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We have received
the Captain's Report which we append with pleasure. Our readers will find it
even more than generally interesting.
Ladies and Gentlemen
You will, I doubt
not excuse the abrightness and brevity with which I address you.
I have had little time to devote to the pen beyond what is
absolutely necessary on the duties of my station but I cannot deny myself the
pleasure of saying a few words to you through the column of the Chronicle.
Since the date of my last report we have made extraordinary
progress as a glimpse at the Table of Lattitudes and Longditudes I furnish will
at once enable you to perceive. I hope you are now
sufficiently accustomed to the sea to be able to keep your legs in any weather.
You will require all your new gotten skills in the next fortnight.
We may expect strong winds and heavy seas with severe cold
for a week or two. The thermometer stands now at 58 a few days in all
probability bring it down to 40. I would therefore
ernestly advise you to adjust your clothing carefully to the weather.
It is of the utmost importance that you keep yourselves
warmly clad, as otherwise the sudden transition from extreme heat to extreme
cold may be seriously injurious. I feel confident you
will appreciate the necessity of the preparation I refer to.
It is a source of heartfelt pleasure to congratulate you on
the healthy state of all on board, I consider this fact peculiarly flattering
to the Medical gentleman of the Ship, as well as fortunate for yourselves ' - A
few weeks more of careful forethought and you will I trust have reached your
destination without one casualty or case of serious illness on the voyage.
I hope you will enable me to record this remarkable fact in
Australian Navigation. You will I daresay be grateful to
learn that we are now in the Westerly trades and may look with confidence to
our progress for some days. We crossed the Meridium
of Greenwich on Thursday and we are now in the Indian
Ocean. During these days from Tuesday noon we
have made upwards of a thousand miles. From Tuesday to
Wednesday noon, we made 306 miles, from Wednesday to Thursday noon we made 330
miles, and from Thursday to Friday noon we made 366 miles and we are still
dashing onwards in our best style. It appears very
evident that our voyage will be one of the shortest ever made to the Australian
Colonies by a sailing vessel. I cannot conclude my
remarks without expressing a hope that your observances of the customary
festivities of Christmas will be tempered by that prudence and Sobriety which
have marked your conduct throughout the voyage, and wishing you all a Merry
Christmas, I remain with hearty good will, yours very truly,
Chas. Mc Donnell Commander
Marco Polo 24/12/53
Table of Lattitude and Longditude,
continued fromnour last.
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.................Lattitude |
Longditude |
|
Sunday Dec.18 Monday
Dec.19 Tuesday Dec.20 Wednesday Dec.21
Thursday Dec.22 Friday Dec.23 Saturday
Dec.24 |
32
.....11' ....."S 33
.......3'
.....40" 36 .....20'
.....20" 37
.....32' .....10" 39
.....32'
....."" 41 .....40'
.....10" 44
......9' .....- |
15 ..... 53' ..... 45 W
14 ..... 17' .....
20" 10 ..... 56'
..... 10" 6... .....30' ..... 45" 2.. .....
31' ..... 30" 3
....... 4' ....... 5 E 8 ..... 43'.. ..... -
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To the Editor of the Marco Polo
Chronicle
Sir,
If not intruding too much on your columns, you will oblige
by inserting the following notice, which evidently proceeds from certain
talented gentlemen with some wild oats still on him, and the joke of a moment
with them, may, if preserved in the Chronicle tend to their permanent
improvement, as I am certain no advice could be more applicable, I am ye Edward
Wild
Question
Passengers are
requested not to sow any wild oats on the "Marco Polo" Anyone disobeying will
be punished most seriously.
By order of Captain Wild
R.W.
Printed by meticulous Autographic
Press
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