Here you will find an example transcription of details
This is also a place to ask questions and request help with oddities in the log
You can bring the ship to life by sharing interesting finds from the log pages and other information about the ship
General help with marking and transcribing whaling logs
Weather and ice records from the whaling ships of the USA which contains the following 'must read' topics...
- START HERE. General outline, the project and how to help
- Transcribing: capturing the log details, and information resources
- Transcribing: managing your recording workbook
Treasure trove of information in the Library
Over the years this forum has accumulated a broad spectrum of detailed information which is kept in the Library
Please do take time to visit the Library because it will afford you a great deal of help. However, do feel welcome to ask questions at any time.
Help with images
- If you want to query some text please supply the page reference (the reference changes as you view the middle of a page), and an image of the text if you wish. Help for manipulating/posting images can be found in Guide to posting links and images. If you have any problems with imaging this is the board to post that question.
- Accessing pale images. The example page used below, opened through the 'Irfan' program, 'color correction' and adjust the brightness, saturation, and gamma correction. You may have your own program for adjusting brightness and contrast. Here are the before and after images using Irfan. Click to see them at full size.
Names of the crew
Names of the crew and notes of other ships mentioned or visited can also be recorded. Crews and Ships Met.
To find the shipyard pages for other whalers
Link: Find your ship, & the full list of ships logbooks for OWW
Select 'view single page':
When the log book image opens you will see two pages. It is easier to read the details accessing one page at a time. Use the icons at the bottom of the screen:
You can walk through Narwhal's log pages in chronological order. All you have to do is increment the number at the end of the link: page/2/mode/1up, page/3/mode/1up, page/4/mode/1up etc.
Here is a log page that has been transcribed to help you to be familiar with the writing. Right click and select 'open in new tab' to see the page at full size.
July 30th and 31st 1894
Here is a transcription of the above log page.
| Simple transcription | Phrases of text bracketed |
|---|---|
| 1894 Monday July 30th Commences with thick fogg at 1 Am it cleared off fine and we got underweigh and worked through ice in to the NNE untill we could get no fauther and anchored one mile from land in 3 1/2 fathoms of water fine breeze from N E. and lots of ice | [1894 Monday July 30th] [Commences] with [thick fogg] at [1 Am] it [cleared off fine] and we [got underweigh] and [worked through] [ice] in [to the NNE] untill we could [get no fauther] and [anchored] [one mile from land] [in 3 1/2 fathoms of water] [fine breeze from N E.] and [lots of ice] |
| Tuesday July 31st Throughout the day fine weather and a strong breeze from the NE at 7.30 Am got underweigh and steamed N by E with all fore and aft sails set at noon I passed off shore of Cape Dalhousie 5 or 6 miles in 6 1/2 fathoms of water saw the Newport and Mary D Hume anchored off these I came across Liverpool bay steering from the N by W to N.N.E. with but very little ice to buck and that I found very soft at 5 PM I passed the N end of Baillie Island with the Karluk five or six miles a stern of me the Grampus behind her there the Newport and the Jeanette in the rear. I could not see the M D Hume. I steamed out N of the Island into the largest hole I could see and at 7.30 PM made all sail and stoped steaming and began cruising for bowheads | [Tuesday July 31st] [Throughout the day] [fine weather and a strong breeze from the NE] at [7.30 Am] [got underweigh] and [steamed N by E] with [all fore and aft sails] set at [noon] I passed [off shore of Cape Dalhousie 5 or 6 miles] in 6 1/2 fathoms of water [saw the Newport and Mary D Hume anchored off these] I came across [Liverpool bay] [steering from the N by W to N.N.E]. with but [very little ice] to buck and that I found [very soft] at [5 PM] I passed the [N end of Baillie Island] with the [Karluk five or six miles a stern of me the Grampus behind her there the Newport and the Jeanette in the rear. I could not see the M D Hume.] I [steamed out N] of the Island into the [largest hole I could see] and at [7.30 PM] [made all sail] and [stoped steaming] and [began cruising for bowheads] |
Click on the worksheet images below to see them at full size.
Start worksheet
If you discover any metadata in the logbook please enter it on this page. Metadata means 'data about data', barometer readings or temperature readings. See under 'Weather' at rows 32 and 33. For example, if you see that the temperature is in Celsius or Centigrade, that fact should be transcribed as metadata. This ship log works in Civil time, see notation on Start page of workbook: Tuesday July 31st: https://archive.org/details/logbookofna ... 4/mode/1up
[...] at 7.30 Am [...] noon [...] 5 PM [...] 7.30 PM[...]
Where the exact time of an event is not shown you can leave the 'Time' entry blank or use 'NTS' for 'No time specified'.
Primary worksheet
Weather worksheet
Remarks worksheet
Here's a link back to the list of Narwhal 1894 logbook sections for transcribing Log Pages for Transcribing - apply here!
Warning: AUTOFILL function between worksheets.
Do not drag and drop the date or time on any of the worksheets because you may disrupt the autofill function.
If you are unsure that the autofill is in proper order you can check by pressing two keys on your keyboard.
You are certainly welcome to ask for help with this action.
The remainder of this topic is for you. Ask questions and share interesting discoveries with us to make these logs live.
Thanks to Joan/AvastMH for working on this page
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