The Diary of Sgt. William Cunny

william cunningham (not coningham) goes to the antarctic

[thecunnydiaries]

About This Project

The Cunny Diaries is a lighthearted attempt to follow the progress of James Clark Ross' Antarctic expedition as it happened, through the eyes of HMS Terror's Sgt. William K. Cunningham, RM.

Cunningham's entries are presented as is, with some liberties taken in punctuation and abbreviation for purposes of readability. The project will span four years, afterwhich who knows if Tumblr is still going to exist? Anyway, have fun and see you on the other side!

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Meet the mod

William Cunningham

Sergeant William Keating Cunningham, RM was born in Snowhill, Holborn, London on 1 July 1809. He joined the Royal Marines in 1829 and served in the HMShips Prince Regent and Revenge before being promoted to sergeant in 1836. On 15 June 1839, he joined HMS Terror under Commander Francis R.M. Crozier and was discharged after the voyage on 23 November 1843.

Sir James Clark Ross described Cunningham's conduct as ‘exemplary’ and that, together with Sgt. Baker of HMS Erebus, ‘better conducted non-commissioned officers’ he had not known (Campbell, 2009). After the voyage, Captain Crozier presented Cunningham with his pocket watch, now in the National Maritime Museum.

His Journal

Cunningham produced a daily journal covering the entire 1839-43 Antarctic expedition led by Captain Ross. It adds little to our knowledge of the expedition's scientific work, but it is a very human document all the same, considerably adding to our knowledge of conditions on board and the difficulties encountered by the crews of the vessels.

In 1958, Cunningham's journal was deposited in the Public Record Office of Northern Ireland by Major J.F. Minniece, his descendant.

[thecunnydiaries]

April 1st- 1843 Saturday

Very fine & warm. Wind the Same as yesterday but lighter. Fell a calm in the first watch.

Observed a large Shark under the Port Quarter. Cape GH 137m dist.

[thecunnydiaries]

31st Friday

Fine. Very warm but blowing fresh with Squals. Wind headed us: barely Laying our course Rap full. Current Setting Strongly to the Northward. At Noon Cape Good Hope distn 217 Miles.

Heavy squalls in the evening with rain: Gave the upper Deck a good Holystoneng: Ship beginning to look clean.

[thecunnydiaries]

30th Thursday

Weather fine: nice breeze: quarterly: Studdg Sails low & aloft: averaging 5 Knots. Cleaning Ship.

In the afternoon Hove to while the Erebus was Sounding. Took a reef down in the Topsails at night. At noon Cape Good Hope distn about 360 Miles.

[thecunnydiaries]

29th Wednesday

Fine. Nice light breeze right aft: Studg Sails both sides low & aloft. Scrubbed our other Set of dirty hammocks. In the afternoon the Erebus hove to & Sounded with Long line. Captn went onboard the Erebus. Weather beautifull & mild.

Campbell's notes:

Ross, Voyage, II. p. 379. ‘On the following day thermometers were sent to a depth of 1200 fathoms, where the temperature was 39°.5; at 1050 fathoms, it was 30°.8; at 450 fathoms, 41°.1; at 300 fathoms, 44°; and at the surface 53°.’

In order to measure the temperature of sea water at depth thermometers have to be protected, otherwise the mercury is forced up the scale by the pressure and erroneous readings occur. Ross’s thermometers were unprotected and hence his readings were in error.

[thecunnydiaries]

28th Tuesday

A most beautifull day (at least to us). At 11 AM breeze chopped round favourable but light. Aired Bedding: Scrubbed Hammock and washed clothes. In the afternoon Set Port Topmt & TGt Studg sails: going about 3½ Knots: Smo[o]th water.

[thecunnydiaries]

27th Monday

Very fine. Wind light and not laying our course within three points. Had general Clean at the Ship. White washed lower deck. In the Afternoon Captain went onboard the "Erebus": returned at 4 PM: all well onboard. Weather appearing quite warm to us. A Tropical SKy at Sunset: come up a little in the night.

[thecunnydiaries]

26th Sunday

Fine. Good breeze: commenced running at 4.10 AM: Averaging 6 Knots all day: breeze Moderated in the evening. Run all night under easy sail. No Icebergs Seen.

At Noon in 45°.38'S. Cape Good Hope dist 738 Miles.

