enough to be seen, hull up, from the deck. She was beating up
the bank to the eastward probably from Vera Cruz.

_Friday, January 2nd_.--The wind has been fresh all day from
the eastward, bringing in some sea, and as we have been riding
across the tide, the ship has had some motion. Caulking and
painting, tarring down and squaring ratlines, &c. Commenced
condensing water to supply the barque for her return voyage to
England. I must get to sea on Tuesday, though I fear we shall
not have finished caulking; but Banks' expedition must be assembling
off Galveston, and time is of importance to us if we would
strike a blow at it before it is all landed. My men will rebel a little
yet. I was obliged to-day to trice one of them up for a little insolent
behaviour.

_Saturday, January 3d_.--A gale opened after all from the S.E.,
which I had hoped to escape, so rare is it to have blows from this
quarter at this season of the year. We have veered to forty-five
fathoms on each chain, and are in six fathoms water astern (there
being nine where the anchors are), and are tailing directly on the
surf, with a few hundred feet only between us and it, which of
course makes me feel a little solicitude. We are open to the S.E.
winds, though these blow over the bank from landwards. Still
the water is deep and the land distant, and a considerable sea comes
in. I have ordered the fires to be lighted under another boiler to
guard against accidents. The Arcas are a dirty little anchorage
for large ships, being but an open roadstead, affording good shelter
only from the north. There is a very small basin between the two
reefs, running off from the northern island, fit for very small vessels,
where they could be made secure against northerly and southerly
winds; but everywhere they would be exposed more or less
to wind from the westward.

_Sunday, January 4th_.--Weather clear, with the wind fresh
from the S.E., dying away in the afternoon. Having determined
to get to sea this evening, we commenced getting our coal-bags on
board from the barque, omitting the usual Sunday muster. Busy
with the seamen, as usual on such occasions, sending home their
allotments, &c. The weather begins to portend a norther, so I
have directed the engineer to hold on with his steam for the present.

_Monday, January 5th_.--It did not blow last night as I expected.
This morning the wind has gone round again. I cannot wait
longer for the norther,[10] so I must get und