May 1866
Highlights from the Journal of Edwin Mitchell, Vol. I:
May 1: "....saw two whales, they being the first I have seen."
May 6: "The crew are about played out, some have boils, some sore hands, some toothache, it is a sick time in general. It is six months today since I came aboard this packetPacket
A vessel traveling on a regular schedule between two ports for the carriage of mail, goods, and passengers.--it does not seem half as long, but I don't want to spend six more aboard her, I had rather have twelve months in Blackmiles Island."
May 20: "The Capt. ordered the StewardSteward
The person aboard ship in charge of provisions and aiding the cook. to feed us well from this time for we had got to work hard and I think he made a good beginning tonight, sour bread, salt bass and potatoes."
May 23: "It has been cloudy all day, the sun only poping (sic) out once in a while to let us know it was still their (sic)." May 24: "I saw a large school of BluefishBluefish
A migratory schooling fish species that ranges from Nova Scotia to Florida. It is a voracious fish, feeding on other species such as mackerel and herring. Found on the Maine coast in summer. and a plenty of Flying fish."
May 29: "Tonight in the middle we caught a fish in a line over the stern, he had a head like a fish but very large for his body which was like a snake and about three feet long. There is not anyone aboard who can tell what it is."
May 30: "There has been a shark around the ship today, he is about twenty feet long."