and find everything true which had been reported. August 11.—We had a good night, and a smooth though rapid progress. I had the happiness of hearing, for the first time, my dear little Emily repeat a part of the Lord's Prayer, which her mother has been, for some days past, engaged in teaching her. May He, who from the mouth of babes and sucklings" can bring forth His praise, inspire her heart with everything pure and holy, and grant her grace betimes, both to understand and love His name! After writing out my usual translation, I occupied myself during the morning in mastering, by help of Gilchrist's preposterously arranged vocabulary, some of the Hindoostanee poetry in his "Guide." I have thus more and more convinced myself that what is called the florid Eastern style is chiefly to be found in translations, and that the characteristics of the originals are often rather flatness and vapidity, than exuberance of ornament. But I really feel my liking for these studies increase as, by progress, they become less difficult. This is, however, too early a day for me to form any fixed opinion on either Hindoo or Persian literature. August 14.-We passed some seaweed this morning, which was considered as a singular and perplexing occurrence, since no Saxenberg was ever suspected in our present neighbourhood. It probably came from Tristan d'Acunha. Several whales, some of them of a large size,played round the ship for above half an hour. I obtained a very favourable view of one of them, which struck me from its perfect resemblance to the grampus which I had seen before, both in shape and the colour and smoothness of its skin. The water which it blew through its nostrils appeared in a form something different from what I had expected. I had imagined, I hardly know why, that it was to be a small high slender jet-d'eau, whereas it escaped in a thick white cloud, like the steam from an engine, and with pretty nearly the same noise. I was pleased to witness the apparent happiness of these poor animals, which were supposed to be two old ones with one or more young, and rejoiced that no southern whaler was in sight. While we were gazing at these leviathans, one of the midshipmen caught a sea-bird on a hook; it was said to be a " Cape-hen" (I believe a gannet), a little larger than a large goose, with brown glossy feathers, large white eyes with black pupils, a broad yellow bill, very slender legs, broad webbed feet, and long wings resembling those of a kite. It bled a little, but seemed very slightly injured by the hook. 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 shown 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', east 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 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 | rents, and give those parents a daily in creasing 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 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 I admit, untranslateable, and only to be imitated afar off. SONNET BY THE LATE NAWAB OF OUDE, ASUF UD DOWLA. In those eyes the tears that glisten as in pity for my pain, Are they gems, or only dew-drops? can they, will they, long remain ? 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; 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-age can entwine itself round the heart. 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 showed 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 toward 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 circumstances, 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 showed great delight in recognising 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 pa And-thy world of blushing brightness-can Health and youth in balmy moisture on thy Asuf! why in mournful numbers, of thine Chance had joined us, chance has parted!- In the world mayst thou, beloved! live August 17. Read prayers and preached. The 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', east long. 11° 6'. August 18.-The same breeze, which has now increased 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 August 20-23.-We have been these four days beating to and fro on the bank of Lagullos, with a contrary wind or no wind at all, alternately, suffering a good deal from the motion of the vessel. On the 22nd we were on the supposed position of the Telemaque shoal, when a boy at the mast-head cried out, "breakers." They turned out, however, to be only the reflection of the sun on the waves. So that the existence or situation of this danger is still as dubious as ever. those gigantic waves of which I have | marine mountains, of extent not yet often heard as prevailing in these lati- ascertained, which project from the foot tudes. In a weaker vessel, and with of Southern Africa, like a vast buttress, less confidence in our officers and crew, to support it against the invasions of they would be alarming as well as aw- the Antarctic Ocean. The depth of ful and sublime. But, in our case, seen water is considerable in every part of as they are from a strong and well-found the bank, and consequently fish are ship, in fine clear weather, and with scarce at any distance from shore. In good sea-room, they constitute a mag- the creeks and bays of the visible coast nificent spectacle, which may be con- they are said to swarm. And thus we templated with unmixed pleasure. I are in the Indian Ocean! 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 plaything 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 snow-peterels. 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', east long. 15° 30'. This day ends the ninth week of our abode on board the Grenville. August 19.-During the night we made considerable southing, and passed the Cape. In the evening we had a distant but tolerably distinct view of the Cape Aguillas or Lagullos, the most southerly promontory of Africa. Our wind is now lighter, but the swell still great; such a swell (and indeed much more, all things considered, than we now feel) is to be expected on the banks of Lagullos, a range of sub August 24. A southern breeze sprung up this morning, and we have begun our progress eastward anew, though at present inclining much towards the south, where Captain Manning hopes to find the wind more settled. We had prayers and a sermon; but the weather was, as on last Sunday, too unsettled to permit the men to sit down, or the awning to be extended. The breeze has, however, put all the party into much better spirits; and, considering the degree in which we have been previously favoured, a four or five days' delay here is a trifling draw-back. August 30.