whale, which continued playing about the ship for nearly an hour, sometimes: approaching close to the vessel. To the experienced mariner these extraordinary animals are too well known to attract particular attention; but to me the sight, being new, was highly interesting, and I derived much entertainment from observing the awkward gambols of this mighty monarch of the deep.

28th. Divine service was this day performed on the quarter-deck, after which Captain Sharpe and Mr. Ritchie dined at our mess. During the night we experienced a heavy gale from the S. E., but throughout the early part of the evening the agitated appearance of the atmosphere, and accumulation of black clouds to windward, had been sufficiently portentous to induce every preparation necessary to meet the approaching storm. The top-gallant sails were accordingly taken in, the ropes all cleared, and the watches told off to their respective quarters. The breeze continued gradually to increase until about twelve o'clock, when it assumed a most serious aspect, and at one

it blew sb hard as to render it expedient to call all hands upon deck and get the ship under close-reefed top-sails. From this hour the storm continued to blow with unabated fury until four, when it became more moderate, and gradually died away. As it happened this night to be my midwatch upon deck, I was afforded an opportunity of witnessing in all its terrific sublimity the violence of the raging elements. The waves broke over the vessel in masses of white foam, which, through the darkness of the night, produced the grandest effect I ever beheld. For security from the fury of these breakers, I was obliged to lodge myself in a small aperture between the mizen-mast and the round-house, as I perceived it would be impossible for me to keep my legs, when even the sailors, notwithstanding the assistance of life-ropes, were washed from side to side of the ship, the motion of which was such at times as to create doubts of her again righting; a good fortune, for which we were probably sometimes indebted to the immense dead weight of ordnance-stores in her hold. Having,

in pursuance of Colonel Gilmore's orders, gone to report to him the situation of the ship, I found him making a précipitate retreat from the state room, dripping wet, the sea having forced itself through the scuttle, and inundated his bed; and my arrival was opportune to relieve him from the apprehensions excited by this false alarm. Notwithstanding the cessation of the storm, it was found necessary to continue working the pumps for a considerable time; whilst owing to the heavy swell of the sea, the vessel still laboured exceedingly...

Dec. 29th. Blowing fresh, and, in consequence of the wind veering to the N. W., we were obliged to tack during the night We this day observed that our fore-chains had been drawn during the preceding

storm.

30th. A fine brisk gale throughout the morning from the N. W. In the afternoon the wind shifted to the N.; the ship, during the evening and night, going from eight to ten knots.

31st. Had a distant view of the island of Madeira, bearing E. and by S. about ten

leagues. It presented a bold and lofty headland, but too undefined to admit of particular description.

Jan. 1st, 1818. A brisk breeze from the N. W. A sail hove in sight which gained considerably upon us by ten o'clock, when she made signal to speak us; and we accordingly backed the main sail and waited for her. She proved to be the Three Sisters from Glasgow, eighteen days out, bound to Kingston, Jamaica.

Jan. 2d. Light breezes from the W. and by N., making scarcely any way in our

course.

3rd. Becalmed. Captain Sharpe had the jolly boat lowered, and rowed round to see the trim of the ship, after which I accompanied the Colonel, Captain

Lieutenant

and about two hundred yards from the vessel, where we bathed.

4th. A gentle breeze sprung up from the N. Going from four to five knots.

5th. Caught the trade winds, and made good way during the night.

6th. Throughout this day proceeded on our course, going from seven to nine knots,

and during the night from ten to eleven, wind E.-We parted company in the afternoon with an aquatic stranger that had been constant in his attendance during this and the preceding day. Our fellow voyager was a white shark, the largest and most destructive species of this voracious animal; and we were, probably, indebted for the honour of his society to the hope of procuring from on board something to gratify his ravenous appetite. He appeared about twenty feet long, and generally kept within fifty yards of the vessel, sometimes, however, approaching considerably nearer. Every exertion to secure him failed, either in consequence of extreme cunning, which enabled him to discover the hook intended for his destruction; or, which is more probable, owing to his having recently feasted to the full extent of his inclination. There is no animal to which sailors entertain so great an aversion as the shark, and the capture of one of these monsters is uniformly to them a source of the highest exultation. The officers on board were continually firing at him from rifles, whenever

c