JOURNAL.

CHAPTER I.

The Tuscan sails, with the Missionaries on Board, May 2, 1821-Novelty of Nautical Arrangements-Whaler's Anecdote-Drop down the Channel-Bay of Biscay-Color of the Water-Cape FinisterreLuminous Appearances in Ship's Track-Charnel-house at Madeira -North-east Trade Wind-Sucking Fish-Cross the Tropic of Cancer -Flying Fishes-The Black Whale-The Southern Cross-WhitMonday A Shark caught-Exploit of a Tahitian-Crossing the Line -Booby-birds-Magellan Clouds-Animals of the Deep-Spermaceti Whale-Marine Rainbows-The Albatross-Thunder, Lightning, and Fiery Meteor-A Hard Gale-Peo and Egmont HenGrampus-Falkland Islands-Porpoises and Penguins-The Turpin —Staten Island—Mr. Tyerman relates a singular Passage of his early Life" Long-footed "Swells of the Ocean-Doubling Cape Horn -Accident-Superstition of Sailors.

THE Tuscan, a South Sea whaler, of about 360 tons burthen, commanded by captain Francis Stavers, was provided to convey us on our voyage to the islands of the Pacific Ocean. To Alexander Birnie, Esq. the Society which we represented was indebted for the grant of a free passage, not only to ourselves, but also to the Rev. Mr. Jones, a missionary to the Georgian Isles-his wife-Messrs. Armitage and Blossom, artisans-their wives-and two children belonging to Mr. Armitage. This act of noble liberality, on the part of the proprietor of the vessel, will ever be recollected by the directors and representatives of the London Missionary Society with peculiar gratitude. The ship's crew consisted of thirty-five young and healthy men and boys, including a first, second, and third mate. Besides these, there was a surgeon on board, and a native of Tahiti, about twenty-five years of

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MISSIONARIES ON BOARD.

age, who had been baptized by a missionary in that island, and received the name of Robert.

All things having been prepared for our long and interesting voyage, the ship sailed from London to Gravesend, on Wednesday, the 2d of May, 1821. On Saturday, the 5th, having parted with many friends and ministers, who accompanied us to the latter place, we went on board; the anchor was weighed, and, the weather being favorable, we dropped down the river, five or six miles, when we came to anchor again to wait for the next tide. On this evening, after social worship, in which we committed ourselves and each other to Him whose we are, and whom we wish to serve, we retired to rest for the first time on board, under circumstances which called for humble gratitude and heartiest praise; goodness and mercy surrounding us on every side.

May 6. (Lord's day.) This forenoon we had divine service in the cabin. The forty-third chapter of Isaiah was read; and Mr. Tyerman preached from our Lord's last words: "Lo, I am with you alway, even to the end of the world." -Matt. xxviii. 20. In the afternoon, notwithstanding the hurry and uproar above from tacking, &c., we had the privilege, according to our Savior's appointment, to eat bread and drink wine together, in memory of his death; and we trust that we had fellowship in that hour with all our Christian friends elsewhere, who were then observing the same blessed ordinance, or, like our female companions, (from sickness in their case,) providentially detained from the table of our common Master.

May 7. We proceeded to the Downs, where we anchored. This evening, we enjoyed the pleasure of uniting in spirit, at a missionary prayer-meeting, with the thousands of our Israel, who, in different parts of the earth, at the same time (on the first Monday in the month) offer their fervent supplications for the universal prevalence of that glorious gospel which brings life and immortality to light.

May 8. Yesterday and to-day we have been busily occupied in arranging our packages in our births and the cabin, so that those things which would oftenest be wanted might always be nearest at hand. Much and grievous inconvenience is frequently suffered by passengers from lack of a little foresight and good management in this respect. Being ourselves almost new to the sea, the effect of every thing on board was strange to us. The grunting of the swine, the

WHALER'S ANECDOTE.

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bleating of the sheep and goats, the clamor of the ducks, the cackling and crowing of the fowls, but, above all, the appearance, activity and language of the sailors, could not fail to amuse us. The manner of heaving the lead to sound the depth of the water (a frequent process at this commencement of our navigation), particularly struck us. But the following incident may be more intelligible than a description of a nautical ceremony. "Cook," says the steward, "milk the goat." The cook proceeds to the operation. Ordering one of the boys to hold the animal's horns, and resting the under part of his own thigh on the calf of his opposite leg, he adroitly places a hind leg of the goat between these, and proceeds to discharge his duty with inflexible. composure, while the poor kid stands by, with piteous looks, beholding the beverage provided for its sustenance thus recklessly taken away.

