Tuesday. — Morning clear, but it clouded about 9 a. m. and remained so all day. Dull leaden clouds with the wind somewhat variable, hauling at one time to N. by W. in a squall and driving us 6 knots. In light winds our propeller does not revolve, and the ship is wonderfully sluggish. The winds being light the current, running to the northward at the rate of 23 knots per hour, has drifted us so far northward, although we have been steering west and W. S. W.and once S. W.by S., that I fear we shall be drifted by the port of Cayenne altogether. The water has been muddy green all day, but we did not get soundings with 40 fathoms of line until 8 p.m. Passed frequent tide rips, indicating the presence of currents, and at 5:30 p.m. descried two sail bearing westward from us. We could not make them out. Indeed, they were of but little interest to us in our crippled condition for the want of coal, as we could not chase. Evening clear but rather hazy, with the wind N. N. E. and very light. Latitude by computation, the sun being obscured just at noon, 4° 56′; longitude, 50° 55 ‘.
Extracts from the journal of Commander Semmes, C.S. Navy, commanding C.S.S. Sumter
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