19 



CHAPTER I. 



THE VOYAGE OUTWARD. 



On Saturday, March 8th, in the Thomas, of Hull, Wm. 

 Brass, master, we left the roadstead at the Hawk in the 

 River Humber, and at 9 a. ra. cleared the Spurn lights. 

 In the evening, the breeze becoming fresh at W.N.W. 

 we tacked and stood round Flamborough Head into Bur- 

 lington Bay. The breeze increasing to strong, we tacked 

 again from Burlington Bay, and steered for the Orkneys, 

 in a full breeze from W. 



Before I proceed to the detail of matters contained in 

 my journal, it is necessary to premise a few remarks, in 

 order to make the contents of that record intelligible to 

 every reader. In the ^course of a voyage, the direction of 

 the winds, and their velocities, are of primary importance to 

 be understood ; and the signs by which their change, or 

 expected commencement can be known, form one of the 

 main objects in the experience of a seaman. The question 

 of " How are we to have the wind?" is seldom addressed to 



D 2 



