The Wreck of the Maid of Athens, Being the Journal of Emily Wooldridge 1869-1870.

The wreck occurred somewhere between Tierra del Fuego and Staten Island on the Lemaire Channel. This is the homespun story of a petticoat sailor, in dire straits, always devoted to her husband’s command.

p. 26: In my sleeping cabin I had…shelves over my bed on which were my books.

p. 27: I never find the time wearying or monotonous on board ship: woolwork, reading, being on deck and watching the waves break….

p. 28: Then on Sunday afternoon the Boy would come on the poop and repeat the Commandments, some hymns, and finish up by reading a chapter of the Bible; soon after we would have prayers in which the whole ship’s company would join.

p. 33, immediately after the wreck: On my return to the cabin everything was floating; I picked up charts, chairs, pillows, books, my workbox, papers, broken glass, and then I looked about to see what happened. I found the skylight broken, the binnacle lamp upset, and mixed with salt water. In the pantry, plates and dishes were still jumping about, the cheese rolling about the floor, pickles fallen on dough that was rising.

p. 60, Sunday, February 20, 1870: As this was Sunday the men did no work at the boats, and early in the evening they all came up to the Mount when the Captain repeated some of the Church Service prayers from memory, and read us the account of St. Paul’s shipwreck, the men afterwards singing some hymns.

p. 117, Sunday, 27th: When tea was over, the Captain read us some chapters out of the Bible and gave us few words on having Faith and Trust in God’s mercies.

p. 132, while sailing in a small boat to the Falklands, Sunday, April 3rd, 1870: During the morning the Captain read us the history of Esther.