38

JOURNAL AT SEA-A STORM.

tions of gratitude to God, that I was permitted to embark at that time. Only the day previous, I was so weak as to be unable, save with much difficulty, to stand. Now, I lay quiet and happy in my berth on my way to Persia. Bless the Lord, my heart reiterated, for his signal mercy, in thus providentially detaining our vessel and raising me so speedily from a bed of illness, to prosecute my contemplated mission. Our effects were scarcely arranged, before Mrs. Perkins and Mrs. Smith became exceedingly sea-sick.

The monotony of a sea-voyage furnishes very little incident. The missionary's journal on the ocean is apt to be much like the log-book of the vessel,-made up of calms-storms-head-winds— squalls and occasional fair-winds. If the log-book is more regularly kept and promises utility to future mariners, the Journal as a counterpart, will have more sea-sick entries. The following pages from mine may furnish a comment on these remarks, as also show the manner in which we employed our time, and the general tenor of things on our voyage.

Sept. 22. The wind was high and the sea rough. The ladies kept their berths. It was rather a gloomy Sabbath. I was not seasick at all; but my weak state obliged me to keep still. I sat wrapped in my cloak in the cabin, while my companions were confined to their state rooms and their berths.

Sept. 23. The equinoctial storm prevailed with great violence. Neither of the ladies left her berth during the day. Mr. Smith was also ill, but employed himself in taking care of the rest.

Sept. 24. The storm raged terribly during the last night. Seldom is the sea more rough and dangerous. The ladies suffered almost intolerably from sea-sickness. But about eight o'clock this morning the sun came out; the wind shifted round to the northwest; and the aspect of things was entirely changed. The ladies left their berths for the first time since the evening we embarked, and went on deck, where they spent several hours and were greatly relieved and refreshed. I was very comfortable, but still weak.

Sept. 26. From conversation with the captain, I found that the storm of the night of the 23rd was far more terrible than we had realized. Both the captain and mate remarked, that they had never encountered such a storm before. The main top-sail, which was perfectly new, was split from top to bottom. We lay quietly in our berths almost unconscious of the perils around us; at least, we felt happy in the confidence that God was our Protector. I regretted that I had not been well enough to visit the deck and see the sublimity of the warring elements, in such a storm on the ocean.

Sept. 27. For the first time, I took a seat at the captain's table. We were all early on deck. I was much regaled by the fresh breeze and delighted with the appearance of the ocean. We struck a shoal of porpoises. Hundreds, perhaps, were sporting together. The captain threw his harpoon at one and hit him, but did not retain him. The wounded one gave the alarm and all in a twinkling fled.

COMMOTION IN THE CABIN-RETROSPECT.

39

Sept. 28. Rose a little after four o'clock and had a most delightful walk on deck. In the course of the night, there had been a heavy shower and high gales of wind in which the fore top-sail was split its whole length. The wind was very boisterous, during the day, and the waves ran almost literally "mountain high." The sublimity of the scene was altogether indescribable. Fortunately, the wind was in the right direction and hurried us on at the rapid rate of nine miles an hour.

Our cabin was in such commotion, that we were obliged to tie our books upon the table. I was engaged half the afternoon in making tape loops for the purpose. At our dinner, too, we found it impossible to retain our plates before us, notwithstanding the small rack, attached to the table, to keep them in their places. A sudden lurch of the vessel would often disloge them and hurl both plates and their contents against the sides of the cabin,

Sept. 29. The bustle occasioned by the high winds and seas forbade our hallowing the Sabbath by any public exercises. In the afternoon, the wind subsiding a little, we went on deck and sung several beautiful hymns.

"There is a land of pure delight,
Where saints immortal reign,"

was a particular favorite with Mrs. Smith,—a land of which she is now doubtless a happy inhabitant. Our singing arrested the attention of the captain and mates, who drew around us and seemed charmed with the music and the hymns.

Sept. 30. In looking back upon the previous three or four weeks, I seemed to myself like one awaking from a dream. My recollection was quite indistinct of all that had passed during that period. The two weeks I lay ill at Andover, and the mode of my being carried to Boston, appeared like a blank. I had afterward rapidly recovered, but could scarcely realize what had transpired,-that I had actually left America and was in the midst of the Atlantic ocean. I felt also deeply concerned for my friends who must be long tortured with solicitude respecting me, embarking as I did in feeble health.

