Day Ten
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"Today the mate had some clothes to wash but he could get none of us to do them although he bribed in various ways. Eventually he went and got one of the men to do them for him. I washed a couple of things for the second mate and washed my own clothes at the same time.
The sailmaker diplomatically tackled the second mate on the subject of the cat but got no satisfaction at all. The dog is a nuisance and I am afraid the little mongrel will meet its doom in the form of a watery grave before very long. The two cockatoos are fading fast and the one named Bill will be no more in a few days. The other, Cocky, will probably last a bit longer though not long. I today suggested putting "Bill" out of its agony and the owners are considering it. The fowls are alright, an egg comes now and again. They lay one in two days on the average.
We set the mainsail this afternoon as the "Old Man" says he wants to try and get two Sundays this time. I was informed today by one of the men that if a man's brains, after seven years on sailing ships, were made of dynamite, there would not be enough to blow his hat off. I shall not go near a sailing ship after this one. We both agreed this would be the last. Discussed Liverpool, though not to its credit, with Reggie."