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 BiscayColour of the Water-Cape Finisterre-Luminous 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-Whit Monday-A Shark caught-Exploit of a Tahitian-Crossing the LineBooby-birds-Magellan Clouds-Animals of the Deep -Spermaceti Whale-Marine Rainbows-The AIbatross-Thunder, Lightning, and Fiery Meteor-A Hard Gale-Peo and Egmont Hen-Grampus-Falkland Islands-Porpoises and Penguins-The TurpinStaten Island-Mr. Tyerman relates a singular passage of his early life-" Long-footed" swells of the OceanDoubling 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 twentyfive years of 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 favourable we dropt 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 Saviour'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 berths 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 everything on board was strange to us. The grunting of the swine, the bleating of the sheep and goats, the clamour 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.

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. Conversing 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

B

2

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 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 colour 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 favourable 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 helm-with his eye on the compass, and his hand on the wheel-and 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 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 descry 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 visiters, 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 arm 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 fragments. On 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 are 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 over these frames, not only repay the owners by their delicious fruits, but afford a most refreshing shade, under which the whole family may be sheltered from those fierce rays of the sun which give exquisite flavour to their grapes, and make the wine of Madeira one of the choicest beverages ❝ to

gladden man's heart," not here only, but at the uttermost ends of the earth.

3

pounce downward upon a flying-fish, while, at the same instant, a thunny, or albacore, sprang from below to seize it. Neither seemed to see the other, and so eagerly did they aim at their common prey, that the thunny's head bolted into the open beak of the albatross. The latter struggled hard to carry off its unexpected prize, which, however, proved too weighty, and fell back into the water. Meanwhile the flyingfish escaped with life from both the deaths that threatened it.

June 2. This morning we got into the N. E. trade wind, which continued to freshen for several hours. A sun-fish, (the tetrodon mola of Linnæus) was harpooned from one of our boats, and brought on board. It measured five feet and a half in length, and four and a half in width.

While it was towed along-side of our ship several sucking-fish (echineis remora of Linnæus) accompanied it, adhering to different parts of the body. One of these singular animals was taken by a spear. It was eleven inches in length, in form resembling a trout, of a brown colour, without scales, slimy and loathsome to the sight. When put into a vessel of water, it immediately attached itself to the side by its suckers, which are twelve in number, placed in the throat within a flat oval surface, two inches in length, and barely an inch and a half in breadth. By these the creature sticks with surprising firmness to whatever it assails. Fishes of the same kind, though much larger, are a grievous annoyance to the whales, and often cause them to bound out of the water, to shake off their tormentors by the fall.

June 5. This evening we have crossed the tropic of Cancer. A flying-fish (exocatus volitans) having lighted on board, we had an opportunity of examining its curious formation. This specimen was in size and shape much like a herring; the sides and belly were bright as burnished silver, with a tinge of blue along the back-the eye large; the two pectoral fins rising from the gills had each twelve rays, six and a half inches long, connected by a delicate transparent membrane; with these it can readily direct itself forward or backward, swim in the water or dart through the air. These fish abound in the Atlantic, and are sometimes seen singly, sometimes in shoals; often in their brief flight falling upon the decks of vessels. Occasionally also they continue on the wing for two or three hundred feet, then suddenly, if in flocks, disappear altogether; nor do they seem to experience any difficulty in flying against the wind. Their course, when we have observed them in our vicinity, was always from the ship, their motion apparently undulating with the billows, and nearly parallel with the surface. They have many enemies in both elements; rapacious fishes and birds of prey. Our mate told us that he once saw a man-ofwar eagle-an albatross, (Diomedea exulans)

June 6. At noon we were under a vertical sun; our latitude being 22° 46' N. Thermo

the mercury rose to 106°.

June 7. The cry of a whale!-a black fish!" occasioned much commotion in lowering down the boats, and for a while pursuing it; but the prey escaped. At dinner the second mate related the following incident, confirmed by the testimony of the captain. On a late voyage, when near to the coast of South America, an inmense whale suddenly rose at the side of the ship to such an height out of the water, and flung himself (unconscious of its presence, having come up with great impetuosity from the deep) with such force athwart the bow of the vessel as to cut it sheer off. Being but a small whaler, she filled and sunk so speedily that the crew had barely time to take to their boats. They were soon after received on board of a companion-ship which was fishing hard by.

June 9. We have been much gratified by seeing what the sailors call a Portuguese manof-war, and a galley-fish. These beautiful creatures are of various sizes: this was about as large as a hen's egg. The animal resembles

a bladder, transparent, rose-coloured, with a kind of keel formed in festoons, plaited like a ruff, on the upper part. This appendage being raised above the water serves for a sail, while numerous tentacula, proceeding from the under side, enable it to steer its course, seize its prey, or to cast anchor, as it were, and fix itself on the moving surface of the waves. It is said to be exceedingly venomous, and one of the mates told us that he had frequently been stung by it while bathing. Though we handled that which was brought on board very freely, none of us felt any annoyance from it. Linnæus denominates this kind of mollusca holocuria physalis. Towards evening there was again a sudden and loud cry, "There she goes!-she spouts!-a sperm! I see her fluke !" and in an instant both starboard and larboard boats were lowered, manned, and out in pursuit of a whale. They returned disappointed of their object. The captain and his party, however, had themselves a very narrow, providential escape; for while their boat was lowering, the davits (posts to which the tacklings for that purpose are attached) gave way, when boat and men in it were precipitated upon the sea, but immediately rescued, with some slight personal injuries only, though the captain had no expectation but that the boat must have been stoved to pieces by the fall, and some lives lost, if not all.