136 THE VOYAGE. [ch. vi. 



experience. Nobody who has only been to sea for twenty- 

 four hours has a right to say that sea-sickness is even un- 

 comfortable. The real misery only begins when you are so 

 exhausted that a little exertion makes a feeling of faintness 

 come on. I found nothing but lying in my hammock did 

 me any good. I must especially excejot your receipt of 

 raisins, which is the only food that the stomach will bear. 



On the 4th of January we were not many miles from 

 Madeira, but as there was a heavy sea running, and the 

 island lay to windward, it was not thought worth while to 

 beat up to it. It afterwards has turned out it was lucky we 

 saved ourselves the trouble. I was much too sick even to 

 get up to see the distant outline. On the 6th, in the evening, 

 we sailed into the harbour of Santa Cruz. I now first felt 

 even moderately well, and I was picturing to myself all the 

 delights of fresh fruit growing in beautiful valleys, and read- 

 ing Humboldt's description of the island's glorious views, 

 when perhaps you may nearly guess at our disappointment, 

 when a small pale man informed us we must perform a 

 strict quarantine of twelve days. There was a death-like 

 stillness in the ship till the Captain cried " up jib," and we 

 left this long wished-for place. 



We were becalmed for a day between Teneriffe and the 

 Grand Canary, and here I first experienced any enjoyment. 

 The view was glorious. The Peak of Teneriffe was seen 

 amongst the clouds like another world. Our only drawback 

 was the extreme wish of visiting this glorious island. From 

 Teneriffe to St. Jago the voyage was extremely pleasant. I 

 had a net astern the vessel which caught great numbers of 

 curious animals, and fully occupied my time in my cabin, 

 and on deck the weather was so delightful and clear, that 

 the sky and water together made a picture. On the 16th 

 we arrived at Port Praya, the capital of the Cape de Verds, 

 and there we remained twenty -three days, viz. till yesterday, 

 the 7th of February. The time has flown away most de- 

 lightfully, indeed nothing can be pleasanter; exceedingly 

 busy, and that business both a duty and a great delight. I 

 do not believe I have spent one half-hour idly since leaving 

 Teneriffe. St. Jago has afforded me an exceedingly rich 

 harvest in several branches of Natural History. I find the 

 descriptions scarcely worth anything of many of the com- 

 moner animals that inhabit the Tropics. I allude, of course, 

 to those of the lower classes. 



Geologising in a volcanic country is most delightful ; be- 



