xlvi JOURNAL OF A VOYAGE TO INDIA. When set down on the deck, it looked round without any appearance of fear, but endeavoured in vain to rise, its wings being too long to admit of its doing so from a plain and solid surface. Mr. Gresley took a drawing of it, after which it was, by the unanimous consent of the spectators, returned in safety to the sea. During its continuance on deck, it had shewn marks of sickness, which Captain Manning said these birds generally did in such a situation; and even when in the water it seemed for some time a little languid. By degrees, however, it began to ply its web-feet and wings at the same time, and scudded rapidly over the surface of the calm sea, with a motion between flying and swimming. Nothing can be more genial than the climate of this day, or more resembling a fine May morning in England. The month, however, answers to our February; so that we may yet look for some bitter March winds before we shall have passed the Cape. In the evening another bird, of appearance nearly similar to the foregoing, but smaller, and with a more crooked beak, was caught, but, less fortunate than the other, was killed for the sake of having his skin stuffed. This last seems to be the bird called the sea-parrot. August 15.-Another fine night. The wind has gone considerably astern of us, and studding sails are set on the foremast. Lat. 35° 20′ E. Long. 1° 54. Last night I believe we all thought much of home, as we passed (which occurred at about nine o'clock) the meridian of Greenwich. It was a JOURNAL OF A VOYAGE TO INDIA. xlvii pleasing, though almost painful task, to figure to ourselves the different employments of our friends in different places in England. God bless them! While our minds were thus occupied, a chance appeared to have been drawing near of communicating with them sooner than we expected. A vessel this morning came in sight, which Captain Manning apprehended to be bound to the Cape. Every body went in all haste to finish or write their letters. I had already a huge packet accumulating. We came up with the stranger about three o'clock; she shewed English colours, and proved to be a brig belonging to the Mauritius, and bound thither, sixty-four days from Bourdeaux. Captain Manning sent a boat on board, with the purser, partly to learn whether she was to touch at the Cape, partly to try to purchase some claret. Major Sackville and I went in her. Our visit was of use to the crew, both as Captain Manning sent them the true longitude, which they had not got by more than two degrees; and as we undertook the care of a packet of letters which they wished to forward to Calcutta. They were not to stop at the Cape, so that our packets turned out to have been made up in vain. The Grenville looked very well when her stern was towards us. She is really a fine vessel, and looks like a fifty-gun ship of war; she has completely established her character for fast sailing, having fairly distanced every vessel which she has fallen in with, except the Christiana, whom we spoke off Madeira, and who was so much favoured by the light wind and other cir xlviii JOURNAL OF A VOYAGE TO INDIA. cumstances, as to make her superior progress no cause of wonder. I am glad of this on all accounts, as it not only expedites our voyage, but makes our kind-hearted Captain completely happy. The weather continues beautiful. On returning to the Grenville I saw my little girl at one of the cabin windows, who shewed great delight in recognizing me. She had been much distressed at seeing me go off in the boat, and twice began crying. All this, which, I trust, may be considered as indications both of intelligence and affection, interests me so much that I cannot help writing it down, in the hope that I may read it with increased interest and pleasure one day when her matured good qualities may fulfil the present hopes of her parents, and give those parents a daily increasing motive for gratitude to Him who has lent her to them. Dear little thing! I did not suppose, before I possessed her, how closely a child of her age can entwine itself round the heart. I have been reading Hindoostanee to myself, and this morning finished the following translation of one of the poems in Gilchrist's Hindoostanee Guide. From his Paraphrase, I cannot say I derived any great assistance. I have, however, endeavoured to be more faithful than he has been, though the "ruhe ruhe" of the original is, I admit, untranslateable, and only to be imitated afar off. JOURNAL OF A VOYAGE TO INDIA. xlix SONNET BY THE LATE NAWAB OF OUDE, ASUF UD DOWLA. In those eyes the tears that glisten as in pity for my pain, Why thy strength of tyrant beauty thus, with seeming ruth, restrain? Better breathe my last before thee, than in lingering grief remain ! To yon Planet, Fate has given every month to wax and wane; Health and youth in balmy moisture on thy cheek their seat maintain; But the dew that steeps the rose-bud-can it, will it long remain ? Asuf! why in mournful numbers, of thine absence thus complain, Chance had joined us, chance has parted!-nought on earth can long remain. In the world mayst thou, beloved! live exempt from grief and pain! On my lips the breath is fleeting,-can it, will it long remain ? The August 17.-Read prayers and preached. sea was too high to allow the men to sit down, or the awning to be hoisted, and it was extremely cold, a thorough English March morning. Our run since yesterday has been 234 miles. Lat. 35° 23'. E. long. 11° 6'. August 18.-The same breeze, which has now encreased to what seamen call a strong gale, with a high rolling sea from the south-west. Both yesterday and to-day we have had the opportunity of seeing no insufficient specimen of those gigantic waves of which I have often heard as prevailing in these latitudes. In a weaker vessel, and with less JOURNAL OF A VOYAGE TO INDIA. confidence in our officers and crew, they would be alarming as well as aweful and sublime. But, in our case, seen as they are from a strong and wellfound ship, in fine clear weather, and with good sea room, they constitute a magnificent spectacle, which may be contemplated with unmixed pleasure. I have hardly been able to leave the deck so much have I enjoyed it, and my wife, who happily now feels very little inconvenience from the motion, has expressed the same feelings. The deep blue of the sea, the snow-white tops of the waves, their enormous sweep, the alternate sinking and rising of the ship which seems like a play-thing in a giant's hands, and the vast multitude of sea-birds skimming round us, constitute a picture of the most exhilarating, as well as the most impressive character; and I trust a better and a holier feeling has not been absent from our minds, of thankfulness to Him who has thus far protected us, who blesses us daily with so many comforts beyond what might be expected in our present situation, and who has given us a passage, throughout the whole extent of the Atlantic, so unusually rapid and favourable. The birds which surround us are albatrosses, and snowpeterels. The Cape pigeons have disappeared, being probably driven to shore by the gale. The other birds come from the southward, and are considered as indications of a tremendous storm in that quarter, from which our unusually northern course has exempted us. Lat. 34° 54′ E. long. 15° 30'. This day ends the ninth week of our abode on board the Grenville. |