Wind westerly force 2 becoming SW force 2.
Court assembled.
Remarks
About 1000 on the 19 August the barometer falling and wind hauling to the northward, there appeared signs of an approaching gale from the northwards and westwards by the cloudy and misty looking bank in that direction; rising fast and about noon it came on greatly. A little rain and wind force 6 to 8; the barometer having fallen gradually from Midnight (30.00 inches) to 27.79 inches at 1400. Altered course to Mossel Bay for about five hours but with the wind falling light we shaped course as before. During the next day the wind was from the N by W force 3 to 4 with the barometer at 29.90 inches with a beautiful clear sky.
On the 21st at about 0100 with Cape Agulhas Light about NE by E the wind again freshened from NNW in heavy squalls and little rain. Wind force 8 to 9. Barometer 29.84 inches.. At about noon the wind still holding good ( force 6 to 9) and making no headway by steaming against a very heavy sea we altered course to ENE for Strings Bay where on anchoring the wind fell light and the barometer began to steady. The next morning the breeze sprang up from the east and shifted to WNW during the afternoon.
Currents – Up to noon of the 19th we has a south westerly current of 30 nautical miles in 17 hours but the next two days an easterly set about 20 miles a day. On leaving Strings Bay no set was noticed… Being a clear night we sighted the Cape and Roman Rock Lights at full their distance and took the inshore passage up to Simons Bay.
Merchantmen occasionally come for water and coal in preference to Table Bay which of course is open to the westward gales occurring at this time of the year.