Oct. 1. Mrs. Perkins, for the first time, after the evening we embarked, took a seat at the captain's table. She was much better than at any previous time since her illness commenced. After tea, we walked a while on deck. The western skies were like sheets of burnished gold. The sun, after setting, sent back his splendors half way up to the zenith, almost as bright as noon-day. We all remained on deck, enjoying the brilliant scene, until quite dark, and then reluctantly retired to our cabin.

As an evening exercise, Mr. Smith read a section from the "Listener," a late entertaining English work,-and a chapter from his "Researches." The latter I found to be particularly interesting, as I was to pass over a part of the same ground which he had trav

40

CABIN BOY-OCCUPATION BLACK FISH.

elled, and wished to ask questions and comment on the chapters as we read them; and it was equally an object with him to read it in this social manner, that he might make any corrections that should occur to us, in order to prepare it for a second edition.* After our evening devotions, I enjoyed a delightful walk on deck, by moon light. Such an evening is, if possible, more delightful on the ocean than on land. The whole surface had a silvery lustre as if sprinkled with gems; and a broad belt directly under the moon sparkled and glittered like the galaxy in the skies.

Oct. 4. The captain remarked, that foreign lads are usually sought by American captains as cabin boys, and assigned as a reason, that native boys are not sufficiently submissive. Americans scorn to be slaves. The almost instinctive principle of vassalage which qualifies the European child for a cabin boy, is unfelt and unknown in our free states. May the sacred spark of freedom which glows so early in American bosoms, in the low as well as the high, never be smothered, but blaze forth and spread itself throughout the world. We had a young Sardinian cabin boy. I cannot conceive in what his enjoyment could consist. He was constantly on the alert, watching the eye and the nod of his master,-trembling like an aspen leaf and apparently almost afraid to breathe.

To-day, we made an arrangement in the cabin to economise our time. We proposed to spend three hours, each day, in intellectual employment together, viz., two in reading, and one in conversation. These three hours are from nine to ten o'clock, A. M.; from three to four P. M.; and from seven to eight in the evening. The rest of our time we spend in private reading and study, or otherwise, according to the state of the weather and personal convenience. Our subject for conversation, to-day, was "little things," as affecting our happiness and usefulness.

Oct. 5. The morning was calm,—so much so that there was not a ripple on the face of the water except those made by the vessel; a very agreeable time, to be sure, if we could divest ourselves of the consciousness, that in a calm we make no progress. Dull as it was, however, the sameness was pleasingly interrupted by some incidents. We had a sight of the black fish. Two appeared, some distance ahead, sporting nimbly in the water. They were about twenty feet long and well proportioned. They are valuable only for oil. One will furnish perhaps two barrels. A beautiful land bird also sought a resting place for the sole of its foot on our vessel. It kept with us most of the day, and once came even into our cabin window. Like the dove after the flood, so this little adventurer seemed to point us to a resting place after the tossing of weeks on the billows of the mighty deep. It probably came from the Western Islands, then five or six hundred miles to the eastward of us. Next in or

* We much regret that this second edition has not yet appeared. We hope it will be issued ere long, as the book has been some years out of print.

THE DOLPHIN- -PHOSPHORIC GEMS.

41

der, a large turtle made his appearance. The captain ordered the jolly boat to be let down for pursuit. As the men were hastening to disencumber the boat of its fastenings, their confusion, before getting it down, waked up the turtle, which generally sleeps when he floats upon the surface, and he suddenly made off. Soon, however, his head again appeared at a distance to the watchful eye of the captain; the boat was instantly let down; two men rowed off with the captain for the booty; they soon came up with him and the captain was so successful as to seize him with his hands as he lay sleeping and floating in the water. He was a fine large fellow, weighing probably about seventy pounds. The cook soon commenced despatching him, with all the formality of a slaughter-house; and well he might; for, a few moments after the first blow, the deck was covered with currents that would almost have led one to suppose that an ox, instead of a turtle, had been the victim. The turtle is very tenacious of life. This one showed all his native disposition to bite long after the entrails had been removed, and even after the head was severed from the body. Last in the train of the visitors that relieved the monotony of the calm, that day, was a shoal of dolphins. The appearance of this beautiful fish fully realizes the ideas which I had formed of it. Those we saw were as large as the shad of Connecticut river. They are often found larger-sometimes three, and even five feet in length. The captain sent his harpoon into the shoal, struck one and killed it. The beautiful creature sunk to the bottom as if to deprive us of the entertainment we had anticipated of inspecting it on deck.* The shoal of course took the alarm at the disaster of a comrade and fled instantly away.

