Handwriting help, and spelling

[ggordon]

Each log writer is likely to have a peculiar writing style and spelling system. In the most exaggerated cases the spelling of one word may vary even in the entry for one day.
If you find oddities please do post them here to help other viewers working with this project.

Help with images
If you want to query/show some text please supply the page reference (the reference changes as you view the middle of a page), and an image of the text would also be helpful. Help for manipulating/posting images can be found in Guide to posting links and images. If you have any problems with imaging please ask for help below.

[ggordon]

North Star Section A:

August 3rd 1881

The log keeper writes with a slightly odd style


1. Capital 'W'
2. Lower case 's'
3. Lower/upper case 'a'. The writer starts with the letter 'o' and adds a stroke to the right of it to form the letter 'a'.
4. Capital 'R'
5. Lower case 'd'. The stroke up is not close to the down stroke on the vertical element.
6. 'out'

Transcription:
Widnesday Aug 3d
Commences With a Calm and tick Fogg
at daylight got up Steam and Steamed
Slowly to S.E. at 1 aclock A.M. Spoke
Fishing Schooner Ripple of New
Bedford at anchor We Reported
Gay head bearing N.E. dist. 15 miles
at dark wind died out Ends Calm.

[ggordon]

The handwriting changes on database page 4
https://archive.org/details/northstarst ... ort/page/4

The new handwriting is much easier to read - although rather pale

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There is a return to the original handwriting on August 25th. It may be that someone with a fairer hand offered to record the death of their shipmate Charles E Robertson.

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A few days later the handwriting changes again. Perhaps the logkeepers are alternating dependent on their duty times.