December 1-7, 1866

Dec. 1: "I rec'd three letters, two home and one from E.A. R.; they had been sent to San Francisco and sent to CallaoCallao

A city on the Pacific coast of Peru, across from Isla San Lorenzo (Island of St. Lorenzo.) , the Capt. of the Old Colony brought them down for me."

Dec. 2: "The Capt. made all hands a present--a basket of oranges, he has done so every Sunday since we have been here."

Dec. 3: "After dinner Jim and I took the dinghyDinghy Dingy

A small boat carried by a larger one. and went on board of the Osceola after the Capt. and took him aboard of the Virginia which was agoing out. We towed up as far as the mile and then went ashore, got back at four o'clock. I did not get any more sleep. This evening a fellow from the Trundy came aboard and brought us boys a bag of mints."

Dec. 4: "After dinner I mended my guanoGuano

Droppings of sea birds, with high levels of phosphate and nitrogen making it valuable for fertilzier. Starting in the 1840s centuries of deposits were mined at the Chincha Islands off Peru. Supplies were effectively exhausted in the 1870s; many Maine ships and captains worked the guano trade. clothes and turned in but could not get to sleep, so I read the remainder of the afternoon. Last night there was a Sea Lion a swimming around through the fleet, a roaring like a good fellow. It was the most pitiful noise we heard."

Dec. 6: "We have got in fifteen hundred tons of guano. The Capt. thinks we will get away about a week from next Saturday. I hope so, for I have been here full long enough."

Dec. 7: "Turned in this morning af five o'clock and slept by spells until noon. This afternoon I have been into the (?) in the boat; it is very fine to keep watch all night and be up all day, but it will not wash, I think. I shall sleep a wink tonight if nothing happens. Well, here is one book written through, I hope that before I get the other through I shall be in Belfast!"