Con

May 10. The wind being strong, but contrary, we have hitherto made slow progress. To-day we had fine views of Hastings and Seaford, and other places near shore. versing with the captain, who has been for many years engaged in the whale fishery, he related the following circumstance. Being once pursued by a whale, which he had wounded, he parried the assault for some time with a lance; but the furious monster at length rushed on the boat, and with one crash of its jaws bit it in two; himself and his comrades only being preserved by leaping into the water when they saw the onset was inevitable. They were rescued from their peril by other boats at hand. He observed, that the black whale of the North Seas discovers such affection for her young one, that when she perceives danger, she takes it under one of her fins, and swims off with it. If the latter be struck, the dam never leaves it, but risks her own life to save that of her calf. On the contrary, the sperm whale of the South Seas will suffer her offspring to be taken without manifesting any concern, and providing only for her own safety; or occasionally, when escape is difficult, turning, as in the instance above mentioned, with the most savage ferocity on her pursuers. Our captain's father lost his life in attacking one of these formidable monsters.

May 12. This day we reached Portsmouth, when, the wind being contrary, we went on shore, and thence passed over to Newport, Isle of Wight, where we were cordially welcomed and entertained by Mr. Tyerman's friends, to

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BAY OF BISCAY-CAPE FINISTERRE.

whom his sudden re-appearance was equally unexpected and delightful.

May 19. The wind having become fair, we went on board again this morning, and proceeded with great rapidity down the English Channel, presenting a great press of sail to a powerful and prosperous breeze.

May 20. (Lord's day.) This morning we had public worship, for the first time, on deck; the captain, officers, and crew, being all in attendance. Mr. Tyerman preached from Psalm cvii. 23, 24: "They that go down to the sea in ships, and do business in great waters, these see the works of the Lord, and his wonders in the deep." Mr. Jones preached on deck in the afternoon.

May 22. We have this day passed into the Atlantic, crossing the mouth of the Bay of Biscay. Early in the morning we had a strong gale, and proceeded, amidst prodigious waves, at the rate of eleven knots an hour, with scarcely any sail spread. Towards noon the wind died away, and left us for several hours at the mercy of a troubled sea that could not rest, but rolled and rocked with awful agitation. In the evening the gale revived, and hurried us on in our desired course. A linnet and two swallows, taking refuge in our shrouds, were caught by the sailors; but the poor birds were so exhausted, by the violence of the wind and the length of their flight, that they soon expired.

May 23. To-day we first perceived the change of the color of the water from green to dark blue; the former indicating comparative shallowness, the latter, unfathomable depth.

May 24. We are off Cape Finisterre, having experienced favorable weather since the 22d. The night is beautiful with stars, amidst a pure unclouded sky. The ship sails majestically over an invisible expanse of water, marked only by silver-topt breakers, accompanying and following in its wake. The only persons on deck are the man at the helmwith his eye on the compass, and his hand on the wheeland the mate, who silently paces the deck, listening and looking through the gloom.

May 25. Multitudes of porpoises playing round the vessel; two were harpooned, and brought on board. The blubber yielded three gallons of good lamp-oil. The liver and some of the fleshy parts were dressed and eaten by the sailors. In the evening, the foam round the vessel was spangled with luminous but evanescent points; the flakes occasionally

CHARNEL-HOUSE AT MADEIRA.

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emitting their brilliant rays for several seconds. This phenomenon, not yet satisfactorily explained by philosophers, though common every night, is very striking; the track of a ship is sometimes so highly irradiated as to present the appearance of a train of fire for a considerable distance.

May 27. (Lord's day.) We had public service twice in the cabin. The deck had been cleared last night, and no work that could be avoided was done on the Sabbath. It was pleasing to see the crew, clean and in their best clothes, engaged in reading the Bibles and tracts which we had given them.

May 28. This morning we had the satisfaction to see Porto Santo, one of the Madeira Islands. Our party have been fully occupied to-day in writing to friends in Old England. This is a peculiarly interesting ship-board scene, whenever an immediate opportunity of communicating with home is presented in the course of a long voyage.

May 29. We reached Madeira, and went on shore at Funchal; the captain purposing to take in a supply of various provisions. No description of this lovely, magnificent, and well-known island, by transient visitors, can be necessary here. One of the most remarkable objects of curiosity which we visited was a room in the church of St. Francis, about fifteen feet square, and the same in height, completely lined, or rather embossed, both on the side walls and the ceiling, with human skulls, set in squares composed of arms and thigh bones, which form a separate frame for each skull. These hideous relics are said to be those of saints and eminent personages, of which the sepulchres have been defrauded to decorate this Golgotha of superstition. The whole has a horrible and ghastly appearance, which is aggravated by the filthiness of the place, and the dilapidations continually occurring the skulls and bones from time to time falling from their fixtures, and strewing the floor with mouldering fragOn inquiring the cause of the neglect of a sanctuary so peculiarly precious to devotees as this must have been, we were told that the funds bequeathed for the maintenance of its melancholy state had been lost; and there was not charity in the present day found to keep this charnel-house in repair. One word may be added concerning the vines. These were planted at the fronts of the houses, in gardens; lattice-works, about seven feet high, are raised and extended over the whole ground-plot. The vines, being conducted

ments.