Our calm also enabled us to take hold of divers things, in business-style, or, as the sailors say, ship-shape. For the first time, we all jumped the rope on deck-the ladies not excepted-for exercise; and were all seen writing together, in the cabin. The latter scene, I had supposed before embarking, would be one of the earliest and most common on board. But illness prevented. Mrs. Perkins had not taken her pen till that day; and Mrs. Smith plied hers for the first time, the day previous.

Oct. 6. The holy Sabbath. The weather was still pleasant, and Mr. Smith conducted religious worship, for the first time, on deck. The officers and sailors were very attentive. To me, the scene was new and deeply impressive. In the evening, we were entertained by a remarkably vivid appearance of phosphoric gems in the water. It almost seemed that the ocean was on fire. The captain told me that this appearance is occasioned by the collection of a substance in the water, somewhat resembling jelly. I have heard no other explanation of it, though this hardly satisfied me.

* The back of this fish is sometimes purple-sometimes bright green-and in other cases a slaty color. Below it is light, which changes to a golden hue when the fish is dying.

42

PILOT FISH-ISLAND OF FLORES.

Oct. 7. A dull head wind. I commenced reading Mosheim's Church History. In the evening we attended monthly concert. It was delightful to approach the same mercy seat, at the same hour, with our friends, though so widely separated from them.

Oct. 8. A pleasant morning held out the prospect of a fair wind. This was very grateful to us all; and it was interesting to observe what an air of good nature and glee was spread over the whole vessel by it, after our long, strong head wind.

Oct. 9. Commenced reading Abercrombie on the Intellectual Powers, continued Mosheim, and commenced teaching the ladies Greek. With these exercises, and with our two hours' reading the "Researches;" half an hour, poetry; and one hour engaged in conversation; I find myself very well occupied: but I feel so vigorous, in my returning health, that I am out of my element if unemployed a moment.

Oct. 14. I observed the pilot-fish-a small fish six or eight inches in length of a purple back, silvery sides, and beautifully crossed with lateral stripes of a light reddish hue. It is the practice of this little fish to follow vessels and act as a pilot to sharks and other monsters of the deep, and from this circumstance it derives its

name.

Mrs. Smith and Mrs. Perkins continued successfully their lessons in Greek, without having ever looked into a grammar. I suspect that this may be the correct method of studying a language. They soon became able to prepare a lesson, in the New Testament, for construing and parsing, merely from my oral instruction. We dispensed with the use of grammars, not from choice, but because our books were in boxes in the hold of the vessel and not accessible. The privation proved to be no disadvantage.

Oct. 16. Rose at five o'clock. Flores, one of the Azores was a little ahead. As the light increased, it revealed to us the outlines of vineyards and grain fields, which presented a charming view. To one shut out from the sight of land three and a half weeks only, its first reappearance is truly welcome. As the sun rose, it cast a brilliant hue over hill, and dale, and naked mountain cliffs, presenting us, as we were then but a few miles distant, a very grand and beautiful landscape. We all admired it, and Mrs. Smith applied her pencil to the lovely scene. Flores is the most western of the Azores, and the most northern except Corvo, which we observed, a sublime pile of indistinguishable blue, away in the distant horizon. This whole group belongs to the Portuguese. Flores is about thirty miles long and nine or ten broad. It takes its name from the abundance of flowers which grow wild in all parts of the island. It is extremely fertile, wherever cultivated, and produces great quantities of grapes, from which the inhabitants make wine as their staple commodity in commerce. Corvo is about four leagues in circumference. It is Isaid to have derived its name from the vast number of crows that were found there on its first discovery.