[thecunnydiaries]

25th Saturday

Fine dry day: Rattling breeze after all: going 7 & 8 Knots: Sea running rather high. Passed two bergs and a few Small pieces of berg ice. Shortened Sail at night to treble reefed Topsails & hove to with Main Topsail to the Mast. At noon Cape Good Hope dist. 875 miles.

[thecunnydiaries]

24th Friday

Fine. At 2,30 AM Commenced running. Made Sail: Set Lower Top Mt & Top Gt Studg Sail: Sea much subsided. At noon Cape Good Hope dist 1051 Miles. Passed two or three Bergs, apparently far Spent. At dusk Shortened Sail to Treble reefed Topsails and Kept running: Averaging throughout the 24 hours 6½ Knots: making a good days works.

[thecunnydiaries]

23rd Thursday

Moderated Considerably. Set Lee clue of Mainsail & Shook a reef out of both Topsails: heavy sea on: Averaging 7 Knots: Going right before the wind: passed Several very large Bergs. Hove to at night with the Main Top Sail to the Mast, Close reefed, after Observing Erebus burn a Blue Light. Sea generally Speaking running very high.

[thecunnydiaries]

22nd Wednesday

Blowing harder: Running under the Same canvas. Between 12 & 1 PM runover the place where the bearings of Circumsicion Land is Laid down & Seen nothing of it, not even a bit of Seaweed. Weather thick with heavy squalls of Snow.

Passed Several Large Icebergs. At 2 bore up for the Cape Good Hope dist 1281 Miles. Hove to at night: blowing Still harder & bitter cold: Heavy sea washing over all. Spliced Main brace.

Campbell's note: Ross, Voyage, II. p. 371. ‘Bovet Island [Bouvetøya] should, therefore, have been in sight, bearing S 55° E., distant nine miles. We stood exactly for it, until we had run twelve miles, but not seeing it, we steered east, to keep in its supposed latitude: after having gone forty miles further, we arrived at the spot from which Cook sought it to the eastward, and the night getting dark, I gave up all further search, concluding, with him, that M. Bouvet had mistaken a large iceberg for land. I have now, however, reason to believe that there is an island in the vicinity; for since my return to England, I have learned from C. Enderby, Esq. that it has been visited by several of his vessels, …’

[thecunnydiaries]

21st Tuesday

Came on to blow a gale. Shortd Sail to close reefed M. Top sail & reefed foresail: Scudded. Gale right aft: passed Several Large Icebergs: Battened down fore & aft: Shipping heavy Seas: Hove to at night.

[thecunnydiaries]

20th Monday

Fine breeze all day right aft. Steering nearly due East for Circumcision Land, in 54°16N'S, 6°14'E. At noon in the Meridian of Greenwich. In the Evening came on to blow fresh with light fall of snow. At dusk the lower Studg Sail tripped up & Carried away the fore Top Mast Studg sail boom and Split Lower Studg Sail: Shorted Sail to double reefd Top sail & hove to for the night with the main top Sail to the Mast. At 8 Lost Sight of the Erebus but Observed her almost immediately afterward to Leeward burning a blue light. Answered Ditto.

At noon Cape Good Hope dist. 1471 Miles.

Campbell's note: The snow-covered point of land discovered by Lozier Bovet on 1 January, 1739 he called Cape Circumcision. It is the NW point of Bouvetøya, Latitude 54°24'S, Longitude 3°25'E.

[thecunnydiaries]

19th Sunday.

Blowing hard all day but wind fair. Weather fine. passed Several Very large Icebergs. At noon for some Reason hauled up ESE: Averaging 6 Knots: Confused sea. At noon In 54°33'13"S, 2°22'45"W: Cape Good Hope 1540 Miles distant.

Campbell's note: Ross, Voyage, II. p. 370. ‘At 6 P.M. the following day, being in the latitude of Bouvet Island, 54°<21'S., and about 300 miles west of its assigned position, our course was altered to true east…’

[thecunnydiaries]

18th Saturday

Light falls of Snow & Sleet. Much warmer. Wind Variable but fair & light, freshened at night. and came on thick. Quarter Master & Captainn Forecastle resumed thier duty.

Campbell's note: Presumably they had been among the idlers who had been ordered to join the two watch sytem, and after reverting to three watches they returned to their normal duties.

[thecunnydiaries]

17th Friday

St. Patricks Day. Wind ahead during the fore part of the day and light: Choppd roundfair in the afternoon. Set Studg Sails. All the Officers dined with the Captn. Spliced Main brace".