-Alas! our flattering breeze left us in a few hours, and from Monday till Thursday we had very little wind, and that adverse; yet we did not remain absolutely stationary, having got into a powerful, and hitherto little known, current from the S.W., which forwarded us on our voyage almost as much as a light wind would have done. On Wednesday evening and Thursday morning more particularly, though the weather was such a perfect calm that the ship was absoÎutely her own mistress, and would not answer the helm, yet we found, to our surprise, that, during the twenty-four hours, we had advanced two degrees of longitude. On Thursday a light breeze | threatened to affect his brain, was very blew, which, with the friendly help of the current, helped us on three degrees more. And on Friday and Saturday we had a stiff gale, which fairly placed us at twelve o'clock the latter day in lat. 36° 52', east long. 42° 59′. This was, of course, not effected without considerable tossing. The day was rainy, and the sea broke over the quarter-deck fiercely. My wife, however, braved it, and walked a good deal, and all the men on board were in high spirits. Captain Manning said, "If there was virtue in canvas, he would make the run of the following day better than this;" which was 246 miles by the log, and I believe the best we have had during the present voyage. The current which so long befriended us is now replaced by another of an opposite tendency, appearing to come from the great channel of Mozambique, of which, in this day's run, we have been crossing the mouth. Our course is east, a little inclining to the north. The climate is very like that of England in spring. The passengers, however, and the young men more particularly, are not healthy, and several absentees are remarked from every dinner. Mr. Shaw says that he has seldom found a ship a favourable situation either for preserving or recovering health. The want of exercise and of mental employment sufficiently accounts for this. My own general good health, I am convinced, I owe in no small degree to my persevering walks on the quarter-deck, and my Hindoostanee studies. In these I certainly am not idle, though, alas! I cannot say much of my own proficiency. On Sunday, 31st, we had again prayers and a sermon, though the weather was too unsettled to admit of the men sitting down, and consequently the former were curtailed a little of their just proportion. Afterwards I went with Captain Manning and Mr. Elliott, the surgeon, to visit the sick seamen, of whom there were three or four more seriously indisposed than usual. One poor man who was recovering from the effects of a fall a few days before, which had intelligent, and grateful to God for his deliverance. The others were not so favourably disposed. I persuaded them, however, to meet me in the afternoon, and join in a few prayers. Friday, September 5.-Here follows a version of part of this day's lesson from the Gulistân. It was the inscription, says Sadi, over the arched alcove of Feridoon's Hall: "Brother! know the world deceiveth! The next is not so good, but is almost equally literal: both seem to confirm my suspicions as to the real character of Asiatic poetry :— "The man who leaveth life behind, May well and boldly speak his mind. It is strange to see how flowery these passages become in Gladwin's translation; yet I can safely say that my rude lines are most like the original. On Tuesday the 9th, at twelve, we were in lat. 26° 55', long. 76° 44', with a fine wind from the south-east, which everybody on board was willing to hope was the "trade wind." In consequence we looked forward to our probable arrival at Saugor anchorage before the 1st of October; and some of our party are almost tempted to murmur at the singular rapidity with which our passage has been favoured, as bringing us into India at an unwholesome season. For my own part, I have no apprehensions either for myself or those most dear to me. We are all, at this moment, in excellent health. Our habits of living have been, for some time back, such as are most likely to enable us to bear a change of climate without injury, and even during the worst and most sickly time of the year in Calcutta by all which I can learn, little more is necessary to preserve health than to be strictly temperate, and to re main quiet during the heat of the day, and while it rains. And, indeed, while we are enjoying and have enjoyed such daily and remarkable protection from God during the whole of our voyage, it would be cowardice in the extreme to distrust his further mercies, or to shrink back from those dangers which, some time or other, a resident in India must expect to encounter, and which a newcomer is, perhaps, as able to bear as any other person. I therefore feel at present nothing but pleasure in the anticipation of our speedy arrival in that scene where I am hereafter to labour; or if I feel any anxiety, it is only as to the manner in which I may be able to acquit myself of duties so important, and in a situation so new. Deus adjuvet per Jesum Christum ! Friday, September 12.-Few things now occur to insert except my progress in Hindoostanee. The following lines are also from the Gulistân, rather more loosely translated than some of those which have preceded them. I have, however, sufficiently preserved their character: "Who the silent man can prize, A tropic bird was seen to-day, very large, and white as snow, but without the two long tail-feathers which are his principal ornament. The immense distance from land at which these birds are seen is really surprising. The isle of Bourbon is the nearest point, and that must be a distance of 2000 miles. For many days back the beautiful Cape pigeons have ceased to attend us. On Sunday, September 14, we had again Divine service, and I afterwards (as has been my occasional custom for some time back) prayed with the sick below. Their number still continues inconsiderable, and there is no case of absolute danger, though one poor lad has had a very tedious intermitting fever. Symptoms of our advanced pro gress are visible in the preparations making in the cutter, which Captain Manning is sheathing with zinc, and fitting up with masts and sails for the navigation of the Ganges. His goodnature and obliging disposition have spared us another preparation which at these times is usual-I mean, painting the ship previous to her appearing in harbour; an operation which must have made the whole population of the vessel miserable for some days. I am heartily glad to escape this. September 18.-This evening we had a most beautiful sunset-the most remarkable recollected by any of the officers or passengers, and I think the most magnificent spectacle I ever saw. Besides the usual beautiful tints of crimson, flame-colour, &c. which the clouds displayed, and which were strangely contrasted with the deep blue of the sea, and the lighter, but equally beautiful, blue of the sky, there were in the immediate neighbourhood of the sinking sun, and for some time after his disk had disappeared, large tracts of a pale translucent green, such as I had never seen before, except in a prism, and surpassing every effect of paint, or glass, or gem. Everybody on board was touched and awed by the glory of the scene, and many observed that such a spectacle alone was worth the whole voyage from England. One circumstance in the scene struck me as different from all which I had been led to expect in a tropical sunset-I mean that its progress from light to darkness was much more gradual than most travellers and philosophers have stated. The dip of the sun did not seem more rapid, nor did the duration of the tints on the horizon appear materially less than on similar occasions in England. Neither did I notice any striking difference in the continuance of the twilight. pointed out the fact to Major Sackville, who answered, that he had long been convinced that the supposed rapidity of sunrise and sunset in India had been exaggerated-that he had always found a good hour between dawn and sunrise, and little less between sunset and total darkness. As, indeed, we are at present within three degrees of the line, I |