with the chart and our position.
In entering the narrow part of the channel we immediately got in to a very strong tide forming a number of eddies. A pilot (native) here boarded and would persist in saying that the eastern side of the rock was the proper side to go, whereas we had intended to go the other side and which I believe was perfectly safe. (French VANDREUIL having used the same). The pilot was allowed after some time to take us up the eastern passage and proceeding on the bearings on the chart for the anchorage taking us for some purpose of his own round a circular reef off Nakalofa (Nukualofa) instead of straight to town.
Our stay here was only two days during which we had fine weather and light easterly wind.
We left Tongatuba by the northern passage under steam with light north easterly winds which we has expected to draw round to SE but instead veered round by the northward on the fourth day out gradually hauling to the SW and eventually to SE with a fresh breeze. Sighted Turtle Island whose position agreed with chart and as we has that day very good sights we were able to make use of the longitude.
The weather up to the 17th August was fine with light south easterly winds occasionally veering to the NE . from then we had light easterly winds sometimes freshening from the NE or SE accompanied with heavy continuous rain. The appearance of the weather generally very thick and a settled look of bad weather. Barometer generally very steady.
