mercy of wind and wave, he was riding, fearless, at home. Ah, how they envied the cheerful bird, as he floated to and fro on the tempest! The hours passed wearily on till morning. As the light of day spread over the heavens, the storm abated; their hearts lightened, and although languid and fatigued by the excitement and watchfulness of the night, they began to converse more cheerily, and hope that present peril was past. The gale had been unusually violent, and as unusually brief. Six and seven bells struck, and with keen appetites they awaited the summons to breakfast. At nine o'clock they seated themselves, and from the motion of the ship, were making low conges to their neighbors across the board, when their longing looks were greeted by the unexpected luxury of a broiled ham. Two or three hams had been brought from Boston, and this was one of the last. They sat a few moments, anxiously awaiting a signal to begin the repast, when a sudden lurch of the vessel caused them to cling to their seats, and the chairs to step a cotillon, which exercise they continued till they danced the length of the cabin and back. Another lunge, and, to their consternation, the meat dish took an impulsive plunge in the same direction, and after sundry girations, landed unbroken on the deck, the meat of course undermost. This disaster entirely destroyed their desire for eating; notwithstanding, with much dexterity, the steward caught up the unfortunate platter, and with a greasy napkin, produced from a pocket of his unmentionables, rubbed it over, and in a few moments, with its former contents placed invitingly before them, awaiting their pleasure, as quietly as though nothing had happened to disturb their equilibrium.

CHAPTER III.

Falkland Isles-Seals, &c.--Albatross-Cape Horn--AtmosphereMan overboard-Miss Johnson's efforts for his conversion-Juan Fernandes-Burial of the cook-Whales-Loss of the ship Essex.

As they proceeded farther southward, the swell of the sea was very much greater, the waves higher, and the troughs were deeper; and for several days before they reached the Cape, they were made aware of its vicinity by this marked change, which, when within two days' sail of it, was really frightful. The wind wafted them strongly and steadily onward; but the scene became more and more dismal, till they approached the Falkland Islands. Here it was much calmer and clearer, and they had a fine view of the isles, the coast of which differed from any other they had ever seen. There were rocks, seeming to rise perpendicular from the sea, to the height of several hundred feet, entirely barren, excepting where, in their clefts, a thin soil afforded a place for various sorts of ever-greens to fasten their roots. It seemed singular that, with so small sustenance, even this hardy species. could flourish as it did, from the height of three to twenty feet, presenting to the eye a pleasant picture, where the green branches rested on the face of the rugged rock, or in dark relief against the sky.

Formerly, here had been extensive fisheries, of various kinds, producing immense revenues to those engaged in them. Several sorts of seals, called the sea horse, sea lion, &c., were also found in great abundance.

Large flocks of birds, among which were the gull, and

albatross, frequented the coast, leaving quantities of their eggs, and were often found on their nests with their young, where they appeared as tame as domestic fowls, until an attempt was made to drive them from thence, when they would fight with fierceness as long as life remained. Here they saw the albatross, the largest of the water fowl, and, excepting the condor, the largest bird that flies, measuring from tip to tip of the extended wings, from twelve to fifteen feet; and the captain assured them he had seen an instance of one seventeen feet.

As they approached Cape Horn the wind blew more strongly from the north-west, directly in their faces, driving them several days out of their course.

The farther south they sailed, the more unpleasant grew the atmosphere; so humid and piercing, that, clothing themselves as thickly as possible, and retiring to their births, it was still very chilling and uncomfortable. The utmost endeavors were made to kindle fires, but the dampness frustrated such efforts, and the only effect was filling the cabin with smoke. For nineteen days they were in this forlorn, uncomfortable situation, when the shifting of the winds in their favor, enabled them to regain their lost ground, and double the Cape.

A thrilling occurrence took place as they were rounding the most southern point. A man was sent aloft on Sabbath morning, and in a few moments, "a man overboard!" rang through the ship. This was the first occurrence of the kind that had happened, and the possibility of it had scarcely entered their thoughts. That one should be taken from among them in so sudden and fearful a manner, almost paralysed the little community. With pallid faces they crowded to the stern, and each did his best to assist the unfortu

nate man. For a while, from the heavy roll of the waves, it seemed utterly impossible to accomplish his rescue. But a merciful providence interfered; he was enabled to seize one of the ropes which had been thrown him, and, as he was drawn on board, one volume of thanks arose to heaven, from the hearts of the anxious gazers. Miss Johnson immediately opened a correspondence with him on his truly miraculous escape; her affectionate heart saw that if ever there was an opening for divine grace, this was one. She labored well and perseveringly, and it was thought that her kind, affectionate, christian efforts, were crowned with success, for a thorough change was wrought in his deportment.

They passed the Cape without farther mishap, and the decrease of high winds and waves were in proportion to their increase as they sailed south. Soon after this they were becalmed eleven days, nearly opposite the Island of Juan Fernandes, though not in sight, which they regretted, as they much wished to obtain a view of this celebrated spot, if they could not visit it. They strained their gaze anxiously in its direction for hours, while the vessel lay like a log upon the water, but in vain; nothing greeted their sight or hearing save now and then the spouting of a whale at a distance, and a fish showing its finny sides a moment, and then disappearing beneath the blue wave.

Till their arrival at the Sandwich Islands, nothing more of moment occurred excepting the death of the cook. A somewhat lingering illness preceded his decease, and it was on a fine, calm morning, that all hands were piped up for burying the dead. It was a very solemn and impressive scene. The sun shed his rays purely and brightly upon the uncovered heads of the small assembly. The sailors were ranged on one side, neatly clad in their Sabbath attire, their eyes

attentively fixed on their captain as he read the burial service; and the missionaries were grouped together on the other, also reverently listening. The dead man, sewn up in his hammock, with cannon balls attached to his feet, was stretched upon a long board, one end of which rested upon the taffrail, and the other was elevated on a stanchion. The service of the dead was read with much solemnity, to the words "we therefore commit his body to the deep," when three or four men applied their shoulders to the plank, and launched the corpse of their brother to its last resting place, till "the sea shall give up its dead."

They saw several species of whale while in the south Atlantic and Pacific. One day, about 118° west longitude, one not less than ninety feet in length was playing around the vessel, when one of the officers proposed trying an experiment, and accordingly, much against the will of the passengers, lest something serious might happen, the contents of a gun were fired into him. For a moment he did not notice the salute, and continued his unwieldy gambols, apparently uninjured, when he started convulsively, as though suddenly shocked, and, after an instant's pause, sped away with such rapidity, that he was soon lost to the sight. Upon this, as was his custom on all suitable occasions, Mr. Wilson embraced the opportunity of spinning a yarn which deeply interested his auditors. It was in relation to the loss of the ship Essex, which took place somewhere in this vicinity. He had sailed one voyage under the orders of Capt. Pollard, its commander, and had often listened to the tale from his own lips. They were one day on the look out for sperms, and had struck two, which the boats were following to secure. While they were thus engaged, a young one came up near one of the boats, when, either in fright or