Thursday 23rd May 1878

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Had a bath out on the Poop but it was a poor one. Fine warm day with good wind. Headache in the afternoon so lay down - better by dinner time. Crossed the Line. Sun sets earlier and days grow colder day by day now. There was none of the usual fun on our *crossing the Line, the Captain having put a stop to it on account of one of the crew cheeking him.

12 noon: Lat 1.11S & Long 24.54. Days run 200 miles.

* The “line-crossing ceremony” is a seafaring tradition dating back to the Middle Ages and commemorates a sailor’s first crossing of the equator and is still practised (to a certain extent) aboard some ships today. It was originally created as a test, for seasoned sailors to ensure their new shipmates were capable of handling long, rough times at sea.

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